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Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) has been suggested to upregulate CD36. Since free oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids are PPARγ ligands, we studied the effects of LDL modified by the simultaneous action of sPLA2 and 15-lipoxygenase (15LO) on CD36 expression and PPARγ activation in monocytic cells. Exposure of MM6 cells, which do not express CD36 or other scavenger receptors, to such enzymatically modified LDL (enzLDL) resulted in upregulation of CD36 surface protein and mRNA expression. Similar effects were observed with free 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid but not its esterified counterpart. Less pronounced effects were observed with LDL modified by 15LO alone. Upregulation of CD36 was inversely correlated to the state of cell differentiation, as showed by lower response to enzLDL of the scavenger receptor-expressing MM6-sr and THP1 cells. Importantly, LDL modified by sPLA2 and 15LO did not efficiently induce upregulation CD36 in PPARγ-deficient macrophage-differentiated embryonic stem cells confirming a role of PPARγ in CD36 expression in cells stimulated with enzLDL. Our data show that LDL modified with physiologically relevant enzymes stimulates CD36 expression in non-differentiated monocytes and that this process involves PPARγ activation. These effects of enzLDL can be considered pro-atherogenic in the context of early atherosclerosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]