title: Dietary rose hip exerts antiatherosclerotic effects and increases nitric oxide-mediated dilation in ApoE-null mice.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a disease in which atheromatous plaques develop inside arteries, leading to reduced or obstructed blood flow that in turn may cause stroke and heart attack. Rose hip is the fruit of plants of the genus Rosa, belonging to the Rosaceae family, and it is rich in antioxidants with high amounts of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds. Several studies have shown that fruits, seeds and roots of these plants exert antidiabetic, antiobesity and cholesterol-lowering effects in rodents as well as humans. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms by which rose hip lowers plasma cholesterol and to evaluate its effects on atherosclerotic plaque formation. ApoE-null mice were fed either an HFD (CTR) or HFD with rose hip supplementation (RH) for 24 weeks. At the end of the study, we found that blood pressure and atherosclerotic plaques, together with oxidized LDL, total cholesterol and fibrinogen levels were markedly reduced in the RH group. Fecal cholesterol content, liver expression of Ldlr and selected reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) genes such as Abca1, Abcg1 and Scarb1 were significantly increased upon RH feeding. In the aorta, the scavenger receptor Cd36 and the proinflammatory Il1β genes were markedly down-regulated compared to the CTR mice. Finally, we found that RH increased nitric oxide-mediated dilation of the caudal artery. Taken together, these results suggest that rose hip is a suitable dietary supplement for preventing atherosclerotic plaques formation by modulating systemic blood pressure and the expression of RCT and inflammatory genes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC-C11, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: michele.cavalera@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cavalera
authors.affiliation: Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC-C11, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulrika
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Axling
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biomechanics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC-D12, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rippe
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biomechanics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC-D12, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Swärd
authors.affiliation: Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC-C11, SE-22184 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D000074085:Mice, Knockout, ApoE; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000188:drug therapy; D027826:Rosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010936:Plant Extracts; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Apolipoprotein E; Atherosclerosis; Blood pressure; Diet; Reverse cholesterol transport