title: Dietary Cocoa Powder Improves Hyperlipidemia and Reduces Atherosclerosis in apoE Deficient Mice through the Inhibition of Hepatic Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.
abstract: Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids, which have many beneficial effects on human health, including antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the intake of cocoa powder has any influence on hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis and examine the underlying molecular mechanisms. We fed apoE knockout mice a Western diet supplemented with either 0.2% (low group) or 2% (high group) cocoa powder for 12 weeks. The groups fed dietary cocoa powder showed a significant reduction in both plasma cholesterol levels and aortic atherosclerosis compared to the control group. Analysis of mRNA profiling of aortic atherosclerotic lesions revealed that the expression of several genes related to apoptosis, lipid metabolism, and inflammation was significantly reduced, while the antiapoptotic gene Bcl2 was significantly increased in the cocoa powder group compared to the control. RT-PCR analysis along with Western blotting revealed that a diet containing cocoa powder inhibited the expression of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress. These data suggest that cocoa powder intake improves hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, and such beneficial effects are possibly mediated through the suppression of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yingfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Jianan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Sihai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
authors.forename: Jianglin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Enqi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2092-3158
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000069956:Chocolate; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000235:genetics; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E