Regression of atherosclerosis with apple procyanidins by activating the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 in a rabbit model.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Apple polyphenol contains abundant procyanidins, which have been associated with an anti-atherosclerosis and cholesterol-lowering effect. The aim of this study was to investigate whether apple procyanidins (APCs) feature therapeutic efficacy in terms of regressing atherosclerosis and whether this efficacy is due to mechanisms other than a cholesterol-lowering effect.


METHODS
After eight weeks on an atherogenic diet, rabbits were given a normal diet for another eight weeks to normalize the increased serum lipids level. The rabbits in the baseline group were sacrificed at this stage. The control group was subsequently fed a normal diet for eight weeks, while the APCs group was administrated 50 mg/kg/day of APCs in addition to the normal diet. Serum lipids and aortic intimal-medial thickness (IMT) were serially examined, and the resected aorta was examined histologically and through molecular biology.


RESULTS
Aortic IMT on ultrasonography and the lipid accumulation area examined using Sudan IV staining were significantly reduced in the APCs group as compared to the control group. Serum lipid profiles were not different between the groups. Immunohistochemistry showed significantly decreased staining of an oxidative stress marker and significantly increased staining of ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) in the APCs group. Western blotting and RT-PCR also showed increased expression of ABCA1 mRNA and its protein in the APCs group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that APCs administration causes a regression of atherosclerosis. APCs might hold promise as an anti-atherosclerotic agent.
['Wang|Liang|L|', 'Fumoto|Toshio|T|', 'Masumoto|Saeko|S|', 'Shoji|Toshihiko|T|', 'Miura|Tomisato|T|', 'Naraoka|Masato|M|', 'Matsuda|Naoya|N|', 'Imaizumi|Tadaatsu|T|', 'Ohkuma|Hiroki|H|']
D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 D000818:Animals D001011:Aorta D001018:Aortic Diseases D050197:Atherosclerosis D044946:Biflavonoids D002317:Cardiovascular Agents D002392:Catechin D002784:Cholesterol D004195:Disease Models, Animal D005638:Fruit D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL D008297:Male D027845:Malus D018384:Oxidative Stress D008517:Phytotherapy D010946:Plants, Medicinal D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic D044945:Proanthocyanidins D012333:RNA, Messenger D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species D051127:Scavenger Receptors, Class E D013997:Time Factors D015854:Up-Regulation
Apple procyanidins ATP-binding cassette Subfamily A member 1 Apple polyphenol Anti-oxidant effect Atherosclerotic plaque regression