Methazolamide can treat atherosclerosis

Methoxazolamide (MTZ) has been confirmed to treat atherosclerosis (AS) by inhibiting calcification in aortic tissues. This study investigated the therapeutic mechanism. In this study, ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet to establish an AS model and then treated with MTZ. The aortic tissues were analyzed using single-cell sequencing. MTZ significantly increased the proportions of B-1/MZB cells, CD8+CD122+ Treg-like cell. Those cells can exert atheroprotective role by suppressing immune response and proinflammation. Meanwhile, MTZ decreased the proportions of nonclassical CD14+CD16++ monocytes and Spp1+ macrophages. Those cells can exert atherogenic role by suppressing proinflammation, calcification and tissue remodeling. The result suggested that MTZ is a potential anti-AS drug that regulates proportions of immunosuppressive cells and proinflammatory cells as well as their calcification-stimulating gene expression.