Department of Cardiology, Central Hospital, Fengxian District, Shanghai 201400, China.
Cell Immunol. 2013 Sep-Oct;285(1-2):38-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2013.08.003. Epub 2013 Aug 20.
Recently, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) has gained increasing attention for its anti-atherosclerosis activity, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. In our study, we used rabbits fed with high-fat forage, as an atherosclerosis model to investigate the effect of fosinopril, which is an ACEI. Animals which received both high-fat forage and fosinopril, were maintained as the drug-treated group. Ultrasonography and Sudan III staining were used to determine the process of atherosclerosis. The expression of TLR4 and activity NF-κB were determined using western blot, RT-PCR and ELISA. The results showed that the atherosclerotic plaque was visible at sixteen weeks. More importantly, the atherosclerotic plaque was significantly decreased after fosinopril treatment. In the atherosclerosis model, the levels of TLR4 and NF-κB were increased, but this increased expression was inhibited in the fosinopril treated group. Our results demonstrated that TLR4 could be used as a potential biomarker for atherosclerosis and ACEI has the potential to be a new anti-atherosclerotic drug.
最近，血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂（ACEI）因其抗动脉粥样硬化活性而受到越来越多的关注，但潜在的机制尚不清楚。在我们的研究中，我们使用高脂饲料喂养的兔子作为动脉粥样硬化模型，来研究 ACEI 福辛普利的作用。同时给予高脂饲料和福辛普利的动物作为药物治疗组。超声检查和苏丹 III 染色用于确定动脉粥样硬化的过程。使用 Western blot、RT-PCR 和 ELISA 来确定 TLR4 的表达和 NF-κB 的活性。结果表明，在十六周时可以观察到动脉粥样硬化斑块。更重要的是，福辛普利治疗后，动脉粥样硬化斑块明显减少。在动脉粥样硬化模型中，TLR4 和 NF-κB 的水平升高，但在福辛普利治疗组中，这种表达增加受到抑制。我们的结果表明，TLR4 可以作为动脉粥样硬化的潜在生物标志物，ACEI 有可能成为一种新的抗动脉粥样硬化药物。
