Endothelial CEPT1 Promotes Angiogenesis Through PPARα and VEGF-A Signaling

BACKGROUND: Cept1 is essential for de novo phopholipogenesis and is impacted by diabetes. We previously demonstrated that conditional knockdown of Cept1 in the endothelium leads to reduced tissue recovery. Therefore, we hypothesized that Cept1 overexpression may also be sufficient in promoting postischemic angiogenesis and recovery in the setting of diabetes. METHODS: CEPT1 (choline-ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1) content was evaluated in the peripheral arteries of human patients with peripheral artery disease and with or without diabetes. We also engineered a conditional endothelial cell (EC)–specific Cept1 overexpression mouse ( Cept1 fl/fl Cre + ) in adult C57BL/6J mice and performed unilateral hindlimb ischemia to assess the role of Cept1 in promoting angiogenesis. Murine aortae and ECs were harvested for single-cell RNA sequencing and molecular pathway analysis. RESULTS: In human arterial intima, CEPT1 was elevated in the setting of peripheral artery disease and diabetes, along with ACOX1 (acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) R2, p-Akt, and p-eNOS. In mice, single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated that ECs with Cept1 overexpression were enriched with wound healing, angiogenesis, sprouting, and cell migration pathways. Diabetic Cept1 fl/fl Cre + mice that underwent hindlimb ischemia demonstrated improved hindlimb perfusion and angiogenesis, and their aortic rings had increased ex vivo capillary sprouting. Cept1 overexpression in ECs significantly increased migration, tubule formation, and proliferation as predicted by single-cell RNA sequencing. Cept1 overexpression in ECs also led to increased expression of Ppar α , Acox1 , Vegfa , and Vegfr2 . Similarly, treatment with si Ppar α and inhibitors for PPARα (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α; GW6471), VEGFR2 (ZM323881), Akt (LY294002), and eNOS (L-NAME) abrogated CEPT1-induced EC migration. CONCLUSIONS: Cept1 overexpression promotes EC function and postischemic recovery. The impact of CEPT1 on ECs is at least in part dependent on p-Akt/p-eNOS angiogenic signaling and PPARα. Because CEPT1 is elevated in diseased human peripheral arterial tissue, these findings suggest that CEPT1 may be playing an important compensatory role in vascular recovery and reperfusion following ischemic injury in the setting of diabetes.