Effect of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on cholesterol efflux in foam cells and its mechanism / 中华老年心脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) on cholesterol efflux in foam cells and its mechanism.Methods THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages which were then transformed to foam cells.Foam cells were divided into 0 μmol/L EGCG group,10 μmol/L EGCG group,30 μmol/L EGCG group,and 100 μmol/L EGCG group (1.5 × 106 in each group).Their cholesterol content was measured with a cholesterol test kit,apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux was assayed with a liquid scintillation counter,expression of ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.Results The ABCA1 mRNA and protein expression levels and cholesterol efflux were significantly higher while the cholesterol content was significantly lower in 10 μmol/L EGCG group,30 μmol/L EGCG group,and 100 μmol/L EGCG group than in 0 μmol/L EGCG group (7.04％ ±0.21％,7.75％±0.17％ and 8.53％±0.18％ vs 3.37％±0.16％,P＜0.01;419.33±19.75 mg/g,352.58± 14.23 mg/g and 312.62±17.45 mg/g vs 520.51 ±20.62 mg/g,P＜0.01),and in 30 μmol/L EGCG group,100μmol/L EGCG group than in 10μmol/L EGCG group (P＜0.05).Conclusion EGCG increases cholesterol efflux and decreases cholesterol content in foam cells by upregulating the transcription and expression of ABCA1.