Elder (Sambucus nigra), identified by high-content screening, counteracts foam cell formation without promoting hepatic lipogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Cholesterol deposition in intimal macrophages leads to foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), initiated by efflux of excess cholesterol from foam cells, counteracts atherosclerosis. However, targeting RCT by enhancing cholesterol efflux was so far accompanied by adverse hepatic lipogenesis. Here, we aimed to identify novel natural enhancers of macrophage cholesterol efflux suitable for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Plant extracts of an open-access library were screened for their capacity to increase cholesterol efflux in RAW264.7 macrophages trace-labeled with fluorescent BODIPY-cholesterol. Incremental functional validation of hits yielded two final extracts, elder (Sambucus nigra) and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) that induced ATP binding

SUBMITTER: Steinbauer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10861454 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature