Differential protein expression studies in hypercholesterolemic rabbits using aqueous terminalia arjuna extract

Abstract

Background and Aims : Atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality worldwide. Much attention has been focused on the use of herbal products to cure this disease. Hence the present study was designed to evaluate the cardio-protective effect of aqueous Terminalia arjuna extract (TAE) on different proteins in hypercholesterolemic rabbits using proteomic approach.Methods: Five groups of rabbits were employed and fed normal chow-fed diet (Gp 1), high-fat diet (Gp 2), normal chow-fed diet plus TAE (Gp 3), high fat diet plus TAE (Gp 4) and high-fat diet plus atorvastatin (Gp 5) respectively for 6 months. Aortic lesions were excised and protein lysate was separated by Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF in Linear Reflectron Mass Spectrometer.Results: 850 spots could be detected among which 79 spots (p<0.05) matched among all 5 groups and 58 individual proteins were identified from 79 spots. Proteins like Interstitial collagenase, GRB2-related adapter protein 2, Interleukin 2, Myocyte enhancer-factor 2A, Protein S100-A9 and HSP60 with >10 fold expression were found to be differentially and significantly upregulated in Gp 2. TAE and atorvastatin treatment reduced the expression of these proteins to almost basal level (<1 fold change). TAE also significantly (p<0.05) downregulated expression of 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, 72 kDa type IV collagenase, HSP90-alpha, and Vimentin proteins. Compared to atorvastatin, TAE was significantly more effective in downregulating all these proteins implicated in atherosclerotic disease.Conclusions: This study reveals that Terminalia arjuna is a potent downregulator of various atherosclerosis-related proteins, hence should be explored in future clinical trials. Background and Aims : Atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality worldwide. Much attention has been focused on the use of herbal products to cure this disease. Hence the present study was designed to evaluate the cardio-protective effect of aqueous Terminalia arjuna extract (TAE) on different proteins in hypercholesterolemic rabbits using proteomic approach. Methods: Five groups of rabbits were employed and fed normal chow-fed diet (Gp 1), high-fat diet (Gp 2), normal chow-fed diet plus TAE (Gp 3), high fat diet plus TAE (Gp 4) and high-fat diet plus atorvastatin (Gp 5) respectively for 6 months. Aortic lesions were excised and protein lysate was separated by Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF in Linear Reflectron Mass Spectrometer. Results: 850 spots could be detected among which 79 spots (p<0.05) matched among all 5 groups and 58 individual proteins were identified from 79 spots. Proteins like Interstitial collagenase, GRB2-related adapter protein 2, Interleukin 2, Myocyte enhancer-factor 2A, Protein S100-A9 and HSP60 with >10 fold expression were found to be differentially and significantly upregulated in Gp 2. TAE and atorvastatin treatment reduced the expression of these proteins to almost basal level (<1 fold change). TAE also significantly (p<0.05) downregulated expression of 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, 72 kDa type IV collagenase, HSP90-alpha, and Vimentin proteins. Compared to atorvastatin, TAE was significantly more effective in downregulating all these proteins implicated in atherosclerotic disease. Conclusions: This study reveals that Terminalia arjuna is a potent downregulator of various atherosclerosis-related proteins, hence should be explored in future clinical trials.