Atherosclerosis is enhanced by testosterone deficiency and attenuated by CETP expression in transgenic mice.

In this work, we investigated the impact of testosterone deficiency and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) expression on lipoprotein metabolism and diet-induced atherosclerosis. CETP transgenic mice and nontransgenic (nTg) littermates were studied 4 weeks after bilateral orchidectomy or sham operation. Castrated mice had an increase in the LDL fraction (+36% for CETP and +79% for nTg mice), whereas the HDL fraction was reduced (-30% for CETP and -11% for nTg mice). Castrated mice presented 1.7-fold higher titers of anti-oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) antibodies than sham-operated controls. Plasma levels of CETP, lipoprotein lipase, and hepatic lipase were not changed by castration. Kinetic studies showed no differences in VLDL secretion rate, VLDL-LDL conversion rate, or number of LDL and HDL receptors. Competition experiments showed lower affinity of LDL from castrated mice for tissue receptors. Diet-induced atherosclerosis studies showed that testosterone deficiency increased by 100%, and CETP expression reduced by 44%, the size of aortic lesion area in castrated mice. In summary, testosterone deficiency increased plasma levels of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins (apoB-LPs) and anti-OxLDL antibodies, decreased LDL receptor affinity, and doubled the size of diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions. The expression of CETP led to a milder increase of apoB-LPs and reduced atherosclerotic lesion size in testosterone-deficient mice.

Effect of essential oil obtained from Croton cajucara Benth. on gastric ulcer healing and protective factors of the gastric mucosa.

The bark of Croton cajucara Benth. (Euphorbiaceae) is used widely in Amazonian folk medicine for the treatment of a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms. Infusions of C. cajucara bark contain dehydrocrotonin (DHC), the furan diterpene, and an essential oil, a rich mixture of sesquiterpenes. Although the antiulcerogenic activity of the essential oil has been studied in different gastric ulcer models in mice and rats, its mechanism remains unclear. In this work, we examined the ability of this essential oil to increase PGE2 release from mucus cells, as well as its effects on the amount of gastric mucus and on the healing of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers. The essential oil (100 mg/kg body wt., p.o), significantly increased PGE2 production by glandular cells (by 102% as compared to control) and the amount of Alcian blue binding to the gastric mucus. In chronic gastric ulcers, a single daily oral dose of essential oil (100 mg/kg body wt.) for 14 consecutive days accelerated ulcer healing to an extent similar to that seen with an equal dose of cimetidine. Thus, the protective and healing actions of the essential oil from C. cajucara bark on gastric lesions resulted mainly from an increase in PGE2 release and gastric mucus formation which would protect the gastric mucosa.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein expression is down-regulated in hyperinsulinemic transgenic mice.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates cholesteryl ester (CE) and triglyceride redistribution among plasma lipoproteins. In this work, we investigated whether varying levels of insulin regulate the CETP expression in vivo. Insulin deficiency [streptozotocin (STZ) injection], and hyperinsulinemia (insulin injections, 14 days) were induced in transgenic mice expressing a human CETP minigene flanked by its natural regulatory sequences. Glucose supplementation was provided to the hyperinsulinemic group (INS+GLUC) and to an extra group of mice (GLUC). In the STZ group, endogenous CE transfer rate, plasma CETP, and hepatic CETP mRNA levels were enhanced 3.0-, 1.5-, and 2.5-fold, respectively, as compared with controls. Insulin replacement in STZ mice normalized their glycemia and liver mRNA levels. Higher plasma CETP levels were observed in GLUC mice, which were decreased in INS+GLUC mice. Hepatic CETP mRNA was not altered in GLUC mice and was reduced by one-third in INS+GLUC mice. These results show that: 1) STZ treatment increases CETP plasma levels and liver mRNA expression; 2) diet glucose supplementation increases plasma CETP levels but does not change liver mRNA abundance; and 3) daily insulin injections blunt the glucose-stimulated CETP expression by reducing its liver mRNA levels. These data suggest that insulin down-regulates CETP gene expression.