Open AccessDihydromyricetin increases endothelial nitric oxide production and inhibits atherosclerosis through microRNA‐21 in apolipoprotein E‐deficient mice
Author(s) -
Yang Dafeng,
Yang Zhousheng,
Chen Lei,
Kuang Dabin,
Zou Yang,
Li Jie,
Deng Xu,
Luo Songyuan,
Luo Jianfang,
He Jun,
Yan Miao,
He Guixia,
Deng Yang,
Li Rong,
Yuan Qiong,
Zhou Yangzhao,
Jiang Pei,
Tan Shenglan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.15278
Subject(s) - enos , inflammation , nitric oxide , apolipoprotein e , apolipoprotein b , proinflammatory cytokine , pathogenesis , endocrinology , endothelium , nitric oxide synthase , medicine , chemistry , biology , pharmacology , cholesterol , disease
Natural products were extracted from traditional Chinese herbal emerging as potential therapeutic drugs for treating cardiovascular diseases. This study examines the role and underlying mechanism of dihydromyricetin (DMY), a natural compound extracted from Ampelopsis grossedentata , in atherosclerosis. DMY treatment significantly inhibits atherosclerotic lesion formation, proinflammatory gene expression and the influx of lesional macrophages and CD4‐positive T cells in the vessel wall and hepatic inflammation, whereas increases nitric oxide (NO) production and improves lipid metabolism in apolipoprotein E‐deficient ( Apoe − / − ) mice. Yet, those protective effects are abrogated by using NOS inhibitor L‐NAME in Apoe − / − mice received DMY. Mechanistically, DMY decreases microRNA‐21 (miR‐21) and increases its target gene dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase‐1 (DDAH1) expression, an effect that reduces asymmetric aimethlarginine (ADMA) levels, and increases endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and NO production in cultured HUVECs, vascular endothelium of atherosclerotic lesions and liver. In contrast, systemic delivery of miR‐21 in Apoe − / − mice or miR‐21 overexpression in cultured HUVECs abrogates those DMY‐mediated protective effects. These data demonstrate that endothelial miR‐21‐inhibited DDAH1‐ADMA‐eNOS‐NO pathway promotes the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis which can be rescued by DMY. Thus, DMY may represent a potential therapeutic adjuvant in atherosclerosis management.