title: Exogenous supplement of N-acetylneuraminic acid ameliorates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
abstract: Previous studies investigating the correlation between plasma sialic acid and the severity of atherosclerosis present conflicting results. In atherosclerosis patients, plasma levels of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) are increased; however, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been clarified. We assume the increased NANA level may be a compensatory mechanism due to oxidative stress and/or inflammation. The aim of this study is to investigate whether supplementation of NANA could attenuate the progression of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  
  Exogenous NANA was used to determine its effect on apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice taking natural quercetin as a positive control. The effect of NANA on lipid lowering, antioxidant activity and anti-inflammation was investigated by methods of molecular biology.
  
  
  
  1) NANA administration decreased 18.9% of the atherosclerotic plaque formation in the aorta and 26.7% of the lipid deposition in the liver of high-fat diet apoE(-/-) mice; 2) notably, NANA treatment reduced 62.6% of the triglyceride by improving lipoprotein lipase activity; 3) NANA lowered 17.5% of the plasma total cholesterol by up-regulating reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)-related protein expression such as ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) G1 and ABCG5 in liver or small intestine; 4) NANA administration notably decreased oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes activity and protein expression of paraoxonase 1 and 2; 5) NANA markedly reduced tumour necrosis factor-α and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in aorta and liver.
  
  
  
  NANA exhibited triglyceride lowering, anti-oxidation, and RCT promoting activities, and therefore NANA supplementation may be a new strategy for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China. Electronic address: SD-GUO@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shoudong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Rongrong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Shutong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Yawei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Atherosclerosis in Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Atherosclerosis, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271000, China.
authors.forename: Shucun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000074085:Mice, Knockout, ApoE; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002784:Cholesterol; D011794:Quercetin; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Anti-Oxidation; Anti-inflammation; Cardiovascular disease; Quercetin; Reverse cholesterol transport; Sialic acid