Hong Jimin, Kim Minji, Kim Bohkyung
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea.
Foods. 2021 Nov 18;10(11):2852. doi: 10.3390/foods10112852.
Hypercholesterolemia is one of the modifiable and primary risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Emerging evidence suggests the stimulation of transintestinal cholesterol excretion (TICE), the nonbiliary cholesterol excretion, using natural products can be an effective way to reduce CVD. Bilberry ( L.) has been reported to have cardioprotective effects by ameliorating oxidative stress, inflammation, and dyslipidemia. However, the role of bilberry in intestinal cholesterol metabolism is not well understood. To examine the effects of bilberry in intestinal cholesterol metabolism, we measured the genes for cholesterol flux and de novo synthesis in anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract (BE)-treated Caco-2 cells. BE significantly decreased the genes for cholesterol absorption, i.e., Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). In contrast, BE significantly upregulated ABCG8, the apical transporter for cholesterol. There was a significant induction of low-density lipoprotein receptors, with a concomitant increase in cellular uptake of cholesterol in BE-treated cells. The expression of genes for lipogenesis and sirtuins was altered by BE treatment. In the present study, BE altered the genes for cholesterol flux from basolateral to the apical membrane of enterocytes, potentially stimulating TICE. These results support the potential of BE in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia.
高胆固醇血症是心血管疾病（CVD）可改变的主要危险因素之一。新出现的证据表明，利用天然产物刺激经肠胆固醇排泄（TICE），即非胆汁性胆固醇排泄，可能是降低心血管疾病的有效方法。据报道，欧洲越橘具有改善氧化应激、炎症和血脂异常的心脏保护作用。然而，欧洲越橘在肠道胆固醇代谢中的作用尚不完全清楚。为了研究欧洲越橘对肠道胆固醇代谢的影响，我们检测了富含花青素的欧洲越橘提取物（BE）处理的Caco-2细胞中胆固醇通量和从头合成的基因。BE显著降低了胆固醇吸收相关基因，即尼曼-匹克C1样蛋白1和ATP结合盒转运体A1（ABCA1）。相反，BE显著上调了胆固醇顶端转运体ABCG8。BE处理的细胞中低密度脂蛋白受体有显著诱导，同时细胞对胆固醇的摄取增加。BE处理改变了脂肪生成和沉默调节蛋白相关基因的表达。在本研究中，BE改变了肠细胞从基底外侧膜到顶端膜的胆固醇通量相关基因，可能刺激了经肠胆固醇排泄。这些结果支持了BE在预防高胆固醇血症方面的潜力。
