16-Dehydropregnenolone lowers serum cholesterol by up-regulation of CYP7A1 in hyperlipidemic male hamsters.

16-Dehydropregnenolone (DHP) has been developed and patented as a promising antihyperlipidemic agent by CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), India. Although DHP is implicated in controlling cholesterol homeostasis, the mechanism underlying its pharmacological effect in hyperlipidemic disease models is poorly understood. In the present study, we postulated that DHP lowers serum lipids through regulating the key hepatic genes accountable for cholesterol metabolism. The hypothesis was tested on golden Syrian hamsters fed with high-fat diet (HFD) following oral administration of DHP at a dose of 72mg/kg body weight for a period of one week. The serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and total bile acids (TBA) in feces were measured. Real time comparative gene expression studies were performed for CYP7A1, LXRα and PPARα level in liver tissue of hamsters. The results revealed that the DHP profoundly decreased the levels of serum TC, TG, LDL-C and atherogenic index (AI), whilst elevated the HDL-C/TC ratio. Besides, DHP exhibited an anti-hyperlipidemic effect in the HFD induced hyperlipidemic hamsters by means of: (1) up-regulating the gene expression of CYP7A1 encoded cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, that promotes the catabolism of cholesterol to bile acid; (2) inducing the gene expression of transcription factors LXRα and PPARα; (3) increasing the TBA excretion through feces. Collectively, the findings presented confer the hypolipidemic activity of DHP via up-regulation of hepatic CYP7A1 pathway that promotes cholesterol-to-bile acid conversion and bile acid excretion.

Ramakrishna R ，Kumar D ，Bhateria M ，Gaikwad AN ，Bhatta RS ... -  《-》

Hypocholesterolemia of Rhizoma Coptidis alkaloids is related to the bile acid by up-regulated CYP7A1 in hyperlipidemic rats.

This study is to investigate the cholesterol-lowering effect and the new mode of action of coptis alkaloids on high lipid diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Coptis alkaloids extract (CAE) was prepared by alcohol extraction from Rhizoma Coptidis that have been quality-controlled according to the protocol. The cholesterol-lowering effect of CAE was evaluated on SD rats fed with high-lipid diet. Serum level of lipid, Bile acid and cholesterol in the liver and feces of the rats were measured using colorimetric assay kit. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of cholesterol metabolism-related genes including cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the livers of the rats. A HPLC analysis was used to assess the activity of CYP7A1. The results showed that CAE reduced the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). CYP7A1 gene expression and its activity was up-regulated dose-dependently accompanying with the increased level of bile acid and the reduced cholesterol level in the livers of the CAE treated hyperlipidemic rats. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of PPARα was also up-regulated in dose-dependent way accompanying the down-modulation of the FXR mRNA expression in the livers of the CAE treated hyperlipidemic rats. The results indicate that the cholesterol-lowering effect of coptis alkaloid extract is at least partly attributed to its promoting the cholesterol conversion into bile acids by up-regulating the gene expression of CYP7A1 and thus increasing its activity in the liver of the hyperlipidemic rats, which might related to the positive regulation of PPARα and the negative modulation of FXR.

Cao Y ，Bei W ，Hu Y ，Cao L ，Huang L ，Wang L ，Luo D ，Chen Y ，Yao X ，He W ，Liu X ，Guo J ... -  《-》

Hypolipidemic Effect and Mechanism of Palmatine from Coptis chinensis in Hamsters Fed High-Fat diet.

Palmatine (PAL) is one of the main alkaloids in Coptis chinensis. The present aim was to investigate the hypolipidemic effect and mechanism of palmatine in hamsters fed with high-fat diet (HFD). PAL treatment decreased serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, as well as increased fecal excretion of TC and total bile acids (TBA) in hyperlipidemic hamsters. Furthermore, PAL treatment up-regulated low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) mRNA and protein expression and down-regulated apical sodium-dependent bile salt transporter (ASBT) mRNA and protein expression. These results demonstrated that PAL as a potential natural cholesterol lowering agent works by up-regulating LDLR and CYP7A1 mRNA and protein expression, down-regulating ASBT mRNA and protein expression, as well as enhancing fecal excretion of TC and TBA. The findings in our study suggest that palmatine could be a potential natural agent for treating hyperlipidemia.

