A novel method for the rapid separation of human plasma lipoproteins using self-generating gradients of Iodixanol

Proteomic studies on apoB-containing lipoprotein in cardiovascular research: A comprehensive review

The complexity of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which remains the leading cause of death worldwide, makes the current clinical pathway for cardiovascular risk assessment unsatisfactory, as there remains a substantial unexplained residual risk. Simultaneous assessment of a large number of plasma proteins may be a promising tool to further refine risk assessment, and lipoprotein-associated proteins have the potential to fill this gap. Technical advances now allow for high-throughput proteomic analysis in a reproducible and cost-effective manner. Proteomics has great potential to identify and quantify hundreds of candidate marker proteins in a sample and allows the translation from isolated lipoproteins to whole plasma, thus providing an individual multiplexed proteomic fingerprint. This narrative review describes the pathophysiological roles of atherogenic apoB-containing lipoproteins and the recent advances in their mass spectrometry-based proteomic characterization and quantitation for better refinement of CVD risk assessment.

Network pharmacology analysis and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of Bushao Tiaozhi capsule (BSTZC) on hyperlipidemia

Bushao Tiaozhi Capsule (BSTZC) is a novel drug in China that is used in clinical practice and has significant therapeutic effects on hyperlipidemia (HLP). In our previous study, BSTZC has a good regulatory effect on lipid metabolism of HLP rats. However, its bioactive compounds, potential targets, and underlying mechanism remain largely unclear. We extracted the active ingredients and targets in BSTZC from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and literature mining. Subsequently, core ingredients, potential targets, and signaling pathways were determined through bioinformatics analysis, including constructed Drug-Ingredient-Gene symbols-Disease (D-I-G-D), protein–protein interaction (PPI), the Gene Ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Finally, the reliability of the core targets was evaluated using in vivo studies. A total of 36 bioactive ingredients and 209 gene targets were identified in BSTZC. The network analysis revealed that quercetin, kaempferol, wogonin, isorhamnetin, baicalein and luteolin may be the core ingredients. The 26 core targets of BSTZC, including IL-6, TNF, VEGFA, and CASP3, were considered potential therapeutic targets. Furthermore, GO and KEGG analyses indicated that the treatment of HLP by BSTZC might be related to lipopolysaccharide, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The pathway analysis showed enrichment for different pathways like MAPK signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic, IL-17 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. In this study, network pharmacology analysis, and experiment verification were combined, and revealed that BSTZC may regulate key inflammatory markers and apoptosis for ameliorating HLP.

Lowering effects of aspirin eugenol ester on blood lipids in rats with high fat diet

BACKGROUND

Aspirin and eugenol were esterified to synthesize aspirin eugenol ester (AEE). As a pale yellow and odourless crystal, AEE reduced the gastrointestinal damage of aspirin and vulnerability of eugenol. The study was conducted to evaluate the preventive effects of AEE on blood lipids in rats with high fat diet (HFD).

METHODS

Suspensions of AEE and simvastatin were prepared in 5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na). In order to observe the intervention effects, the drugs and HFD were administrated at the same time. Based on individual weekly body weight (BW), AEE was intragastrically administrated at the dosage of 18, 36 and 54 mg/kg. Simvastatin (10 mg/kg) and CMC-Na (20 mg/kg) were used as control drug. After 6 weeks of administration, the changes of BW and blood lipid indices including triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholesterol (TCH) were determined in the experiment.

RESULTS

The rat blood lipids profile in model group was remarkably different after feeding 6-weeks HFD. TG, TCH and LDL indexes in model group were increased significantly compared with those in control group (p < 0.01). AEE at the dosage of 54 mg/kg significantly decreased levels of TG, TCH and LDL (p < 0.01), and slowed the rate of BW gain in comparison with model group (p < 0.05). Moreover, high dose AEE showed better effects than simvastatin on reducing TCH level and similar effects on TG, HDL and LDL.

CONCLUSION

AEE could remarkably reduce levels of TG, TCH and LDL in rats with high fat diet, and slow the rate of body weight gain. It was conducted that AEE was a potential candidate on reducing blood lipids level. The mechanism of action of AEE should be investigated in further studies.

Regulation effect of Aspirin Eugenol Ester on blood lipids in Wistar rats with hyperlipidemia

Background

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a promising drug candidate for treatment of inflammation, pain and fever and prevention of cardiovascular diseases with less side effects. The experiment will be conducted to investigate the efficacy of AEE on curing hyperlipidemia in Wistar rats. The rats were fed with high fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce hyperlipidemia.

Results

Compared with the model group, the results showed that AEE at 54 mg/kg dosage could significantly decrease the hyperlipidemia indexes including triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TCH) (p < 0.01), increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) (p < 0.05) for five weeks drug administration. Meanwhile, simvastatin had same effect on hyperlipidemia indexes such as TG, LDL, TC, but no significant increase in HDL.

Conclusion

AEE was effective against hyperlipidemia and had better anti-hyperlipidemic effect than its component, acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, ASA), eugenol and integration of ASA and eugenol. Under the experimental circumstance, the optimal dose of AEE to cure hyperlipidemia is 54 mg/kg for five weeks in Wistar rats.

Cigarette smoke and human plasma lycopene depletion

It is known that smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. Plasma carotenoid concentrations in smokers are generally lower than in non-smokers and this may be due to modifications in diet or a direct or indirect action of cigarette smoke on carotenoids in the plasma. Recently it was reported that reactive nitrogen species derived from cigarette smoke could diffuse across the lung alveolar cell wall into the plasma. Such species may modify circulating low density lipoprotein (LDL) and in the process reduce circulating carotenoid concentrations. In an effort to address this rational we have treated lycopene solutions, human plasma and isolated LDL with cigarette smoke and monitored all-(E)-lycopene, 5(Z)-lycopene and beta-carotene depletion. In plasma, the depletion of all-(E)-lycopene (15.0+/-11.0%, n=10) was greater than 5(Z)-lycopene (10.4+/-9.6%) or beta-carotene (12.4+/-10.5%). In LDL, both all-(E)- and 5(Z)-lycopene were more susceptible than beta-carotene (20.8+/-11.8%, 15.4+/-11.5% and 11.5+/-12.5%, n=3 respectively). The effects have been compared with Sin-1 reactions and isomerization of all-(E) lycopene is common to both treatments. The results clearly indicate that low plasma lycopene may be a direct consequence of smoke inhalation.