Effect of Puerariae lobatae Radix and Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhi-zoma on adipokine homeostasis in mice with diabetes-related atheroscle-rosis
AIM:This study aims to investigate the mechanisms by which Gegen(Puerariae lobatae Radix)and Danshen(Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma)intervene in diabetes mellitus(DM)-related atherosclerosis(AS)through the regulation of adipokine homeostasis.METHODS:A mouse model of DM-related AS was established in male apolipoprotein E gene knockout(ApoE-/-)mice by high-fat diet feeding and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.The mice were randomly divided into model group,low-dose Gegen-Danshen group,high-dose Gegen-Danshen group and posi-tive control drug metformin group,while male C57BL/J mice served as blank control group,with 6 mice in each group.Se-rum lipid levels of the mice were assessed.Oil red O staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the abdomi-nal aorta,while HE staining was used to examine the morphological changes of adipose tissues surrounding abdominal or-gans.The protein expression levels of adipokines,including adiponectin,apelin,chemerin and resistin,in adipose tis-sues were measured using RT-qPCR and Western blot.RESULTS:The administration of Gegen and Danshen resulted in a significant increase in the protein expression levels of adiponectin and apelin in adipose tissues(P<0.01).Conversely,the levels of chemerin and resistin were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and there was a notable reduction in low-densi-ty lipoprotein cholesterol(P<0.01).Results of oil red O staining revealed that the aortic AS plaques of the mice in model group were numerous,large and scattered,whereas those in high-dose Gegen-Danshen group were fewer and smaller.CONCLUSION:Gegen and Danshen play a protective role in preventing DM-related AS in mice by enhancing the expres-sion of adiponectin and apelin but inhibiting the expression of chemerin and resistin.
Puerariae lobatae RadixSalviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizomadiabetes mellitusatheroscle-rosisadipokine