title: Dietary L-arginine attenuates expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in the aortae of hypercholesterolemic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the antiatherogenic effect of L-arginine is due to an inhibition of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in the aortae of hypercholesterolemic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: Group NC with normal diet (NC, n = 8), Group CC with 4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid diet (CC, n = 8), Group AC with 4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid diet supplemented with 3% L-arginine HCl in the drinking water (AC, n = 8). Eight weeks later, the blood samples were collected for biochemical studies, and the aortae were harvested for RT-PCR and immunohistochemical studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that dietary L-arginine supplementation reduced expression of VCAM-1 in protein level and mRNA level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhibitory effect of dietary supplementation of L-arginine on VCAM-1 expression may be one of the mechanisms of its antiatherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D001120:Arginine