The Protective Effect of
Apamin on LPS/Fat-Induced Atherosclerotic Mice
Evid Based ComplementAlternat Med, Epub 2012 May 8
Apamin, a peptide
component of bee venom (BV), has anti-inflammatory properties. However, the
molecular mechanisms by which apamin prevents atherosclerosis are not fully
understood.
We examined the effect of
apamin on atherosclerotic mice.
Atherosclerotic mice
received intraperitoneal (ip) injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 mg/kg)
to induce atherosclerotic change and were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks.
Apamin (0.05 mg/kg) was
administered by ip injection. LPS-induced THP-1-derived macrophage inflammation
treated with apamin reduced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,
vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, and intracellular cell adhesion
molecule (ICAM)-1, as well as the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling
pathway.
Apamin decreased the
formation of atherosclerotic lesions as assessed by hematoxylin and elastic
staining. Treatment with apamin reduced lipids, Ca(2+) levels, and TNF-α in the
serum from atherosclerotic mice. Further, apamin significantly attenuated
expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, TGF-β1, and fibronectin in the descending aorta
from atherosclerotic mice.
These results indicate
that apamin plays an important role in monocyte/macrophage inflammatory
processing and may be of potential value for preventing atherosclerosis.
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