leukotriene-b4 and sesamin

Animal and clinical studies have suggested that polyphenols in fruits, red wine, and tea may delay the development of atherosclerosis through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated whether individual dietary polyphenols representing different polyphenolic classes, namely quercetin (flavonol), (-)-epicatechin (flavan-3-ol), theaflavin (dimeric catechin), sesamin (lignan), or chlorogenic acid (phenolic acid), reduce atherosclerotic lesion formation in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE)(-/-) gene-knockout mouse.. Quercetin and theaflavin (64-mg/kg body mass daily) significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesion size in the aortic sinus and thoracic aorta (P<0.05 versus ApoE(-/-) control mice). Quercetin significantly reduced aortic F(2)-isoprostane, vascular superoxide, vascular leukotriene B(4), and plasma-sP-selectin concentrations; and augmented vascular endothelial NO synthase activity, heme oxygenase-1 protein, and urinary nitrate excretion (P<0.05 versus control ApoE(-/-) mice). Theaflavin showed similar, although less extensive, significant effects. Although (-)-epicatechin significantly reduced F(2)-isoprostane, superoxide, and endothelin-1 production (P<0.05 versus control ApoE(-/-) mice), it had no significant effect on lesion size. Sesamin and chlorogenic acid treatments exerted no significant effects. Quercetin, but not (-)-epicatechin, significantly increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 protein in lesions versus ApoE(-/-) controls.. Specific dietary polyphenols, in particular quercetin and theaflavin, may attenuate atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) gene-knockout mice by alleviating inflammation, improving NO bioavailability, and inducing heme oxygenase-1. These data suggest that the cardiovascular protection associated with diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and some beverages may in part be the result of flavonoids, such as quercetin.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Aorta; Aortic Diseases; Apolipoproteins E; Atherosclerosis; Biflavonoids; Biomarkers; Catechin; Chlorogenic Acid; Cholesterol; Diet; Dioxoles; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelin-1; Endothelium, Vascular; F2-Isoprostanes; Fatty Acids; Flavonoids; Heme Oxygenase-1; Inflammation; Leukotriene B4; Lignans; Male; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Nitrates; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Nitrites; Oxidative Stress; P-Selectin; Phenols; Polyphenols; Quercetin; Superoxides

The effects of sesaminol and sesamin on the ethanol-induced modulation of immune indices related to food allergy were examined in rats given a low (10%)-casein diet. Chronic ethanol drinking, at the dietary level of 23% (w/w), significantly increased the plasma IgA and IgM concentrations, irrespective of the presence of 0.1% and 0.2% sesaminol, but the effects disappeared with 0.2% sesamin. A significant IgG-elevating effect of these lignans was also found. In contrast, the concentration of plasma IgE was not influenced by the dietary manipulation. Although ethanol drinking did not influence splenic leukotriene B4 production, sesaminol tended to decrease it dose dependently, while sesamin increased the plasma prostaglandin E2 concentration. These results suggest that sesaminol and sesamin seems to have a diverse effect on the plasma levels of immunoglobulins and eicosanoids.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Diet; Dinoprostone; Dioxoles; Ethanol; Furans; Immunoglobulins; Leukotriene B4; Lignans; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sesame Oil; Spleen