Immune interactions in pembrolizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) cancer therapy and cardiovascular complications.

The use of immunotherapies like pembrolizumab (PEM) is increasingly common for the management of numerous cancer types. The use of PEM to bolster T-cell response against tumor growth is well documented. However, the interactions PEM has on other immune cells to facilitate tumor regression and clearance is unknown and warrants further investigation. In this review, we present literature findings that have reported the interactions of PEM in stimulating innate and adaptive immune cells, which enhance cytotoxic phenotypes. This triggers secretion of cytokines and chemokines, which have both beneficial and detrimental effects. We also describe how this leads to the development of rare but underreported occurrence of PEM-induced immune-related cardiovascular complications that arise suddenly and progress rapidly to debilitating and fatal consequences. This review encourages further research and investigation of PEM-induced cardiovascular complications and other immune cell interactions in patients with cancer. As PEM therapy in treating cancer types is expanding, we expect that this review will inform health care professionals of diverse specializations of medicine like dermatology (melanoma skin cancers), ophthalmology (eye cancers), and pathology (hematological malignancies) about PEM-induced cardiac complications.

BMP-7 Attenuates Sarcopenia and Adverse Muscle Remodeling in Diabetic Mice via Alleviation of Lipids, Inflammation, HMGB1, and Pyroptosis.

Diabetic myopathy involves hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation. However, the role of hypercholesterolemia-induced inflammation-mediated pathological mechanisms leading to fibrosis, sarcopenia, deterioration of muscle, and muscle dysfunction in diabetes is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the novel role of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) in ameliorating metabolic alterations, inflammation, pyroptosis, TGF-ß/SMAD cell signaling mechanisms, and progression of diabetic myopathy. C57BL/6J mice were treated with saline, streptozotocin (STZ), or STZ+BMP-7. Diabetes was confirmed by increased fasting glucose levels and a glucose tolerance test. Gastrocnemius muscle and blood samples were collected for lipid and tissue analysis using various methods. A significant increase in hyperglycemia resulted in an increase in lipid accumulation, monocyte infiltration, and inflammation, as well as an increase in pyroptotic markers and signaling markers in diabetic muscle myocytes. A structural analysis showed significant muscle loss, and increased muscle deterioration and fibrosis leading to muscle dysfunction. BMP-7 attenuated pathological processes that resulted in significantly improved muscle function. We report, for the first time, that increased hyperlipidemia aggravates inflammation-induced pyroptosis, resulting in significant muscle loss, sarcopenia, and adverse skeletal muscle remodeling in diabetic muscle myopathy. Interventional treatment with BMP-7 attenuates hypercholesterolemia-induced inflammation-mediated sarcopenia and adverse muscle remodeling, suggesting BMP-7 could be a potential treatment option for diabetic muscle myopathy.

Novel artificial intelligent transformer U-NET for better identification and management of prostate cancer.

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) strengthens life-altering technology that can not only reduce human workload but also enhance speed and efficiency in medicine. Medical image segmentation, for example, MRI analysis, is an arduous task for humans that AI can accomplish efficiently. AI in medical sciences have been studied; however, current literature is deficient of state-of-the-art development in computer vision, hence, advances are needed to be addressed. In this article, we provided a novel U-net architecture which utilizes transformers, convolution neural networks (CNNs) and medical information to depict the impact of AI in medicine and cancer. This model was tested on the PROMISE-12 dataset, a complete dataset of prostate cancer MRI images, where the architecture was compared with other conventional deep learning models to evaluate its performance. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and loss values were used as a metric of the predicted image segmentation by the three architectures. Our data support the hypothesis that Transformer-based U-Net architecture is superior when compared to conventional AI architectures for prostate cancer MRI scans. This novel Transformer-based U-Net architecture contributes to the advancement of prostate cancer segmentation and has a future in cancer diagnosis.

Inflammatory Cells in Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive disease that involves damage to the intima, inflammatory cell recruitment and the accumulation of lipids followed by calcification and plaque rupture. Inflammation is considered a key mediator of many events during the development and progression of the disease. Various types of inflammatory cells are reported to be involved in atherosclerosis. In the present paper, we discuss the involved inflammatory cells, their characteristic and functional significance in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The detailed understanding of the role of all these cells in disease progression at different stages sheds more light on the subject and provides valuable insights as to where and when therapy should be targeted.

