Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5904375 | Nutrition Research | 2014 | 27 Pages |
Abstract
Curcumin, the yellow substance found in turmeric, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anticancer, and lipid-lowering properties. Because we hypothesized that curcumin could ameliorate the development of atherosclerosis, the present study focused on the effects and potential mechanisms of curcumin consumption on high-cholesterol diet-induced atherosclerosis in rabbits. During our study, New Zealand white rabbits were fed 1 of 3 experimental diets: a normal diet, a normal diet enriched with 1% cholesterol (HCD), or an HCD supplemented with 0.2% curcumin. At the end of 8 weeks, blood samples were collected to determine the levels of serum lipids, cytokines, and soluble adhesion molecule levels. Gene expression of adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in aortas were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Compared with the HCD group, rabbits fed an HCD supplemented with 0.2% curcumin had significantly less aortic lesion areas and neointima thickening. Curcumin reduced the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum by 30.7%, 41.3%, 30.4%, and 66.9% (all P < .05), respectively, but did not affect high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, curcumin attenuated HCD-induced CD36 expression, circulating inflammatory cytokines, and soluble adhesive molecule levels. Curcumin reduced the mRNA and protein expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, P-selectin, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and it inhibited HCD-induced up-regulation of MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Our results demonstrate that curcumin exerts an antiatherosclerotic effect, which is mediated by multiple mechanisms that include lowering serum lipids and oxidized low-density lipoprotein, thus modulating the proinflammatory cytokine levels and altering adhesion molecules and MMP gene expression.
Keywords
CD36soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1sICAM-1MMP-1oxLDLVCAM-1sVCAM-1HDL-CIL-1βLDL-CMMP-2MCP-1HCDMMP-9ICAM-1MmpsIL-6Atherosclerosisinflammationinterleukin-6Interleukin-1βTriglyceridestumor necrosis factor-αRabbitcluster of differentiation 36High-cholesterol dietatherogenic indexTNF-αOxidized low-density lipoproteinhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterolmatrix metalloproteinaseMatrix metalloproteinase-9Matrix metalloproteinase-1Matrix metalloproteinase-2Matrix metalloproteinasesintercellular adhesion molecule-1Soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1Adhesion moleculesMonocyte chemotactic protein-1C-reactive proteinCRPVascular cell adhesion protein-1total cholesterolLow-density lipoprotein cholesterolCurcumin
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Authors
Min Young Um, Kwang Hyun Hwang, Won Hee Choi, Jiyun Ahn, Chang Hwa Jung, Tae Youl Ha,