title: Baicalin and geniposide attenuate atherosclerosis involving lipids regulation and immunoregulation in ApoE-/- mice.
abstract: Baicalin and geniposide, which are respectively isolated from Scutellariae radix and Gardenia jasminoides, have been known to exhibit a number of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Here, we primarily aimed to observe the protective effects of these two Chinese herbs on inhibiting the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout mice via lipids regulation and immunoregulation. After the ApoE-/- mice with high-cholesterol diet had received 12-weeks׳ oral administration of either baicalin or geniposide (100 mg/kg), atherosclerotic plaque areas in aorta were measured and exhibited a prominent decrease in the treated mice. We then assayed serum lipids levels, serum Treg-cell-associated cytokines (TGF-β1 and IL-10) and the frequency of splenic Treg cells. We found that geniposide notably decreased serum TC and LDL-c. Both baicalin and geniposide treated mice showed much more splenic Treg cells and the correlated cytokines (TGF-β1 and IL-10). Foxp3, as the marker of Treg cell, was detected in atherosclerotic lesions, and we found that Foxp3 expression at both mRNA and protein levels was up-regulated in addition to increased Foxp3 positive Treg cells detected by immunohistochemistry in baicalin or geniposide treated mice. In conclusion, baicalin and geniposide up-regulated the expression of foxp3, promoted the number and function of Treg cells and ameliorated the atherosclerotic lesions progression partly through lipids regulation and immunoregulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: jessicaliaopp@163.com.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: smguan16@163.com.
authors.forename: Siming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D039823:Iridoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D005419:Flavonoids; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D039823:Iridoids; D008055:Lipids; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016753:Interleukin-10; C007835:geniposide; C038044:baicalin
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Baicalin; Baicalin (PubChem CID: 64982); Foxp3; Geniposide; Geniposide (PubChem CID: 107848); Treg cell