Lipingshu capsule improves atherosclerosis associated with lipid regulation and inflammation inhibition in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

12-Hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid inhibits foam cell formation and ameliorates high-fat diet-induced pathology of atherosclerosis in mice

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with macrophage aggregate and transformation into foam cells. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of dietary intake of ω3 fatty acid on the development of atherosclerosis, and demonstrate the mechanism of action by identifying anti-inflammatory lipid metabolite. Mice were exposed to a high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with either conventional soybean oil or α-linolenic acid-rich linseed oil. We found that as mice became obese they also showed increased pulsatility and resistive indexes in the common carotid artery. In sharp contrast, the addition of linseed oil to the HFD improved pulsatility and resistive indexes without affecting weight gain. Histological analysis revealed that dietary linseed oil inhibited foam cell formation in the aortic valve. Lipidomic analysis demonstrated a particularly marked increase in the eicosapentaenoic acid-derived metabolite 12-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (12-HEPE) in the serum from mice fed with linseed oil. When we gave 12-HEPE to mice with HFD, the pulsatility and resistive indexes was improved. Indeed, 12-HEPE inhibited the foamy transformation of macrophages in a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that the 12-HEPE-PPARγ axis ameliorates the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by inhibiting foam cell formation.

Prediction of the Network Pharmacology-Based Mechanism for Attenuation of Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice by Panax notoginseng Saponins

This study investigated whether Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) reduced atherosclerotic lesion formation in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice and illustrated the potential mechanism for a network pharmacology approach. Pharmacodynamics studies on ApoE-KO mice with atherosclerosis (AS) showed that PNS generated an obvious anti-AS action. Then, we explored the possible mechanisms underlying its anti-AS effect using the network pharmacology approach. The main chemical components and their targets of PNS were collected from TCMSP public database and SymMap. The STRING v11.0 was used to establish the protein-protein interactions of PNS. Furthermore, the Gene Ontology (GO) function and KEGG pathways were analyzed using STRING to investigate the possible mechanisms involved in the anti-AS effect of PNS. The predicted results showed that 27 potential targets regulated by DSLHG were related to AS, including ACTA2, AKT1, BCL2, and BDNF. Mechanistically, the anti-AS effect of PNS was exerted by interfering with multiple signaling pathways, such as AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, and TNF signaling pathway. Network analysis showed that PNS could generate the anti-AS action by affecting multiple targets and multiple pathways and provides a novel basis to clarify the mechanisms of anti-AS of PNS.

Effects of ABCA1 gene polymorphisms on risk factors, susceptibility and severity of coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

The relationships between the rs1800976, rs4149313 and rs2230806 polymorphisms in ATP binding cassette protein A1 and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) remain unclear.

METHODS

Four hundred and forty-two patients with CAD and 217 CAD-free subjects were enrolled in this study. The rs1800976, rs4149313 and rs2230806 polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Severity of CAD was evaluated by Gensini score system, number of stenotic coronary vessels and extent of coronary stenosis.

RESULTS

C allele of the rs1800976 polymorphism, G allele of the rs4149313 polymorphism and A allele of the rs2230806 polymorphism were found to be risk alleles for CAD (p<0.05 for all). In patients with CAD, C allele of the rs1800976 polymorphism was associated with high levels of hypersensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and cystatin c (CysC), and its frequency increased with percentiles of Gensini score, number of stenotic coronary vessels and extent of coronary stenosis (p<0.05 for all). The subjects with GA genotype of the rs4149313 polymorphism had higher levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B and hs-CRP than those with AA genotype (p<0.05 for all). The subjects with AA genotype of the rs2230806 polymorphism had higher levels of TC, LDL-C and uric acid than those with GA genotype (p<0.05 for all). No associations between the rs4149313 or rs2230806 polymorphism and severity of CAD were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

The rs1800976 polymorphism is significantly associated with the occurrence and severity of CAD, which is possibly mediated by hs-CRP and CysC.

Myricitrin exhibits anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats

The present study investigated the anti-atherosclerotic potential of myricitrin in hypercholesterolemic rats. Rats were divided into the following groups: sham (standard food), control [1% high-cholesterol diet (HCD)], 1 μM myricitrin + 1% HCD, 10 μM myricitrin + 1% HCD, 100 μM myricitrin + 1% HCD, and the positive control (10 mg/kg body weight atorvastatin). The dose was given to rats via oral gavage for 45 consecutive days. Feeding of rats with 1% HCD caused substantial increases in the levels of LDL, cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG), while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was reduced. However, rats supplemented with myricitrin had reduced levels of cholesterol, LDL, and TG to near-normal levels, whereas HDL was increased. Catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were substantially reduced in the HCD-fed rats compared with sham rats. However, the rats supplemented with 100 μM myricitrin showed > 50% increases in these levels. Lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were reduced following myricitrin treatment. The aortic cell wall area was significantly increased by 14.5% in HCD-fed rats. However, rats supplemented with 1, 10, and 100 μM myricitrin showed significant reductions in the aortic cell wall area of 2.3%, 4%, and 27.5%, respectively. This is the first report of the anti-atherosclerotic and hypolipidemic effects of myricitrin in hypercholesterolemic rats. Myricitrin decreased the level of total serum cholesterol and the role of aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rats.

Schisandrin B ameliorates high-glucose-induced vascular endothelial cells injury by regulating the Noxa/Hsp27/NF-κB signaling pathway

Background: To address the molecular mechanism of the anti-inflammation effects of schisandrin B (Sch B) in atherosclerosis, we examined injured HMEC-1, HBMEC, and HUVEC-12 cells induced by high glucose (HG). Methods: Western blot was performed to detect the levels of the proteins Hsp27, Noxa, TLR5, p-IκBα, and p-p65 in HG-induced cells, while ELISA was used to analyze the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-1β in cells with Hsp27 or Noxa stable expression. Results: Overexpression of Hsp27 upregulated the inflammatory cytokines and the release of IκBα, promoted transportation of p65 into the nucleus, and lastly, affected the inflammation process, while Sch B counteracted the upregulation. In addition, the effect of Noxa overexpression, which is different from Hsp27 overexpression, was consistent with that of Sch B treatment. Conclusions: Sch B may inhibit the inflammatory cascade and alleviate the injury to HMEC-1, HBMEC, and HUEVC-12 cells caused by HG by regulating the Noxa/Hsp27/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Cinnamaldehyde attenuates atherosclerosis via targeting the IκB/NF-κB signaling pathway in high fat diet-induced ApoE−/− mice

Cinnamaldehyde is a flavor isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl and exerts anti-inflammation effects in various diseases.