Chinese red yeast rice attenuates the development of angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm and atherosclerosis

Xiaojie Xie, Yifan Wang, Songzhao Zhang, Guidi Zhang, Yinchuan Xu, Honghao Bi, Alan Daugherty, Jian an Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic vascular disease characterized by medial degradation and inflammation. No medical approaches have been validated for treating AAA, and therapeutic options are limited to regular surveillance leading to surgical intervention. This study aimed to investigate whether administration of Chinese red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus; RYR) suppressed angiotensin II (AngII)-induced AAA and atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: Apolipoprotein E-deficient male mice fed a normal diet were administered either RYR extract (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle by gavage for 1 week before initiating AngII infusion (1000 ng/kg/min) via subcutaneous osmotic pumps for 28 days. Red yeast rice extract administration significantly suppressed AngII-induced expansion of suprarenal diameter and area (P<.05). Furthermore, RYR extract significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion areas in both the intima of aortic arches and cross sections of aortic roots (P<.05). These effects were associated with reductions of serum total cholesterol, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and increases of serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor, but no changes in serum interleukin (IL) 1α, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, MMP-9 and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in aortic walls. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that RYR extract administration suppressed AngII-induced AAA and atherosclerosis associated with regulating inflammation responses independent of lipid-lowering effects. Red yeast rice may have preventive potential for patients with AAA.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)549-556
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Volume23
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Source of funding: This work was supported by grants from Natural Sciences Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (Y2008CA057), Qianjiang Talent Project of Zhejiang Province, China (2009R10053) and Special Foundation for Young Scientists of Zhejiang Province, China (2008QN21).

Keywords

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm
  • Angiotensin II
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Chinese red yeast rice

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Clinical Biochemistry

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