Antiatherogenic effect of antioxidant polyphenols from Phellinus baumii in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Aims: The present study was carried out to investigate the antiatherosclerotic effect of antioxidant polyphenols from Phellinus baumii (PBE) in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice. Methods and Results: apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into three groups: mice on a normal chow diet comprised the normal group, mice on an atherogenic diet plus vehicle were the control group, and mice on an atherogenic diet plus PBE (500 mg/kg) comprised the PB500 group. After 8 weeks of treatment, the plasma lipids and cytokine levels were measured. Although no significant differences were found in cholesterol levels among groups, the triglyceride level was significantly decreased in the PBE-treated group compared with the control group. Plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were reduced by PBE treatment. Real-time PCR analysis of the aorta showed that PBE significantly prevented the upregulation of the vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β expression. Furthermore, reduced macrophage infiltration, lipid accumulation and atherosclerotic lesions were observed in the aortic sinus and en face of the whole aorta in PBE-fed apoE-/- mice compared with atherogenic diet-fed control mice. Conclusions: Collectively, the findings of the present study suggest that the antiatherosclerotic effect of PBE is probably related to the inhibition of adhesion molecule and cytokine expression resulting in amelioration of lesion development.