Intestinal and Hepatic Uptake of Dietary Peroxidized Lipids and Their Decomposition Products, and Their Subsequent Effects on Apolipoprotein A1 and Paraoxonase1.

Both pro- and antiatherosclerotic effects have been ascribed to dietary peroxidized lipids. Confusion on the role of peroxidized lipids in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is punctuated by a lack of understanding regarding the metabolic fate and potential physiological effects of dietary peroxidized lipids and their decomposition products. This study sought to determine the metabolic fate and physiological ramifications of 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) and 13-HODE (13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid) supplementation in intestinal and hepatic cell lines, as well as any effects resulting from 13-HPODE or 13-HODE degradation products. In the presence of Caco-2 cells, 13-HPODE was rapidly reduced to 13-HODE. Upon entering the cell, 13-HODE appears to undergo decomposition, followed by esterification. Moreover, 13-HPODE undergoes autodecomposition to produce aldehydes such as 9-oxononanoic acid (9-ONA). Results indicate that 9-ONA was oxidized to azelaic acid (AzA) rapidly in cell culture media, but AzA was poorly absorbed by intestinal cells and remained detectable in cell culture media for up to 18 h. An increased apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) secretion was observed in Caco-2 cells in the presence of 13-HPODE, 9-ONA, and AzA, whereas such induction was not observed in HepG2 cells. However, 13-HPODE treatments suppressed paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, suggesting the induction of ApoA1 secretion by 13-HPODE may not represent functional high-density lipoprotein (HDL) capable of reducing oxidative stress. Alternatively, AzA induced both ApoA1 secretion and PON1 activity while suppressing ApoB secretion in differentiated Caco-2 cells but not in HepG2. These results suggest oxidation of 9-ONA to AzA might be an important phenomenon, resulting in the accumulation of potentially beneficial dietary peroxidized lipid-derived aldehydes.

Peroxidized Linoleic Acid, 13-HPODE, Alters Gene Expression Profile in Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Lipid peroxides (LOOHs) abound in processed food and have been implicated in the pathology of diverse diseases including gut, cardiovascular, and cancer diseases. Recently, RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq) has been widely used to profile gene expression. To characterize gene expression and pathway dysregulation upon exposure to peroxidized linoleic acid, we incubated intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) with 100 µM of 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) or linoleic acid (LA) for 24 h. Total RNA was extracted for library preparation and Illumina HiSeq sequencing. We identified 3094 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 13-HPODE-treated cells and 2862 DEGs in LA-treated cells relative to untreated cells. We show that 13-HPODE enhanced lipid metabolic pathways, including steroid hormone biosynthesis, PPAR signaling, and bile secretion, which alter lipid uptake and transport. 13-HPODE and LA treatments promoted detoxification mechanisms including cytochrome-P450. Conversely, both treatments suppressed oxidative phosphorylation. We also show that both treatments may promote absorptive cell differentiation and reduce proliferation by suppressing pathways involved in the cell cycle, DNA synthesis/repair and ribosomes, and enhancing focal adhesion. A qRT-PCR analysis of representative DEGs validated the RNA-seq analysis. This study provides insights into mechanisms by which 13-HPODE alters cellular processes and its possible involvement in mitochondrial dysfunction-related disorders and proposes potential therapeutic strategies to treat LOOH-related pathologies.

The dietary peroxidized lipid, 13-HPODE, promotes intestinal inflammation by mediating granzyme B secretion from natural killer cells.

