9-cis β-carotene Inhibits Atherosclerosis Development in Female LDLR-/- Mice

Authors

  • Noa Zolberg Relevy The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
  • Ralph Rühl Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • Ayelet Harari The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel
  • Itamar Grosskopf The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel
  • Iris Barshack Institute of Pathology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
  • Ami Ben-Amotz N.B.T Israel
  • Uri Nir The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
  • Hugo Gottlieb Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
  • Yehuda Kamari The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel;
  • Dror Harats The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel;
  • Aviv Shaish The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center; Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601 Israel

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v5i2.172

Abstract

Background: Several epidemiological studies have shown that diets rich in carotenoids are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. However, administration of synthetic all-trans b-carotene was reported to have no effect on cardiovascular disease. We previously showed that the 9-cis b-carotene-rich powder of the alga Dunaliella bardawil inhibits atherogenesis and reduces plasma non-HDL cholesterol levels in mice.

Context and purpose of this study: We sought to study whether isolated 9-cis b-carotene inhibits atherogenesis in a murine model of atherosclerosis.

Results: Twelve-week-old female LDL receptor knockout mice (LDLR-/-) were pretreated for  2 weeks with regular chow diet fortified with the alga Dunaliella powder, 9-cis β-carotene isomer, all-trans β-carotene isomer, or 9-cis retinoic acid, followed by 10 weeks of a high-fat diet with the same fortifications. In contrast to Dunaliella, 9-cis β-carotene did not inhibit the high fat diet-induced elevation of plasma cholesterol. In addition, diet fortification with Dunaliella powder, β-carotene isomers, or 9-cis retinoic acid did not change the plasma retinol or retinoic acid levels. Nevertheless, 9-cis β-carotene significantly inhibited atherogenesis compared to the control mice (39% reduction).

Conclusions: The results suggest that 9-cis β-carotene should be considered as an anti-atherogenic agent in the human diet.

Key words: Atherosclerosis, Dunaliella, 9CBC, LDLR-/- mice 

 

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Published

2015-02-15

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2015): February 2015

Section

Research Articles

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