Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanocarriers on Liver Cholesterol Content in LDL Receptor Null Mice

Abstract

ObjectivesOur macrophage‐targeting epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) nanocarriers (E‐nano) have anti‐atherogenic bioactivities. But their effects on liver cholesterol content are unknown. This study aims to investigate the impact of non‐targeting and targeting E‐nano at low or high doses on liver cholesterol content in LDL receptor null (LDLr‐/‐) mice.MethodsLDLr‐/‐ mice received weekly intravenous injection of the following 10 treatments for 20 weeks: saline, high dose (25 mg/kg body weight) of EGCG (EGCG‐H), E‐nano (E‐nano‐H), void‐nano (V‐nano‐H), macrophage‐targeting E‐nano (TE‐nano‐H), macrophage targeting V‐nano (TV‐nano‐H), and low dose (10 mg/kg body weight) of E‐nano (E‐nano‐L), V‐nano (V‐nano‐L), macrophage‐targeting E‐nano (TE‐nano‐L), macrophage‐targeting V‐nano (TV‐nano‐L). Liver lipids were extracted by a chloroform/methanol mixture. Half of lipids were used to measure total cholesterol (TC), and the other half of lipids were used to measure free cholesterol (FC) using a HPLC system. Cholesteryl ester (CE) was calculated as TC minus FC.ResultsCompared to saline, E‐nano‐H significantly decreased liver TC content. All macrophage targeting V‐nano and E‐nano did not change liver cholesterol content.imageConclusionsE‐nano‐H, but not EGCG‐H and TE‐nano‐H, significantly decreased liver TC content in LDLr‐/‐ mice.