Abstract
The effects of dexamethasone palmitate incorporated into lipid emulsion(D-lipo) on foam cell formation and atherosclerosis model mice were examined. The cholesterol ester(CE) concentration in derived macrophages from mouse peritoneal cavity was increased markedly by oxidized LDL. The CE increment was associated with conversion of macrophages to foam cell. D-lipo significantly inhibited the CE increment on macrophages induced by oxidized LDL. The inhibition effect of D-lipo on foam cell formation was similar with that of dexamethasone phosphate as control. The atherogenic mouse was induced by the maintaining with an atherogenic diet for 14 weeks. D-lipo or dexamethasone phosphate was intravenously administered to mouse once a week from 8 to 14 weeks. The cholesterol concentration in serum and aortic CE deposition on the atherogenic mouse were significantly increased as compared to those of the control mouse. Although the increment of cholesterol concentration in serum was not changed, CE accumulation in the aorta of atherogenic mouse was inhibited by D-lipo(150 and 750 nmol/kg). Dexamethasone phosphate(750 nmol/kg) did not affect to cholesterol concentration in serum and CE accumulation in the aorta of atherogenic mouse. These findings suggest that D-lipo is useful as an anti-atherosclerosis.
