Oxidized Lipoprotein as a Major Vessel Cell Proliferator in Oxidized Human Serum

Lipid Oxidation Products and the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: Role of Lipoprotein Transport

Cholesterol has for decades ruled the history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and the present view of the etiology of the disease is based on the transport of cholesterol by plasma lipoproteins. The new knowledge of the lipoprotein-specific transport of lipid oxidation products (LOPs) has introduced another direction to the research of CVD, revealing strong associations between lipoprotein transport functions, atherogenic LOP, and CVD. The aim of this review is to present the evidence of the lipoprotein-specific transport of LOP and to evaluate the potential consequences of the proposed role of the LOP transport as a risk factor. The associations of cholesterol and lipoprotein LOP with the known risk factors of CVD are mostly parallel, and because of the common transport and cellular intake mechanisms it is difficult to ascertain the independent effects of either cholesterol or LOP. While cholesterol is known to have important physiological functions, LOPs are merely regarded as metabolic residues and able to initiate and boost atherogenic processes. It is therefore likely that with the increased knowledge of the lipoprotein-specific transport of LOP, the role of cholesterol as a risk factor of CVD will be challenged.

Lipid peroxidation products as a mediator of toxicity and adaptive response - The regulatory role of selenoprotein and vitamin E

Lipid peroxidation and its products have been investigated extensively and their biological importance, particularly in relation to physiological and pathophysiological conditions, has received considerable attention. Lipids are oxidized by three distinct mechanisms, i.e., enzymatic oxidation, nonenzymatic, free radical-mediated oxidation, and nonenzymatic, nonradical-mediated oxidation, which respectively yield specific products. Lipid hydroperoxides are the major primary products formed and are reduced to the corresponding hydroxides by antioxidative enzymes such as selenoproteins, and/or undergo secondary oxidation, generating various products with electrophilic properties, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. Lipid peroxidation induces a loss of fine structure and natural function of lipids, and can produce cytotoxicity and/or novel biological activity. This review broadly discusses the mechanisms of lipid peroxidation and its products, its utility as a biomarker for oxidative stress, the biological effects of lipid peroxidation products, including their action as a mediator of the adaptive response, and the role of the antioxidant system, particularly selenoproteins and vitamin E, in preventing lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis.

Anti-Atherosclerotic Activity of (3R)-5-Hydroxymellein from an Endophytic Fungus Neofusicoccum parvum JS-0968 Derived from Vitex rotundifolia through the Inhibition of Lipoproteins Oxidation and Foam Cell Formation

An endophytic fungus, Neofusicoccum parvum JS-0968, was isolated from a plant, Vitex rotundifolia. The chemical investigation of its cultures led to the isolation of a secondary metabolite, (3R)-5-hydroxymellein. It has been reported to have antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activity, but there have been no previous reports on the effects of (3R)-5-hydroxymellein on atherosclerosis. The oxidation of lipoproteins and foam cell formation have been known to be significant in the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated the inhibitory effects of (3R)-5-hydroxymellein on atherosclerosis through low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) oxidation and macrophage foam cell formation. LDL and HDL oxidation were determined by measuring the production of conjugated dienes and malondialdehyde, the amount of hyperchromicity and carbonyl content, conformational changes, and anti-LDL oxidation. In addition, the inhibition of foam cell formation was measured by Oil red O staining. As a result, (3R)-5-hydroxymellein suppressed the oxidation of LDL and HDL through the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the decrease of negative charges, the reduction of hyperchromicity and carbonyl contents, and the prevention of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) aggregation and apoB-100 fragmentation. Furthermore, (3R)-5-hydroxymellein significantly reduced foam cell formation induced by oxidized LDL (oxLDL). Taken together, our data show that (3R)-5-hydroxymellein could be a potential preventive agent for atherosclerosis via obvious anti-LDL and HDL oxidation and the inhibition of foam cell formation.

Anti-Atherosclerotic Effects of Fruits of Vitex rotundifolia and Their Isolated Compounds via Inhibition of Human LDL and HDL Oxidation

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) oxidation are well known to increase the risk for atherosclerosis. In our ongoing research on natural products with inhibitory activities against oxidation of lipoproteins, fruits of Vitex rotundifolia were found to be highly active. There is no report on the effects on LDL and HDL oxidation. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effects of V. rotundifolia fruit extract and its six compounds, which are: (1) artemetin, (2) casticin, (3) hesperidin, (4) luteolin, (5) vitexin, and (6) vanillic acid, against LDL and HDL oxidation. The LDL and HDL oxidations were determined by measuring production of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, amount of hyperchromicity and carbonyl content, change in electrical charge, and apoA-I aggregation. In addition, the contents of the compounds in the extracts were analyzed using HPLC-DAD. Consequently, extracts of Vitex rotundifolia fruits and compounds 2 and 4 suppressed oxidation of LDL and HDL, showing inhibition of lipid peroxidation, decrease of negative charges in lipoproteins, reduction of hyperchromicity, decrease in carbonyl contents, and prevention of apoA-I aggregation. In particular, compounds 2 and 4 exhibited more potent inhibitory effect on oxidation of LDL and HDL than the extracts, suggesting their protective role against atherosclerosis via inhibition of LDL and HDL oxidation. The contents of artemetin, casticin, and vanillic acid in the extracts were 1.838 ± 0.007, 8.629 ± 0.078, and 1.717 ± 0.006 mg/g, respectively.