It is well known that consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) promotes intestinal inflammation despite little being known about causative factors. Recent evidence implicates dietary peroxidized lipids (POLs), which are typically formed from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acid double bonds, as potential contributors due to their enrichment in HFDs, ability to be formed during gastrointestinal transit, and immunogenic and cytotoxic properties. 13-HPODE, the most common dietary POL, demonstrates pro-inflammatory activity in a variety of immune cells, especially Natural Killer (NK) cells whose role in mediating intestinal inflammation remains unclear. Therefore, we set out to investigate how 13-HPODE and other POLs modulate NK-cell activity in the context of intestinal inflammation. We not only found that NK cells fully decompose exogenous 13-HPODE, but that direct treatment stimulates TNF-α and MCP1 expression as well as Granzyme B (GZMB) secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Similar results were observed upon incubation of NK cells with oxidized, but not-unoxidized, low-density lipoproteins. Secretory products from 13-HPODE-treated NK cells were able to induce Caco2 intestinal cell inflammation in the same way as exogenous GZMB with greater sensitivity in undifferentiated compared to differentiated cells. Results were recapitulated in 13-HPODE-fed mice, demonstrating both spatial and temporal patterns of elevated GZMB expression that favored acute treatments in the distal intestinal epithelium. Collectively, our results suggest that that HFD-derived POLs, like 13-HPODE, potentially contribute to intestinal inflammation by stimulating the secretion of pro-inflammatory granzymes by resident NK cells, ultimately revealing a more direct role for diet in modulating gut homeostasis and the immune environment.

Are Fried Foods Unhealthy? The Dietary Peroxidized Fatty Acid, 13-HPODE, Induces Intestinal Inflammation In Vitro and In Vivo.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by progressive inflammation and the erosion of the gut mucosa. Although the exact cause of IBD is unknown, multiple factors contribute to its complex pathogenesis. Diet is one such factor and a strong correlation exists between the western-style, high fat diets (HFDs) and IBD incidence rates. In this study, we propose that the peroxidized fatty acid components of HFDs could contribute to inflammation of the gut. The inflammatory nature of peroxidized linoleic acid (13-HPODE), was confirmed in vitro by analyzing pro-inflammatory gene expression in Caco-2 cells via RT-PCR and ELISA. Additionally, peroxide induced apoptosis was tested by Annexin-V fluorescent staining, while permeability was tested by FITC-dextran flux and TEER. The 13-HPODE-induced inflammation of intestinal epithelium was evaluated in vivo by analyzing pro-inflammatory cytokines under acute and chronic conditions after feeding 13-HPODE to C57BL/6J mice. Our data show that 13-HPODE significantly induced pro-inflammatory gene expression of TNF-α and MCP-1 in vitro, most notably in differentiated Caco-2 cells. Further, acute and chronic 13-HPODE treatments of mice similarly induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the epithelium of both the proximal and distal small intestines, resident immune cells in Peyer's patches and peritoneal macrophages. The results of this study not only confirm the pro-inflammatory properties of peroxidized fats on the gut mucosa, but for the first time demonstrate their ability to differentially induce pro-inflammatory gene expression and influence permeability in the intestinal epithelium and mucosal cells. Collectively, our results suggest that the immunogenic properties of HFD's in the gut may be partly caused by peroxide derivatives, providing potential insight into how these diets contribute to exacerbations of IBD.

Proinflammatory Properties of Peroxidized Fat May Contribute to the Etiology of Crohn's Disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a well-known subset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that results in patchy inflammation through the entire thickness of the bowel wall, with the ability to target virtually any part of the gastrointestinal tract, but most commonly affecting the area between the ileum and the cecum. While a bacterial origin of Crohn's is well speculated, it is difficult to pinpoint what drives inflammation in these subjects, particularly the flare-ups or the sudden symptomatic intensification or recurrence. This review aims at tracing the etiology of CD back to diet, particularly fried foods, a known aggravator of symptoms. Based on the reactions that frying entails, the chemical composition of the food is altered in ways that can lead to maldigestion and inflammation. Current evidence suggests a direct dietary role in the inflammation underlying CD or the flare-ups. The presented review focuses on an underresearched, yet, very applicable topic. We suggest that emphasis should be put on dietary alteration as a means of treatment for patients with CD to supplement current therapy for optimal results. With the widespread popularity of fried foods, it is important to raise awareness about the potential negative outcomes that are prevalent worldwide.

Sesame Oil and an Aqueous Extract Derived from Sesame Oil Enhance Regression of Preexisting Atherosclerotic Lesions in Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Knockout Mice.

