ArticleCardiovascular diabetology2017
Pioglitazone stabilizes atherosclerotic plaque by regulating the Th17/Treg balance in AMPK-dependent mechanisms.
Article in Cardiovascular diabetology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers.
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Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 63 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of non-insulin glucose-lowering therapies on coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression in diabetes.La Radiologia medica · 2026Article
- Cardiovascular preventive role of thiazolidinedione in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.Journal of diabetes investigation · 2026Article
- Diacerein improves liver fibrosis, steatosis, and atherosclerosis in ApoE knockout mice.Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) · 2026Article
- Drug Polymer Nanoparticles: An Advancement in Biomedical Solutions and Targeted Drug Delivery.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Review
- Targeting the Th17/Treg axis: from immunological insights to therapeutic avenues in atherosclerosis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2026Review
- The double-edged sword of regulatory T cells in MASLD: from inflammation control to fibrosis promotion.Animal cells and systems · 2026Review
- Thiazolidinedione Use and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Who Underwent Carotid Artery Revascularization.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2025Article
- Emerging role of adaptive immunity in diabetes-induced cognitive impairment: from the periphery to the brain.Metabolic brain disease · 2025Review
- Targeting immune cell recruitment in atherosclerosis.Nature reviews. Cardiology · 2024Review
- Navigating the Maze of Kinases: CaMK-like Family Protein Kinases and Their Role in Atherosclerosis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Two sides of the same coin: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis.Vascular pharmacology · 2024Review
- Primordial Drivers of Diabetes Heart Disease: Comprehensive Insights into Insulin Resistance.Diabetes & metabolism journal · 2024Review
- Circulating Th17/Treg as a promising biomarker for patients with rheumatoid arthritis in indicating comorbidity with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Clinical cardiology · 2023Article
- Influence of Age, Gender, Frailty, and Body Mass Index on Serum IL-17A Levels in Mature Type 2 Diabetic Patients.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2023Article
- Targeting regulatory T cells for cardiovascular diseases.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Review
- The Anti-Atherosclerosis Effect of Anakinra, a Recombinant Human Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist, in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Bergenin, a PPARγ agonist, inhibits Th17 differentiation and subsequent neutrophilic asthma by preventing GLS1-dependent glutaminolysis.Acta pharmacologica Sinica · 2022Article
- AMP-activated protein kinase alpha1 promotes tumor development via FOXP3 elevation in tumor-infiltrating Treg cells.iScience · 2022Article
- Research progress on Th17 and T regulatory cells and their cytokines in regulating atherosclerosis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPioglitazone (PIO), a thiazolidinediones drug, is a well-known anti-diabetic medicine, but its anti-atherosclerotic effects remain controversial. Thus it is important to investigate the effects of PIO on atherogenesis and the relevant mechanisms.
methodsFor in vitro studies, primary cultured or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibited splenocytes were treated with oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) or ox-LDL plus PIO. Percentage of T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells were determined by flow cytometry. Expression of AMPK, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) were detected by Western blots. For in vivo studies, apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice fed with western diet were treated with PIO or vehicle for 8 weeks respectively. Percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in spleen were measured by immunohistochemical analysis. The atherosclerotic lesions were analyzed using oil red O staining, and collagen types I and III in atherosclerotic lesions were stained by Sirius red. Expression of IL-17 and FoxP3 were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
resultsIn cultured primary splenocytes, PIO dramatically inhibited Th17 and raised Treg. Intriguingly, pharmacological and genetic AMPK inhibitions abolished PIO-induced Treg elevation and Th17 inhibition. Moreover, PIO significantly induced AMPK phosphorylation, decreased IL-17
conclusionsPIO exhibits anti-atherosclerotic effects for stabilization of atherosclerotic plaque through regulating the Th17/Treg balance in an AMPK-dependent manner.
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