ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo study the effect of isoflavones from Sojae Semen Praeparatum （ISSP） on lipid metabolism in atherosclerotic mice， and decipher the underlying mechanism via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma/liver X receptor alpha/ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 （PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1） signaling pathway. MethodFifty ApoE-/- mice were randomly assigned into the model group， western medicine （atorvastatin calcium， 3.03 mg·kg-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose ISSP （2.5， 5， 10 mg·kg-1， respectively） groups， with 10 rats in each group. Atherosclerosis model mice were established by bilateral ovariectomy and feeding high-fat diet. Another 10 ApoE-/- mice receiving ovariectomy and high-fat diet were taken as the sham group. Some mice died of postoperative infection， and finally 6 mice were included in each group. One week after operation， each group was administrated with corresponding drugs or equivalent amount of normal saline. After 12 weeks， the levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and non-esterified fatty acids （NEFAs） in serum and liver tissue were measured. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and oil red O staining were used for observation of aortic plaque formation and liver lipid deposition. The mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1， and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 （ABCG1） in liver were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultCompared with the sham group， the modeling of atherosclerosis increased the aortic plaque area （P<0.01）， elevated the serum TC， TG， LDL-C， TNF-α， and IL-6 levels （P<0.01）， decreased the level of HDL-C （P<0.01）， increased the liver index （P<0.05） and the levels of TC， TG， and NEFAs in liver （P<0.01）， and caused obvious hepatic fat vacuoles and lipid deposition. In addition， the modeling down-regulated the mRNA levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1 in liver （P<0.05， P<0.01），and regulated the mRNA and protein levels of ABCG1（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， atorvastatin calcium and middle-， high-dose ISSP reduced the serum TC， TG， LDL-C， TNF-α， and IL-6 levels （P<0.01）， decreased the liver index （P<0.01）， alleviated the liver fat vacuoles and lipid deposition， and increased the levels of TC， TG， and NEFAs in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， they up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1， and ABCG1 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionISSP may regulate lipid metabolism through PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1 signaling pathway to down-regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines in serum and alleviate liver lipid deposition， thereby suppressing the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the accuracy of a wrist-worn device (Watch-PAT 200) in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAHS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-three adult subjects with suspected OSAHS simultaneously had a standard in-laboratory polysomnogram (PSG) and wore the Watch-PAT 200 during a full-night recording. PSG sleep and respiratory events were scored according to standard criteria. The PSG recordings were blindly manually analyzed, while Watch-PAT data were scored automatically based on the algorithm developed previously.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean age of the subjects was (42.2 ± 12.2) years (x(-) ± s), and mean body mass index was (28.0 ± 3.9) kg/m(2). Mean PSG apnea hypopnea index (AHI) was (34.9 ± 29.9) events per hour, and mean PAT-AHI was (36.0 ± 29.2) events per hour. There was a significant correlation between PAT AHI and AHI by PSG (r = 0.931, P < 0.01). A Bland-Altman plot of PAT AHI and PSG AHI was also used to assess the accuracy of Watch-PAT 200. At lower levels of AHI, PAT tended to overestimate disease severity, while at higher levels of AHI, Watch-PAT underestimated severity. To assess sensitivity and specificity of Watch-PAT, constructed receiver operator characteristic curves using a variety of AHI threshold values (5, 15 and 30 events per hour). For AHI ≥ 5 events per hour as threshold value, the Watch-PAT diagnosing rate was 93%, and sensitivity as well as specificity were 94.7% and 80.0%. The misdiagnosis rate and missed diagnosis rate were 20.0% and 5.3%. Optimal combinations of sensitivity and specificity for the AHI threshold values (15 and 30 events per hour) were 82.6% and 100.0%, 95.0% and 95.7% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Watch-PAT 200 may offer an accurate, robust, and reliable ambulatory method for the detection of OSAHS, with minimal patient discomfort.</p>