Journal
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
Volume 24, Issue 3, Pages 393-398Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2958
Keywords
atherosclerosis; Astragalus polysaccharides; TNF-alpha; ATP-binding cassette transporter A1
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Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [30700747/C08]
- National Basic Research and Development Program of China (973 Program) [2007CB512000, 2007CB512005]
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Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), the main extract from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Astragalus membranaceus, has been reported to benefit the treatment or immune-inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders. In atherosclerotic plaques, proinflammatory cytokines exert adverse effects on lipids thereby aggravating atherosclerosis. Recent evidence shows that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) can down-regulate the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), which plays a vital role in reverse cholesterol transport and determines the process of atherosclerosis. In the present study, the effects or APS on ABCA1 expression, cholesterol effluent rate and total cholesterol content of THP-1 derived foam cells exposed to TNF-alpha were investigated. Compared with the foam cells exposed to TNF-alpha, ABCA1 expression was promoted in the presence of APS. Consequently the cholesterol effluent rate increased and the total cholesterol content decreased significantly. TNF-alpha could enhance the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) in the foam cells. This effect could be attenuated by APS. These findings suggest that APS could protect ABCA1 against the lesion of TNF-alpha in THP-1 derived foant cells, which may contribute to its antiatherosclerotic properties. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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