Effects of puerarin on fecal metabolomics of atherosclerosis model mice
10.3969/j.issn.1000-4718.2025.10.005
- VernacularTitle:葛根素对动脉粥样硬化模型小鼠的粪便代谢组学的影响
- Author:
Zehua LI
1
;
Yuhong ZENG
;
Qingyun HAO
;
Jingbin GUO
Author Information
1. 南方医科大学珠江医院心血管内科,广东 广州 510280
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
puerarin;
atherosclerosis;
metabolomics;
ApoE-/-mice
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology
2025;41(10):1910-1919
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
AIM:To investigate the effects of puerarin(PU)on fecal metabolomics in atherosclerosis(AS)model mice.METHODS:Apolipoprotein E gene knockout(ApoE-/-)mice were fed a high-fat,high-cholesterol diet to es-tablish an AS model.The mice were randomly divided into control,model,and PU treatment groups,with five mice in each group.Body weight changes were recorded weekly.After 12 weeks,plasma inflammatory cytokines,lipid profiles,and aortic plaque area were measured,and fecal metabolomic analysis was performed using untargeted metabolomics.RE-SULTS:(1)The high-fat,high-cholesterol diet successfully induced the AS model,with significant increases in body weight(P<0.01),plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-1β(P<0.01),as well as higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),total cholesterol(TC),and triglycerides(TG),and reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)(P<0.01).The plaque area in both the whole aorta and the aortic sinus was significantly increased(P<0.01).(2)PU treatment significantly reduced body weight(P<0.05)and inflammatory cytokine levels(P<0.01),and improved lipid metabolism disorders.Specifically,TC,TG,and LDL-C lev-els significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while HDL-C levels significantly increased(P<0.01).In addition,the plaque area in both the whole aorta and the aortic sinus was significantly reduced in the PU-treated group(P<0.01).(3)Metabolomic analysis showed that PU regulated the levels of L-valine,L-phenylalanine,and L-histidine,restoring abnor-mal amino acid metabolism pathways.Additionally,PU downregulated abnormal levels of phosphatidylcholine and ce-ramide,promoting lipid metabolism balance.PU also modulated bile acid metabolism and oxidative stress mechanisms,improving purine and pyrimidine metabolism and related energy metabolism pathways.CONCLUSION:PU significantly ameliorates metabolic abnormalities in AS mouse models by regulating lipid metabolism,amino acid metabolism,bile acid metabolism,and gut microbiota-related metabolic pathways.