Diet and exercise are recommended both as a prophylactic and as a therapeutic approach for patients with established coronary artery disease. We previously reported that sesame oil (SESO) and its aqueous extract (SOAE) showed antiatherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory properties. We also observed that genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) might be activated. In this study, we tested whether post-treatment with SESO or SOAE would reduce preexisting atherosclerosis by enhancing RCT. Female low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-R-/-) mice were fed an atherogenic diet for 3 months, followed by post-treatment with either control or SESO or SOAE for 1 month. Plasma lipids and atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the study. RNA was extracted from the aortic tissues and used for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. SESO and SOAE post-treatment significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions in LDL-R-/- mice compared to controls. No significant change in plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, or LDL cholesterol levels was observed. Aortic gene analysis showed that the SESO/SOAE post-treatment reduced inflammatory gene expression and induced genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and RCT. This is the first study that demonstrates that post-treatment with SESO and SOAE could be an effective treatment for preexisting atherosclerosis and inflammation. The study also may suggest that reducing inflammation might be conducive to an accelerated regression of lesions.

Identification and evaluation of anti-inflammatory properties of aqueous components extracted from sesame (Sesamum indicum) oil.

We previously reported that sesame oil (SO) has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and lipid lowering properties in vivo. Our recent studies have shown that, an aqueous extract of sesame oil (SOAE) has also anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties but with no lipid lowering effects. The extent of reduction in atherosclerosis led us to identify components of SOAE and evaluate their anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometric method was used to detect and identify components of SOAE. Methoxyphenol derivatives, short and long chain carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, hydroxy and oxo- carboxylic acids were detected. To our surprise, sesamol and its derivatives (lignans), were not present in the SOAE. Among the identified, a combination of methoxy phenol compounds were selected and tested their ability to reduce LPS induced inflammatory gene expression. Monocyte derived macrophages/RAW 264.7 macrophages were pre-treated with these compounds for 2 h, followed by LPS stimulation for 24 h and pro-inflammatory gene expressions were analyzed. These methoxyphenol derivatives showed potent anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory molecules associated with SO may contribute the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Also, our results shed light for the development of SOAE based non-pharmacological therapeutics, nutritional supplements and health products for various inflammatory diseases in the future.

Adrenergic hormones induce extrapituitary prolactin gene expression in leukocytes-potential implications in obesity.

The pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL), originally described for its role in lactation, has been implemented in over 300 functions and is produced by multiple cell types outside of the pituitary. Monocyte/macrophages in particular show robust expression of extra-pituitary prolactin (ePRL). While ePRL protein is identical to pituitary PRL and translated from the same gene, tissues outside the pituitary engage an alternative promoter to regulate expression. Many of the factors regulating this expression, however, remain unknown. Here we show that the adrenergic hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine induce PRL expression in the human monocytic cell line THP-1 at physiological concentrations. Furthermore, our experiments show the polarization state of differentiated macrophages can influence their response in vitro, with inflammatory M1 macrophages-common in obese adipose-showing the highest levels of PRL expression compared to other macrophage types. Adrenergic hormones have a clearly defined role in adipocyte lipid metabolism, stimulating lipolysis through hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) induction. Meanwhile, PRL has been shown to stimulate lipogenesis. This highlights ePRL production as a possible factor in obesity. The overall balance of these two signals could play a critical role in determining overall lipid turnover/accumulation in adipose depots where large numbers of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) reside.

Inflammatory Diseases of the Gut.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract whose prevalence has been dramatically increasing over the past decade. New studies have shown that IBD is the second most common chronic inflammatory disease worldwide after rheumatoid arthritis, affecting millions of people mainly in industrialized countries. Symptoms of IBD include frequent bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, anorexia, abdominal distension, and emesis. Although the exact etiology is unknown, it has been postulated that immunological, microbial, environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors contribute to the pathogenesis and severity of IBD. Today, no treatment has consistently been shown to be successful in treating IBD. This review summarizes current research on the epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, and existing treatment approaches, including pharmaceutical and nutritional options for IBD.

A Novel Mechanism for Atherosclerotic Calcification: Potential Resolution of the Oxidation Paradox.

