[Effects of Chinese herbal medicine Guanxinkang on expression of PPARγ-LXRα-ABCA1 pathway in ApoE-knockout mice with atherosclerosis].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of Guanxinkang (GXK) decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), liver X receptor α (LXRα) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-knockout mice with atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Fourteen 6-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were used as normal control group. Seventy 6-week-old ApoE-knockout mice receiving a high-cholesterol diet to induce atherosclerosis were randomly divided into untreated group, simvastatin group and low-dose (concentration of crude drugs at 0.864 g/mL), medium-dose (crude drugs at 1.728 g/mL) and high-dose (crude drugs at 3.456 g/mL) GXK groups. After treated with the drugs for eight weeks continuously, the livers and aortas of mice were separated. The expressions of PPARγ, LXRα and ABCA1 were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting respectively.


RESULTS
Compared with the normal control group, mRNAs and proteins of PPARγ, LXRα and ABCA1 over-expressed in the untreated group (P<0.05). After the treatment, GXK decoction and simvastatin decreased the expressions of PPARγ, LXRα and ABCA1 (P<0.05). High-dose GXK decoction had more marked effects than low- and medium-dose GXK and simvastatin.


CONCLUSIONS
The PPARγ-LXRα-ABCA1 pathway is involved in lipid regulation and inflammation activities. Over-expression of the genes has complicated effects on atherosclerosis in ApoE-knockout mice with high-cholesterol diet. GXK decoction has anti-inflammatory and anti-matrix metalloproteinase activities by regulating PPARγ, LXRα and ABCA1 interactions in the ApoE-knockout mice.
Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Mei-jiao
MJ
Mao
Jun-ping
JP
Hu
Cong
C
Wang
Yi-yi
YY
Zhang
Ping
P
Liu
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; C000605214:Nr1h3 protein, mouse; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D047495:PPAR gamma; D019821:Simvastatin