Macrophage-derived FGFR1 drives atherosclerosis through PLCγ-mediated activation of NF-κB inflammatory signalling pathway

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerotic lesions show increased levels of proteins associated with the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) pathway. However, the functional significance and mechanisms governed by FGFR signalling in AS are not known. In the present study, we investigated fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) signalling in AS development and progression.

Examination of human atherosclerotic lesions and aortas of Apoe^−/− mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) showed increased levels of FGFR1 in macrophages. We deleted myeloid-expressed Fgfr1 in Apoe^−/− mice and showed that Fgfr1 deficiency reduces atherosclerotic lesions and lipid accumulations in both male and female mice upon HFD feeding. These protective effects of myeloid Fgfr1 deficiency were also observed when mice with intact FGFR1 were treated with FGFR inhibitor AZD4547. To understand the mechanistic basis of this protection, we harvested macrophages from mice and show that FGFR1 is required for macrophage inflammatory responses and uptake of oxidized LDL. RNA sequencing showed that FGFR1 activity is mediated through phospholipase-C-gamma (PLCγ) and the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) but is independent of FGFR substrate 2.

Our study provides evidence of a new FGFR1–PLCγ–NF-κB axis in macrophages in inflammatory AS, supporting FGFR1 as a potentially therapeutic target for AS-related diseases.