| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 人類發展與家庭學系 === 98 === The risks of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease increase in postmenopausal women due to estrogen deficiency. The ethyl acetate extract (EAE) of alfalfa sprouts and the methanol extract of Jasminum have been found to contain phytoestrogens. We therefore investigated the effects of both extracts on metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis in ovariectomized (OVX) apoE-/- mice. The bitter gourd EAE contains PPAR activator. Our previous studies have found the atherosclerosis reducing effect of bitter gourd EAE in male apoE-/- mice. This study further explored its impact on the stability of plague in brachiocephalic artery and metabolic syndrome in male apoE-/- mice.
In experiment 1, 8~12-wk-old female apoE-/- mice after ovariectomy or sham, were randomly divided into 4 groups. Sham (n = 9) and OVX groups (n =12) were fed high fat diets; OVX+A (n = 11) and OVX+J groups (n = 12) were fed high fat diets supplemented with 1% EAE of alfalfa sprouts, and 1% methanol extract of jasminum, respectively. After 15 wk of feeding, the mice were sacrificed. The results showed that the OVX + A group had significantly lower body weight and heart weight, and the OVX+J group had a significantly lower parametrial fat weight than the OVX group (p <0.05). Levels of serum TG, FFA, glucose, insulin, adiponectin were not significantly different among the four groups. The OVX + A group had lower serum TC level than OVX group (p = 0.061) at 8 week, and significantly lower level of hepatic TC than the OVX and OVX+J groups. Level of hepatic TG and size of abdominal adipocytes in the OVX+A and OVX+J groups were significantly lower than those in the OVX group. From the observation of brachiocephalic artery, the OVX+A group had a slightly lower ratio of artery intima/media area (I/M) (p = 0.063), a reduced expressions of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) and Interleukin-1IL-1 and an increased expression of thrombomodulin (TM) by immunohistochemical analysis. But, the protein expressions of MMP-9 and Il-1 in thoracic aorta analyzed by western blotting were not significantly different among groups.
In experiment 2, 19-wk-old apoE-/- male mice were randomly divided into 2 groups, fed the high fat (20%fat) diet (HF, n = 8) or the high fat diet supplemented with 1% EAE of bitter gourd (HF+BEA, n = 9). After 12 wk of feeding, the mice were sacrificed. No significant difference was found in body weight, blood biochemical parameters, and brachiocephalic artery I/M ratio between the two groups. HF + BEA Group significantly increased the expression of TM and
Hemoxygenase-1(HO-1), but did not affect those of MMP-9 and IL-1β in the section of brachiocephalic artery analyzed by immunohistochemical methods. In addition, the protein expression of IL-1 in thoracic aorta analyzed by western blotting was significantly lower in HF + BEA than in HF group.
To sum up, in OVX apoE-/- mice, the EAE of alfalfa sprouts can improve metabolic syndrome by reducing body weight, adipocyte size of abdominal fat, serum cholesterol, and hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride. It may also improve atherosclerosis by reducing MMP-9 and IL-1, and increasing TM expression on brachiocephalic artery. The methanol extract of jasminum can improve metabolic syndrome by reducing liver weight, hepatic triglyceride, abdominal fat pad and the adipocyte size. In male apoE-/- mice, the bitter gourd EAE may stabilize atherosclerotic plagues by increasing the expression of TM and HO-1 on brachiocephalic artery and decreasing the protein expression of Il-1 in thoracic aorta.
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