Effect of Huxin Formula(护心方) on Reverse Cholesterol Transport in ApoE-Gene Knockout Mice

<正>Objective:To observe the effect of Huxin Formula(护心方,HXF)on expressions of the chief reverse cholesterol transport(RCT)associated genes,caveolin-1 and scavenger receptor-BⅠ(SR-BⅠ)in ApoE-gene knockout[ApoE(-/-)]mice.Methods:Thirty ApoE(-/-)mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomly divided into three groups(A-C).After being fed with high-fat diet for 16 weeks,they were treated with HXF(1 mL/100 g),pravachol (0.3 mg/100 g),and saline in equal volume respectively for 16 weeks successively;in addition,a blank group was set up with 10 C57BL76J mice of 6-week old received 16-week high-fat feeding and saline treatment.Animals were sacrificed at the termination of the experiment,their paraffin sections of aortic tissue were used to measure the size of plaque,expressions of cavolin-1 and SR-BⅠwere detected by immunological histochemical method.Results:As compared with the blank group,levels of caveolin-1 and SR-BⅠwere increased in Groups A and B(P<0.01);but the increase in Group A was more significant than that in Group B(P<0.05).The plaque/aorta area ratio decreased significantly in Groups A and B,but showed insignificant difference between the two groups.Conclusion:HXF could obviously increase the expressions of RCT associated genes,caveolin-1 and SR-BⅠ,promote the RCT process, so as to reduce the formation of aorta atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE(-/-)mice.