Meroterpinoid-rich fraction of the ethanol extract from Sargassum serratifolium suppresses TNF-α-induced monocytes adhesion to vascular endothelium and vascular inflammation in high cholesterol-fed C57BL/6J mice

Abstract

Sargassum serratifolium has been known to contain high concentration of meroterpinoids as anti-inflammatory compounds. We investigated the protective effects of the meroterpinoid-rich fraction of the ethanol extract from S. serratifolium (MES) on vascular inflammation using tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and high cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed C57BL/6J mice. The in vitro results showed that MES inhibited the adhesion of monocytes to TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs by reduced levels of cell adhesion molecules, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Decreased levels of these proteins by MES were associated with down-regulated translocation of nuclear factor kappa B. Active compounds in MES were identified as sargahydroquinoic acid, sargacromenol and sargaquinoic acid based on the inhibition of adhesion molecules. In vivo study, MES supplementation remarkably decreased levels of vascular inflammatory proteins in serum and aorta tissue in HCD-fed mice. These results suggest that MES could be a potential supplement as an anti-atherogenic dietary agent for the prevention of atherosclerosis.