title: Protective effects of two Lactobacillus plantarum strains in hyperlipidemic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) CAI6 and L. plantarum SC4 on hyperlipidemic mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Kunming mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet for 28 d to construct hyperlipidemic models. Hyperlipidemic mice and normal mice were assigned to 3 groups which were separately treated with L. plantarum CAI6, L. plantarum SC4, and physiological saline through oral gavage for 28 d. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were measured by commercially available enzyme kits. FACS Calibur flow cytometry was used to examine hepatic and renal nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression. The morphology of livers was checked by hematoxylin and eosin staining and optical microscope observation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal mice, hyperlipidemic mice possessed significantly higher TC (3.50 ± 0.43 vs 2.89 ± 0.36, P < 0.01), TG (1.76 ± 0.07 vs 1.10 ± 0.16, P < 0.01), and LDL-C (1.72 ± 0.20 vs 0.82 ± 0.10, P< 0.01) levels, resulting in an increase of atherogenic index (AI) (2.34 ± 1.60 vs 0.93 ± 0.55, P < 0.05) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (1.43 ± 0.12 vs 0.51 ± 0.16, P < 0.05). After treatment with L. plantarum CAI6/L. plantarum SC4, TG (1.43 ± 0.27/1.54 ± 0.10 vs 1.76 ± 0.07, P < 0.01/P < 0.05) and LDL-C (1.42 ± 0.07/1.47 ± 0.12 vs 1.72 ± 0.20, P < 0.01/P < 0.01) in hyperlipidemic mice significantly decreased. In addition, TC, HDL-C, AI, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were all positively changed. Meanwhile, the treatment markedly alleviated hepatic steatosis and significantly stimulated Nrf2 expression (73.79 ± 0.80/72.96 ± 1.22 vs 54.94 ± 1.84, P < 0.01/P < 0.01) in hepatocytes of hyperlipidemic mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L. plantarum CAI6 and L. plantarum SC4 may protect against cardiovascular disease by lipid metabolism regulation and Nrf2-induced antioxidative defense in hyperlipidemic mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Engineering, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Da-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ji-Kui
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019936:Probiotics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495636:Nfe2l2 protein, mouse
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Hepatic steatosis; Hypolipidemic; Lactobacillus plantarum; Metabolic syndrome; Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2