THE POLYSACCHARIDE KRESTIN PREVENTS LIPOPEROXIDATIVE INJURY TO EXPERIMENTALLY ATHEROSCLEROTIC RABBITS

There is a close relationship between the development of atheroscleros is and oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (O-LDL). Macr ophage-derived foam cell formation is one of the early important patho logical lesions in atherogenesis. Our previous studies have shown that lipoperoxidative injury is a major cause of transformation of macroph ages into foam cells induced by O-LDL, and that polysaccharide krestin (PSK), administrated intraperitoneally to mice, could enhance seleniu m-dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx) gene expression of macrop hage and protect in vitro macrophage from foam cell formation caused b y O-LDL. The present results show that PSK can prevent lipoperoxidativ e injury to the experimental atherosclerotic rabbits. The lipoperoxide (LPO) levels in the plasma, LDL and tissues (aorta, heart and liver) were much lower and the SeGSHPx activities, and especially the SeGSHPx /LPO ratios were much higher in the PSK group as compared with those i n the control group. The results show that prevention of transformatio n of macrophages into foam cells by elevation of their antioxidation p otential may be another important means of preventing the development of atherosclerosis.