Anti-atherogenic effect of citrus flavonoids, naringin and naringenin, associated with hepatic ACAT and aortic VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in high cholesterol-fed rabbits.
The anti-atherogenic effects of the citrus flavonoids, naringin and naringenin, were evaluated in high cholesterol-fed rabbits. At 3 months of age, 30 male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were divided into three groups (n = 10 per group). The rabbits were fed a 1% cholesterol diet alone (control group) or a diet supplemented with either 0.1% naringin or 0.05% naringenin for 8 weeks. The plasma lipoprotein levels, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein showed no significant differences in the control and experimental groups. Hepatic acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity was slightly low in naringin (5.0%)- and naringenin (15.0%)-fed rabbits, compared to control group. The aortic fatty streak areas were significantly lower in both the naringin (19.2 +/- 5.6%)- and naringenin (18.1 +/- 6.5%)-supplemented groups than in the control group (60.4 +/- 14.0%). The expression levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), by semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis of the thoracic aorta, were significantly lower in the flavonoids supplemented groups than in the control group. These results suggest that the anti-atherogenic effect of the citrus flavonoids, naringin and naringenin, is involved with a decreased hepatic ACAT activity and with the downregulation of VCAM-1 and MCP-1 gene expression.
Lee
C H
CH
Genetic Resources Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Taejon 305-600, Korea.
Jeong
T S
TS
Choi
Y K
YK
Hyun
B H
BH
Oh
G T
GT
Kim
E H
EH
Kim
J R
JR
Han
J I
JI
Bok
S H
SH
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D000199:Actins; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids; D008055:Lipids; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D002784:Cholesterol; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase; C005273:naringenin; C005274:naringin