Curcuma oil attenuates accelerated atherosclerosis and macrophage foam-cell formation by modulating genes involved in plaque stability, lipid homeostasis and inflammation

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2015-01, Vol.113 (1), p.100-113
• Main Authors: Singh, Vishal, Rana, Minakshi, Jain, Manish, Singh, Niharika, Naqvi, Arshi, Malasoni, Richa, Dwivedi, Anil Kumar, Dikshit, Madhu, Barthwal, Manoj Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, CD - genetics; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic - genetics; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic - metabolism; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - prevention & control; CD36 Antigens - genetics; CD36 Antigens - metabolism; Cellular biology; Cholesterol, Dietary - administration & dosage; Cricetinae; Curcuma; Curcuma - chemistry; Curcuma longa; Diet; Diet, High-Fat; Foam Cells - drug effects; Foam Cells - metabolism; Genes; Herbal medicine; Homeostasis; Inflammation - prevention & control; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-10 - genetics; Interleukin-10 - metabolism; Interleukin-1beta - genetics; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Leukocyte Common Antigens - genetics; Leukocyte Common Antigens - metabolism; Lipids; Lipoproteins, LDL - metabolism; Macrophages, Peritoneal - drug effects; Macrophages, Peritoneal - metabolism; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 - genetics; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 - metabolism; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - genetics; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - metabolism; Metabolism and Metabolic Studies; Oils & fats; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - drug therapy; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - prevention & control; PPAR alpha - genetics; PPAR alpha - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Rodents; Transforming Growth Factor beta - genetics; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114514003195

In the present study, the anti-atherosclerotic effect and the underlying mechanism of curcuma oil (C. oil), a lipophilic fraction from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), was evaluated in a hamster model of accelerated atherosclerosis and in THP-1 macrophages. Male golden Syrian hamsters were subjected to partial carotid ligation (PCL) or FeCl3-induced arterial oxidative injury (Ox-injury) after 1 week of treatment with a high-cholesterol (HC) diet or HC diet plus C. oil (100 and 300 mg/kg, orally). Hamsters fed with the HC diet were analysed at 1, 3 and 5 weeks following carotid injury. The HC diet plus C. oil-fed group was analysed at 5 weeks. In hyperlipidaemic hamsters with PCL or Ox-injury, C. oil (300 mg/kg) reduced elevated plasma and aortic lipid levels, arterial macrophage accumulation, and stenosis when compared with those subjected to arterial injury alone. Similarly, elevated mRNA transcripts of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, cluster of differentiation 45 (CD45), TNF-α, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-1β and IL-6 were reduced in atherosclerotic arteries, while those of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and IL-10 were increased after the C. oil treatment (300 mg/kg). The treatment with C. oil prevented HC diet- and oxidised LDL (OxLDL)-induced lipid accumulation, decreased the mRNA expression of CD68 and CD36, and increased the mRNA expression of PPARα, LXRα, ABCA1 and ABCG1 in both hyperlipidaemic hamster-derived peritoneal and THP-1 macrophages. The administration of C. oil suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ and increased the expression of TGF-β in peritoneal macrophages. In THP-1 macrophages, C. oil supplementation prevented OxLDL-induced production of TNF-α and IL-1β and increased the levels of TGF-β. The present study shows that C. oil attenuates arterial injury-induced accelerated atherosclerosis, inflammation and macrophage foam-cell formation.