Estrogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of pseudoprotodioscin in atherosclerosis-prone mice: Insights into endothelial cells and perivascular adipose tissues.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Pseudoprotodioscin (PPD), a phytoestrogen isolated from Dioscorea nipponica Makino, is recognized to possess anti-inflammatory and antiadipogenic capacities. However, little is known about the antiatherosclerotic effects of PPD and the underlying mechanisms. Here, the contribution of estrogen receptors (ERs) and inflammation to PPD-mediated amelioration of endothelial dysfunction has been fully assessed. PPD administration alleviated atherosclerotic lesions by lowering total cholesterol in ovariectomized apoE -/- mice fed a high-cholesterol diet. Molecular docking analysis suggested a selective interaction of PPD with ERα. Upon PPD treatment, ERα and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein levels were increased, whereas cell adhesion molecule and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA levels were suppressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) after injury caused by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). These effects could be abolished by an ERα antagonist or a NOS inhibitor. Whereas, PPD can ERα-independently suppress TNFα expression in peritoneal macrophages upon LPS induction. Estrogen deficiency induced inflammatory phenotypes in perivascular adipose tissue (PAT), which could be partially attenuated by PPD. The increased release of adiponectin in PAT after PPD treatment is in accordance with previous reported data showing that adiponecti

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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