Effects And Mechanisms Of Semen Sojae Preparatum Extracts On Rat's Injury At The Early Stage Of Atherosclerosis

Objective: The experiment is to study Semen Sojae Preparatum (SSP) on aortic morphology, biochemical indicators, apoptosis and genetic expressions in rat's injury at the early stage of atherosclerosis in order to investigate the effects and mechanisms of SSP.Methods: Sixty Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into six groups at random: normal group, model group, control group received Gemifibrozil, high density group of SSP (40g/kg), middle density group of SSP (20g/kg), low density group of SSP (10g/kg). The normal group was fed with standard chow; other groups were fed with high grease food. Distilled Water was given to rats of normal group and model group in same capacity and others groups were given with respective drugs. The capacity given to rat is 1ml/100g. After 10 weeks, all rats were anesthetized by etherization. The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein were examined by automatic biochemical analysator. Nitric oxide, inerleukin-1, inerleukin-8 and endothelin in the serum were measured. The rate of apoptosis, proliferation indexes and expression of related genes (Caspase-3, Bcl-2) in aorta endothelium and smooth muscle were detected by flow cytometry. The changes of aorta histology were observed by HE staining. The changes of aorta ultrastructure were observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Results:1 The effects on lipids and lipoprotein of damaged rats at the early stage of atherosclerosis:Compared with the normal group, the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were obviously higher in the model group (P<0.01 or P<0.05); Compared with the model group, extracts of SSP obviously decreased the levels of TC, TG and LDL (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and HDL in high density group of SSP had no difference obviously.2 The effects on nitric oxide and endothelin contents in serum of damaged rats at the early stage of atherosclerosis: Compared with the normal group, the content of nitric oxide in model group was lower (P<0.01), but the endothelin in model group obviously increased (P<0.01); Compared with model group, the content of nitric oxide in SSP groups was obviously higher (P<0.01). but the endothelin in the high density of SSP group obviously decreased (P<0.01). 3 The effects on the interleukin-1 and interleukin-8 contents of damaged rats at the early stage of atherosclerosis:The serum level of interleukin-8 in model group was higher than that in normal group (P<0.01); The serum levels of interleukin-1 and interleukin-8 in high density group of SSP were lower than those in model group (P<0.05).4 The effects on rate of apoptosis, proliferation indexes and expression of related genes in endothelium of damaged rats at the early stage of atherosclerosis:Compared with normal group, the rate of apoptosis of endothelium in model group was higher, and the proliferation indexes of smooth muscle were obviously decreased, and the expression of Caspase-3 were higher (P<0.01); compared with model group, the rate of apoptosis of endothelium in SSP groups were obviously decreased, and the proliferation indexes of smooth muscle were increased (P<0.01). The expressions of Caspase-3 in SSP groups were lower than model group (P<0.05).5 The effects on rate of apoptosis, proliferation indexes and expression of related genes in smooth muscle of damaged rats at the early stage of atherosclerosis: Compared with normal group, the rate of apoptosis of smooth muscle in model group was higher, and the proliferation indexes of smooth muscle were obviously increased (P<0.01); Compared with model group, the rate of apoptosis of smooth muscle in SSP groups were increased (P<0.05), and the proliferation indexes of smooth muscle were obviously decreased (P<0.01).The expression of Caspase-3 in model group were higher than normal group (P<0.01), Bcl-2 was lower (P<0.01); The expression of Caspase-3 in SSP groups were higher than model group(P<0.01), Bcl-2 was lower (P<0.01).6 The effect of SSP on morphosis of aorta.We found the changes of the early stage of atherosclerosis in model group: there were focal or transient areas of endothelium loss, monocyte adhered to the subendothelial space or moved into the vascular wall, et al. Those changes of aorta endothelium in the SSP and control groups were less compared with model group.Conclusion: The extract of SSP can obviously prevent the progression of atherosclerosis by different ways.