Influence Of Phytoestrogen α-Zearalanol On OxLDL-Induced Endothelin-1 Gene Expression

Clinical and experimental evidence has shown that estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) might reduce the morbility and mortality of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. However, the fact that ERT may predispose women to a much higher incidence of venous thrombosis and breast and endometrial cancers has undoubtedly compromised or jeopardized the clinical application of ERT. Recently, the plant-derived phytoestrogens have been shown to act as potential replacements for estrogen. It has been demonstrated that isoflavone and lignan may have therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and osteoporosis and enter market as health care products. However, α-Zearalanol(α-ZAL), a little concerned phytoestrogen, should draw much serious attention. α-ZAL is an endogenous natural hormone. In 1996, we introduced it into medical research field for the first time. Recent evidence from our group indicated that α-ZAL possessed certain physiological properties of estrogen such as therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis, with less adverse effects especially on the uterine and mammary glands. So, it is encouraging for further study of its protective effect on atherosclerosis.Endothelin-1, a potent vasopressor, has a prolonged duration of action. The role of ET-1 in atherosclerosis may extend from its wide variety of physiological actions ranging from vasoconstriction, mitogenesis, neutrophil adhesion and platelet aggregation.oxLDL is an important initiator for vascular endothelial dysfunction and artherosclerosis. Although previous studies from this laboratory have indicated that oxLDL stimulated the expression and secretion of ET-1 gene, the regulatory mechanism of ET-1 gene induced by oxLDL in vascular endothelial cells still remains somewhat unclear. Phytoestrogen α-Zearalanol can inhibit oxLDL-induced...