intervention effect of zinc supplementation on irbesartan treatment for atherosclerosis of ApoE-/- mice

ABSTRACT

To explore the influence of zinc supplementation on irbesartan treatment for atherosclerosis of ApoE gene-deleted mice. Atherosclerosis model mice induced by normal feed were randomly divided into ApoE[-/-] control group, irbesartan group and zinc sulfate+ irbesartan group, 6 mice each group; C57BL/6J mice with normal feed were regarded as blank control group [n=6]. Blank control group and ApoE[-/-] control group were not given any medical treatment, and irbesartan group were treated with irbesartan [50mg/kg/d], and zinc sulfate+irbesartan group were given zinc sulfate [25mmol/L] treatment besides the administration of irbesartan group. The blood pressure of each mouse was recorded and the blood lipid level was detected after 15 weeks' treatment. The internal inflammatory reaction of the mice was evaluated according to IL-6 and TNF-alpha level. The oxidative stress was evaluated according to MDA and SOD levels. And the atherosclerosis plaque was analyzed with immunohistochemistry. After 15 weeks of drug administration, it showed that the total cholesterol level, LDL-C, HDL-C and blood pressure level [P<0.05] of the mice were improved significantly with the administration of zinc sulfate+irbesartan compared with irbesartan group, and the oxidative stress response and inflammatory reaction of mice in zinc sulfate+irbesartan group decreased more significantly than those of irbesartan group [P<0.05]. In the detection of atherosclerosis plaque, the ratio of plaque area and tube area as well as the improvement degree of mean aortic IMT in zinc sulfate+irbesartan group were superior to those of irbesartan group [P<0.05]. Zinc supplementation has certain therapeutic effect on the advanced atherosclerosis of ApoE gene-deleted mice, which can significantly improve the efficacy of irbesartan