title: Protocatechuic acid, a metabolite of anthocyanins, inhibits monocyte adhesion and reduces atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
abstract: Polyphenols, including anthocyanins, from various plant foods are effective in the prevention of atherosclerosis in animal and human studies. Protocatechuic acid (PCA), a major metabolite of anthocyanins, has been found to possess the anti-carcinogenic effect, whereas the in vivo effect of PCA as an anti-atherosclerotic agent remains unknown. We demonstrated herein that PCA inhibited monocyte adhesion to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-activated mouse aortic endothelial cells, associated with the inhibition of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression. Furthermore, PCA inhibited the nuclear content of p65, a subunit of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), along with reduced NF-κB binding activity. Finally, PCA administration in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-deficient mouse model reduced aortic VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression, NF-κB activity, and plasma-soluble VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels, with inhibiting atherosclerosis development. We suggest that PCA possesses the anti-atherogenic effect at least partially via its anti-inflammatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dongliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Tianru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C009091:protocatechuic acid