Effects of berberine-evodiamine compatibility on expressions of intestinal ACAT2, ApoB48 and NPC1L1 in hypercholesterolemic rat / 中成药

ABSTRACT

AIM To investigate the effects of berberine-evodiamine compatibility on expressions of intestinal acyl-CoAcholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2),apolipoprotein B48 (ApoB48),and Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) proteins in hypercholesterolemic rats.METHODS Fifty SD rats were assigned to control and model groups.After establishing the hypercholesterolemic rat model by feeding high fat and high cholesterol food,forty SD rats were equally divided into model control group,atorvastatin group,berberine-evodiamine compatibility groups (89.2 mg/kg,178.4 mg/kg).After four weeks treatment,serum triglycerides (TG),total cholesterol (TC),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected.Then the contents of cholesterol and β-sitoesterol in serum were determined by GC.The expressions of ACAT2,ApoB48 and NPC1 L1 proteins in the small intestine were assayed with immunohistochemistry technology.RESULTS Serum TC,TG and liver TC were significantly decreased in 89.2 mg/kg and 178.4 mg/kg berberineevodiamine compatibility groups compared with those in the model control group (P ＜ 0.01).Serum LDL-C and liver TC were also significantly decreased in 89.2 mg/kg berberine-evodiamine compatibility group (P ＜ 0.05).GC analysis indicated that the amount of cholesterol level and β-sitoesterol in serum were decreased in 178.4 mg/kg berberine-evodiamine compatibility group (P ＜ 0.05) and 89.2 mg/kg berberine-evodiamine compatibility group (P ＜ 0.01).Immunohistochemistry analysis manifested that the average luminous density of ACAT2,ApoB48 and NPC1L1 proteins in two dosages of berberine-evodiamine compatibility group were descended markedly compared with those in the model control group (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION The mechanisms underlying the cholesterol metabolism activity of berberine-evodiamine compatibility are mediated most likely by down-regulating the expressions of intestinal ACAT2,ApoB48 and NPC1 L1 proteins in hypercholesterolemic rats.