Ning N ，He K ，Wang Y ，Zou Z ，Wu H ，Li X ，Ye X ... -  《-》

Cholesterol-lowering effects and potential mechanisms of different polar extracts from Cyclocarya paliurus leave in hyperlipidemic mice.

Cyclocarya paliurus Batal., native only to China, is widely consumed as a Chinese traditional folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. The aim of the study is to investigate the cholesterol-lowering effect and potential mechanisms of different polar extracts from Cyclocarya paliurus leaves in mice fed with high-fat-diet. Cyclocarya paliurus leaves extracts were orally administered to diet-induced hyperlipidemic mice for 4 weeks. Simvastatin was used as a positive control. Body weight, food intake, histopathology of liver and adipose tissues, hepatic and renal function indices, lipid profiles in the serum and liver were evaluated. Total bile acid concentrations of the liver and feces were also measured. Furthermore, the activities and mRNA expression of cholesterol metabolism-related enzymes including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) in the livers of the mice were analyzed. LC-MS detection was performed to identify the components in the active fraction of Cyclocarya paliurus extracts. Different Cyclocarya paliurus polar extracts, especially ChE reduced the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and hepatic TC and TG, enhanced the level of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), restored hepatic and renal function indices and histomorphology. HMG-CoA reductase activity and mRNA expression were decreased, while CYP7A1 activity and mRNA expression as well as the level of fecal and hepatic bile acid were increased by ChE. LC-MS analysis of ChE revealed the presence of six main triterpenoids, which might be responsible for its antihyperlipidemic bioactivity. Evidently ChE possesses the best antihyperlipidemic activity, and the cholesterol-lowering effect is at least partly attributed to its role in promoting the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids by upgrading the activity and mRNA expression of CYP7A1 and inhibiting those of HMG-CoA reductase to lower the cholesterol biosynthesis.

Jiang C ，Wang Q ，Wei Y ，Yao N ，Wu Z ，Ma Y ，Lin Z ，Zhao M ，Che C ，Yao X ，Zhang J ，Yin Z ... -  《-》

Epiberberine reduces serum cholesterol in diet-induced dyslipidemia Syrian golden hamsters via network pathways involving cholesterol metabolism.

This study aimed to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering effect of epiberberine in dyslipidemia Syrian golden hamsters induced by high fat and high cholesterol (HFHC) diet and its regulation mechanism on some key genes involved in cholesterol metabolism. Hamsters were divided into six groups: normal control group (NC), HFHC group, simvastatin (Sim) and three doses of epiberberine group. The body weight, organs weight and serum lipid levels, as well as total cholesterol (TC) and total bile acids (TBA) levels in liver and feces were determined. Furthermore, the antidyslipidemia effect of epiberberine on key genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, uptake, conversion and elimination such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL receptor), 7-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) were investigated. The results showed that epiberberine at high dosage significantly reduced serum TC, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and TBA levels by 20.2%, 22.3% and 43.8%, respectively, and increased TBA and TC levels in feces. Epiberberine inhibited HMGCR mRNA and protein expressions and slightly reduced the protein level of ASBT, as well as dramatically up-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of CYP7A1 and LDL receptor. These findings suggested that the antidyslipidemia effects of epiberberine can be achieved via inhibiting the synthesis of cholesterol, promoting the uptake and conversion of TC in liver and increasing the excretion of TC and TBA in feces. Thus, epiberberine should be considered as one of the promising natural drugs for the treatment of dyslipidemia.

Zou ZY ，Hu YR ，Ma H ，Feng M ，Li XG ，Ye XL ... -  《-》