Oxidant stress: the role of nutrients in cell-lipoprotein interactions

Oxidant stress is increasingly becoming an important hypothesis to explain the genesis of several pathologies, including cancer, atherosclerosis and also ageing. Beside a few rare genetic defects, dietary factors are thought to play a key role in the regulation of the production of reactive oxygenated species. An imbalance between nutrients, and in particular those involved in antioxidant status, could explain the onset of an enhanced production of free radicals. We will briefly review information concerning oxidation of lipids and lipoproteins which lead to atherothrombosis. We also present new findings supporting a role for blood platelets in generating oxidant species. New data are also …

Differential effects of cysteine and methionine residues in the antioxidant activity of human serum albumin

Antioxidant properties of human serum albumin (HSA) may explain part of its beneficial role in various diseases related to free radical attack. In the present study, the antioxidant role of Cys and Met was studied by copper-mediated oxidation of human low density lipoproteins and by free radical-induced blood hemolysis which essentially assessed metal-chelating and free radical scavenging activities, respectively. Mild conditions were set up to specifically modify Cys and Met residues by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and chloramine T treatments, respectively. We found that Met and Cys accounted for 40-80% of total antioxidant activity of HSA. Copper binding to HSA was decreased by about 50% with c…

Role of the cyclic AMP-dependent pathway in free radical-induced cholesterol accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

We have previously reported that free radical-treated vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) lead to cholesterol accumulation in vitro. In the current study, we investigated the effects of oxidative stress on cyclic AMP concentration and cAMP-dependent enzymes involved in cholesterol homeostasis in A7r5 cells. Under our conditions of a mild oxidative stress, namely with no change in cell viability, we found that free radicals, initiated using azobis-amidinopropane dihydrochloride (AAPH), resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in cellular cAMP which was opposed by vitamin E preincubation. Although the addition of adenylate cyclase activators (carbacyclin and forskolin) increased cAMP levels it di…

Determination of sterols, oxysterols, and fatty acids of phospholipids in cells and lipoproteins: A one-sample method

In addition to fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated species, cholesterol oxidizes and leads to various oxygenated derivatives, named oxysterols. They display a wide range of adverse biological properties. Monitoring oxysterols is important in the evaluation of the potential risks associated with lipid oxidation. In the present study, a quick and reliable method was developed for analysis of oxysterols, sterols, and fatty acid composition of phospholipids in the same biological sample. Total lipid extraction was determined after addition of several internal standards (epicoprostanol for sterols, 19-hydroxy-cholesterol for oxysterol and di-heptadecanoyl-phosphatidylcholine for phospholipid…

Involvement of Oxysterols and Lysophosphatidylcholine in the Oxidized LDL–Induced Impairment of Serum Albumin Synthesis by HEPG2 Cells

Abstract —Oxidized low density lipoproteins (Ox-LDLs) are increasingly thought to be a key element in atherogenesis. We have previously reported that serum albumin has important antioxidant properties and that a reduced synthesis of albumin may represent a crucial point in the overall antioxidant defense. In the present work, we aimed at determining whether Ox-LDL could modulate albumin synthesis in cultured human hepatocytes (HepG2 cells). With the use of enzyme immunoassay and radiolabeled leucine incorporation followed by specific immunoprecipitation, Ox-LDL was found to lead to a dose-dependent decrease in albumin secretion. Moreover, the protein synthesis and mRNA levels were decrease…

Long-term moderate magnesium-deficient diet shows relationships between blood pressure, inflammation and oxidant stress defense in aging rats

International audience; Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated a relationship among aging, dietary Mg, inflammatory stress, and cardiovascular disease. Our aim in the present study was to investigate possible links between dietary Mg, oxidant stress parameters, and inflammatory status with aging in rats. We designed a long-term study in which rats were fed for 22 months with moderately deficient (150 mg/kg), standard (800 mg/kg), or supplemented (3200 mg/kg) Mg diets. Comparisons were made with young rats fed with the same diets for 1 month. Compared to the standard and supplemented diets, the Mg-deficient diet significantly increased blood pressure, plasma interleukin-6, f…

Impaired cellular cholesterol efflux by oxysterol-enriched high density lipoproteins.

One of the proposed antiatherogenicity role of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) is believed to stimulate removal of cholesterol from the peripheral cells back to the liver for excretion. We have investigated the effects of oxidation-related modifications of HDL on their ability to stimulate cholesterol efflux from cultured cells. Human HDL (HDL3, 1.13 < d < 1.21 g/ml) have been modified either by malondialdehyde or by copper-mediated oxidation (Ox-HDL3). Compared with native HDL3, the modified HDL3 resulted in a significantly reduced efflux of labeled cholesterol from preloaded macrophages (P388D1 cell line). Analysis of lipid composition of Ox-HDL3 by gas chromatography revealed the presenc…

Potential role of oxysterols and lysolecithin in the oxidised LDL-induced decrease in albumin synthesis in HEPG2 cells

Oxidative stress leads to cholesterol accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

The transformation of macrophages and smooth muscle cells into foam cells by modified low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is one of the key events of atherogenesis. Effects of free radicals have mainly been studied in LDL, and other than toxicity, data dealing with direct action of free radicals on cells are scarce. This study focused on the direct effects of free radicals on cholesterol metabolism of smooth muscle cells. A free radical generator, azobis-amidinopropane dihydrochloride, was used, and conditions for a standardized oxidative stress were set up in vascular smooth muscle cells. After free radical action, the cells presented an accumulation of cholesterol that appeared to be the resul…

Glucose and free radicals impair the antioxidant properties of serum albumin

Epidemiological data consistently show that reduced levels of serum albumin, which is the most abundant protein in plasma, are associated with an increased mortality risk. Various biological properties evidenced by direct effects of the albumin molecule may explain its beneficial effects. The present work aimed to investigate in vitro whether glycation or free radicals or both factors would affect the antioxidant properties of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Glycation was performed by long-term incubations (60 days) of BSA with increasing concentrations of glucose (up to 500 mmol/l) at 37 degreesC. Minimally oxidized BSA was obtained after controlled incubations of dialyzed BSA samples with a w…

Differential effects of oxidized LDL on apolipoprotein AI and B synthesis in HepG2 cells

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (Ox-LDL) are key elements in atherogenesis. Apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) is an active component of the antiatherogenic high-density lipoproteins (HDL). In contrast, plasma apolipoprotein B (apoB), the main component of LDL, is highly correlated with coronary risk. Our results, obtained in HepG2 cells, show that Ox-LDL, unlike native LDL, leads to opposite effects on apoB and apoAI, namely a decrease in apoAI and an increase in apoB secretion as evaluated by [(3)H]leucine incorporation and specific immunoprecipitation. Parallel pulse-chase studies show that Ox-LDL impaired apoB degradation, whereas apoAI degradation was increased and mRNA levels were decreased.…

Gas chromatographic analysis of resveratrol in plasma, lipoproteins and cells after in vitro incubations

Resveratrol is a trihydroxystilbene present in certain red wines. It may play a role in the inhibition of lipoprotein oxidation and platelet activity. We have developed the first method to measure resveratrol in animal and human samples and to study its incorporation in vitro. After adding epicoprostanol as an internal standard, samples are subjected to lipid extraction in the presence of antioxidant and under dim light to minimize both denaturation and isomerization of the trans-resveratrol to the cis-form. Extracts were purified by cold acetone precipitation and the resveratrol-containing acetone phase was evaporated under nitrogen. The resveratrol was analyzed as a trimethylsilyl derivat…