AIM: In this study, we tested the hypothesis that lipid peroxide-derived dicarboxylic acids (DCAs), by virtue of their ability to bind to calcium (Ca), might be involved in atherosclerotic calcification. We determined the ability of azelaic acid (AzA) to promote calcification in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs), identified AzA in human calcified atherosclerotic lesions, and compared its levels with control and noncalcified atherosclerotic lesions. RESULTS: HASMCs efficiently converted 9-oxononanoic acid (ONA), a lipid peroxide-derived monocarboxylic aldehyde, to AzA. In vitro incubations of AzA micelles with HASMC resulted in the formation of Ca deposits, which contained AzA. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of human control uninvolved artery, noncalcified, and calcified lesions showed significant increase of AzA in calcified lesions compared with noncalcified and control tissues. Calcified mouse atherosclerotic lesions also showed substantial presence of AzA in Ca complexes. INNOVATION: This study identifies a DCA, AzA, as an integral part of the Ca complex. The study also demonstrates the conversion of a lipid peroxidation product, ONA, as a potential source of AzA, and establishes the presence of AzA in calcified materials isolated from human and mouse lesions. CONCLUSION: The presence of AzA as a Ca sequestering agent in atherosclerotic lesions (i) might indicate participation of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) derived products in calcification, (ii) explain the potential correlation between calcification and overall plaque burden (as Ox-LDL has been suggested to be involved in atherogenesis), (iii) could contribute to plaque stabilization via its anti-inflammatory actions, and (iv) might explain why antioxidants failed to affect atherosclerosis in clinical studies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 471-483.

Alzheimer's Disease-Current Status and Future Directions.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder of the brain. The presence of amyloid-beta (Aß) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), loss of neurons, synapses, and altered sensory perceptions, including memory loss, delineate AD. However, the cause of AD is not clearly known. Several genetic and nongenetic factors have been implicated in the disease. Of the genes, the ɛ4 allele of apolipoprotein E is the largest known genetic risk factor of AD. This review article focuses on the various genetic and other predisposing factors that account for AD, pathophysiology of the disease, and the mechanisms by which Aß plaques and NFTs are formed and could affect AD brain. In addition, recent advances and current diagnostics available for AD patients are detailed. As oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of the disease, special emphasis is given for nutrition based antioxidant therapies and interventional strategies for reducing/treating AD.

Water-Soluble Components of Sesame Oil Reduce Inflammation and Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, a major form of cardiovascular disease, is now recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease. Nonpharmacological means of treating chronic diseases have gained attention recently. We previously reported that sesame oil aqueous extract (SOAE) has anti-inflammatory properties, both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we have investigated the antiatherosclerotic properties of SOAE, and the mechanisms, through genes and inflammatory markers, by which SOAE might modulate atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) knockout female mice were fed with either a high-fat (HF) diet or an HF diet supplemented with SOAE. Plasma lipids and atherosclerotic lesions were quantified after 3 months of feeding. Plasma samples were used for global cytokine array. RNA was extracted from both liver tissue and the aorta, and used for gene analysis. The high-fat diet supplemented with SOAE significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions, plasma cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol levels in LDL-R(-/-) mice. Plasma inflammatory cytokines were reduced in the SOAE diet-fed animals, but not significantly, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties of SOAE. Gene analysis showed the HF diet supplemented with SOAE reduced gene expression involved in inflammation and induced genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport, an anti-inflammatory process. Our studies suggest that a SOAE-enriched diet could be an effective nonpharmacological treatment for atherosclerosis by controlling inflammation and regulating lipid metabolism.

Differential lipid metabolism in monocytes and macrophages: influence of cholesterol loading.

The influence of the hypercholesterolemia associated with atherosclerosis on monocytes is poorly understood. Monocytes are exposed to high concentrations of lipids, particularly cholesterol and lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC). Indeed, in line with recent reports, we found that monocytes accumulate cholesteryl esters (CEs) in hypercholesterolemic mice, demonstrating the need for studies that analyze the effects of lipid accumulation on monocytes. Here we analyze the effects of cholesterol and lyso-PC loading in human monocytes and macrophages. We found that cholesterol acyltransferase and CE hydrolase activities are lower in monocytes. Monocytes also showed a different expression profile of cholesterol influx and efflux genes in response to lipid loading and a different pattern of lyso-PC metabolism. In monocytes, increased levels of CE slowed the conversion of lyso-PC into PC. Interestingly, although macrophages accumulated glycerophosphocholine, phosphocholine was the main water-soluble choline metabolite being generated in monocytes, suggesting a role for mono- and diacylglycerol in the chemoattractability of these cells. In summary, monocytes and macrophages show significant differences in lipid metabolism and gene expression profiles in response to lipid loading. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of atherosclerosis and suggest potentials for targeting monocyte chemotactic properties not only in atherosclerosis but also in other diseases.

