title: Notoginsenoside R1 attenuates atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE deficient mouse model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The current study evaluated the interventional effects of a naturally occurring compound Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) on atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The atherosclerotic lesion was significantly alleviated by NR1 treatment and this attenuation was marked by reduction in lipid deposition, fibrosis and oxidative stress. Increased serum levels of GSH and SOD and decreased level of MDH were observed in NR1-treated ApoE-/- mice. NR1 treatment also significantly decreased the levels of CHO, TG, ox-LDL and increased the level of HDL. Additionally, the levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α and γ-IFN were markedly reduced in NR1-treated ApoE-/- mice. Furthermore, significantly increased aortic expression of miR-26a, miR-21, miR-126a, miR-132, miR-146 and miR-155 and decreased expression of miR-20a and miR-92a were observed in the vehicle-treated ApoE-/- mice. While NR1 treatment led to a significant reduction in the expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-126 and increased expression of miR-20a.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collectively, our results demonstrated for the first time the anti-atherosclerotic effects of NR1, which could be in part mediated through its multiple targeting effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and microRNA expression. These results therefore justify further evaluation of NR1 as a therapeutic agent treating atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chenglin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Minqi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Peiwei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jingang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoye
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qinbo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wenjian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D016207:Cytokines; D036145:Ginsenosides; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids; D035683:MicroRNAs; C072936:notoginsenoside R1