title: Total panax notoginsenosides prevent atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice: Role of downregulation of CD40 and MMP-9 expression.
abstract: Total panax notoginsenosides (TPNS) are the main active ingredients in San-Chi, the root of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F.H. Chen, which belongs to the Araliaceae family and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat atherosclerosis. We investigated the effect of TPNS on serum lipid levels and cell differentiation antigen 40 (CD40) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression in atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout (apoE-KO) mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Twenty-four apoE-KO mice were divided into two groups, the ApoE-KO group and the ApoE-KO + TPNS group. TPNS (60 mg/kg) was orally administered daily for 12 weeks in ApoE-KO + TPNS group. After 12 weeks, blood and aortas were obtained. Serum levels of lipid were analyzed, serum oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) concentration, ratio of plaque area-to-vessel area and the expression of CD40 and MMP-9 were examined by ELISA, histological staining, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR, respectively. It was observed in our study that serum levels of lipid and oxLDL, ratio of plaque area to vessel area, and expression of CD40 and MMP-9 were lower in the ApoE-KO + TPNS group than in the ApoE-KO group. These results suggest that TPNS could prevent atherosclerosis by lowering serum lipid levels and regulating vascular CD40 and MMP-9 expression. TPNS may have implications for clinical treatment of atherosclerosis vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qilu Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Guilin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jidong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Fenye
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036145:Ginsenosides; D008055:Lipids; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9