Therapeutic Potential of Ocimum tenuiflorum as MPO Inhibitor with Implications for Atherosclerosis Prevention.

Current experimental studies show that Ocimum tenuiflorum (commonly known as basil or Tulsi) possesses many health benefits. Ocimum is suggested to be antioxidative and anti-inflammatory. Eugenol, an orthomethoxyphenol, and ursolic acid have been identified as important components of basil. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), an oxidative enzyme, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. MPO-dependent oxidation of lipoproteins has been implicated in foam cell formation, dysfunctional HDL, and abnormalities in reverse cholesterol transport. Whole leaf extract of O. tenuiflorum and its major components, eugenol and ursolic acid, inhibit the oxidation of lipoproteins by myeloperoxidase/copper as measured by conjugated diene formation as well as by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay. Whole basil leaf extract is able to attenuate the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells compared with its components. In addition, whole basil leaf extract and eugenol inhibited MPO enzyme activity against synthetic substrates. Based on these results, we conclude that basil extract could act as an inhibitor of MPO and may serve as a nonpharmacological therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the nonlipid (aqueous) components of sesame oil: potential use in atherosclerosis.

Dietary intervention to prevent inflammation and atherosclerosis has been a major focus in recent years. We previously reported that sesame oil (SO) was effective in inhibiting atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein-receptor negative mice. We also noted that the levels of many proinflammatory markers were lower in the SO-treated animals. In this study we tested whether the non-lipid, aqueous components associated with SO would have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Polymerase chain reaction array data indicated that sesame oil aqueous extract (SOAE) was effective in reducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was also analyzed independently in cells pretreated with SOAE followed by inflammatory assault. Effect of SOAE on TNF-α-induced MCP-1 and VCAM1 expression was also tested in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We observed that SOAE significantly reduced inflammatory markers in both macrophages and endothelial cells in a concentration-dependent manner. SOAE was also effective in inhibiting LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-6 levels in vivo at different concentrations. We also noted that in the presence of SOAE, transcription and translocation of NF-kappaB was suppressed. SOAE was also effective in inhibiting oxidation of lipoproteins in vitro. These results suggest the presence of potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in SOAE. Furthermore, SOAE differentially regulated expression of scavenger receptors and increased ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) mRNA expression by activating liver X receptors (LXRs), suggesting additional effects on lipid metabolism. Thus, SOAE appears multipotent and may serve as a valuable nonpharmacological agent in atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases.

Anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory actions of sesame oil.

Atherosclerosis, a major form of cardiovascular disease, has now been recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease. Nonpharmacological means of treating chronic diseases have gained attention recently. We previously reported that sesame oil has anti-atherosclerotic properties. In this study, we have determined the mechanisms by which sesame oil might modulate atherosclerosis by identifying genes and inflammatory markers. Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR(-/-)) female mice were fed with either an atherogenic diet or an atherogenic diet reformulated with sesame oil (sesame oil diet). Plasma lipids and atherosclerotic lesions were quantified after 3 months of feeding. Plasma samples were used for cytokine analysis. RNA was extracted from the liver tissue and used for global gene arrays. The sesame oil diet significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions, plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol levels in LDLR(-/-) mice. Plasma inflammatory cytokines, such as MCP-1, RANTES, IL-1α, IL-6, and CXCL-16, were significantly reduced, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory property of sesame oil. Gene array analysis showed that sesame oil induced many genes, including ABCA1, ABCA2, APOE, LCAT, and CYP7A1, which are involved in cholesterol metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport. In conclusion, our studies suggest that a sesame oil-enriched diet could be an effective nonpharmacological treatment for atherosclerosis by controlling inflammation and regulating lipid metabolism.