Identification of hepatic molecular mechanisms of action of alpha-tocopherol using global gene expression profile analysis in rats.

The recent discovery that vitamin E (VE) regulates gene activity at the transcriptional level indicates that VE may exert part of its biological effects by mechanisms which may be independent of its well-recognised antioxidant function. The objective of this study was the identification of hepatic vitamin E-sensitive genes and examination of the effects of VE on their corresponding biological endpoints. Two groups of male rats were randomly assigned to either a VE-sufficient diet or to a control diet deficient in VE for 290 days. High-density oligonucleotide microarrays comprising over 7000 genes were used to assess the transcriptional response of the liver. Differential gene expression was monitored over a period of 9 months, at four different time-points, and rats were individually profiled. This experimental strategy identified several VE-sensitive genes, which were chronically altered by dietary VE. VE supplementation down-regulated scavenger receptor CD36, coagulation factor IX and 5-alpha-steroid reductase type 1 mRNA levels while hepatic gamma glutamyl-cysteinyl synthetase was significantly up-regulated. Measurement of the corresponding biological endpoints such as activated partial thromboplastin time, plasma dihydrotestosterone and hepatic glutathione substantiated the gene chip data which indicated that dietary VE plays an important role in a range of metabolic processes within the liver.

Effect of EGCG on lipid absorption and plasma lipid levels in rats.

Catechins, compounds derived from green tea, have been shown to reduce plasma cholesterol levels and the rate of cholesterol absorption. We investigated the dose response and the mechanism of action of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on these parameters in rats. Wistar rats were fed a diet high in cholesterol and fat containing either none, 0.25% (0.2 g/day/kg BW), 0.5% (0.4 g/day/kg/BW) or 1.0% (0.7 g/day/kg BW) of EGCG. After 4 weeks of treatment, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein plasma levels were significantly reduced in the group fed 1% EGCG when compared to the no treatment group. Plasma triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein levels did not change significantly. Following a single oral application of a liquid test-meal, intestinal cholesterol absorption in Wistar rats was 79.3% in the control group. In the group treated with 0.1 g/kg BW EGCG intestinal cholesterol absorption decreased to 73.7% and in the group treated with 0.5 g/kg BW of EGCG intestinal cholesterol absorption fell significantly to 62.7% (P = 0.005). Total fat absorption was very efficient in the control group (99.5% of the applied dose) and decreased significantly but moderately in the group treated with the highest doses of EGCG (0.75, 1 g/kg BW). In an in-vitro biliary micelle model, the addition of 55 microM to 1300 microM EGCG not only decreased cholesterol solubility dose-dependently in these micelles but also altered the size of the mixed lecithin/taurocholate/cholesterol micelles as demonstrated by light scattering. This study provides evidence suggesting that the cholesterol-lowering effect of green tea is mainly elicited by EGCG, one of the most abundant catechins contained in green tea. It is suggested that one of the underlying mechanisms by which EGCG affects lipid metabolism is by interfering with the micellar solubilization of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which then in turn decreased cholesterol absorption.

Biochemical bone turnover markers are useful tools to assess changes in bone metabolism in marmosets.

This study was designed to investigate whether biochemical markers of bone resorption and formation could be determined in the serum and urine of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), using standard laboratory chemistry methods and commercially available human kits. Consequently, the findings from this study will indicate whether the techniques and kits could serve as appropriate tools for assessing changes in bone turnover in this species. Two groups of animals (n = 12/group), consisting of a comparable number of young and old male and female marmosets, were given either isotonic saline or a single dose of the bisphosphonate ibandronate (0.1 mg/kg) s.c. in order to suppress bone turnover. Blood and urine were collected at baseline and 5 days after administration. Samples were analyzed for urinary (u) and serum (s) markers of bone formation (serum osteocalcin [sOC], serum N-terminal crosslinks of human pro-collagen type I [sP1NP]) and bone resorption (urinary pyridinoline [uPYD], urinary deoxypyridinoline [uDPD], serum C-terminal crosslinks of human collagen type I (C-telopeptide) [sCTX]), intact serum parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and urinary calcium and creatinine. Levels of all the markers of bone resorption and formation decreased during the study period. As expected, the bone formation markers decreased slightly less relative to the resorption markers. The most sensitive markers were sCTX (-33%; P < or =0.001) for bone resorption, and sP1NP (-3%; P < or =0.05) for bone formation. Serum PTH levels increased by 8% ( P < or =0.05), demonstrating a physiological reaction to prevent changes in serum calcium. Although not all variables reached statistical significance within the tested interval, the applied methods and kits were considered suitable for evaluating bone turnover changes in marmosets. Thus, these methods and kits can be utilized not only during the course of pharmacological investigations but also as additional tools to assess the overall bone health of this species.