title: Effects of equol on gene expression in female cynomolgus monkey iliac arteries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine effects of equol, the soy phytoestrogen metabolite, on gene expression in the monkey iliac artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high fat/high cholesterol diet was fed to eight ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys for 6.5 years. After biopsy of the left iliac artery, the animals were randomized to two treatment groups for 8 months; the treatment groups were equol (23.7 mg/100 g diet, n = 4) and vehicle (n = 4). The right iliac artery was removed at necropsy. Gene expression in the iliac arteries in response to equol was determined by DNA microarray. Comparison of atherosclerotic lesions and plasma lipids at pre-versus post-equol treatment time points and in vehicle versus equol treatment groups did not identify any significant differences. Despite the lack of effect of equol on these parameters, 59 genes were down-regulated and 279 were up-regulated in response to equol. Comparison of these data to previous work identified 10 genes regulated in opposite directions by equol compared to presence of atherosclerosis plaque (Menopause 2011; 18:1087-1095) and 55 genes differentially expressed in the same direction in response to both equol and estradiol (Eyster et al., Menopause 2014;21:143-152.).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar responses of genes to both equol and estradiol may reflect the extent to which equol serves as a natural selective estrogen receptor modulator in the arteries. Opposite responses of 10 genes to equol versus the presence of atherosclerosis implicates those genes in the potential protective effects of equol in arteries.
authors: Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. Electronic address: Kathleen.Eyster@usd.edu.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Eyster
authors: Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Appt
authors: Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, USA.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Chalpe
authors: Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Register
authors: Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Clarkson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D060754:Equol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D010052:Ovariectomy; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D060754:Equol
keywords: Artery; Atherosclerosis; DNA microarray; Equol; Gene expression; Soy