Mouse Anti-25-OH-Vitamin D3 monoclonal antibody, clone VD3

Pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis (AS) development are linked to dyslipidemia and inflammation. Pediococcus acidilactici AS185, a probiotic, was isolated from traditional farmers soybean paste (Yanji, China). This study aimed to assess P. acidilactici AS185 anti-atherosclerotic effects and elucidate molecular mechanisms of action using an early AS model of SD rats fed a high-fat diet with intraperitoneal vitamin D-3 (VD3) injections. For 8 weeks, model rats received P. acidilactici AS185 via gavage once/day. Post-treatment serum levels of inflammatory mediators, lipids, adhesion molecules, aortic histopathological characteristics and AS-related aortic protein expression levels were assessed. P. acidilactici AS185 administration markedly increased serum HDL-C and IL-10 levels, while reducing serum TG, LDL-C, TC, Ox-LDL, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, TNF-alpha, IFN- , IL-1 beta, and IL-6 levels. Notably, P. acidilactici AS185 inhibited p-p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK pathways and decreased Ox-LDL and CD36 expression to attenuate early AS by altering lipid profiles and MAPK-signaling-based inflammation.

The effects of steroid hormones, thyroid hormone and vitamin D-3 on the gene expression of the NGFI-B family (NOR-1, NGFI-B and Nurr1) were investigated by a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Among the substances tested in this study, dexamethasone (DEX) had relatively strong effects on the gene expression of the NGFI-B family. It increased the mRNA levels of NGFI-B and Nurr1, but decreased those of NOR-1. 17 beta -estradiol (E-2) induced an up-regulation of NOR-1 mRNA and down-regulation of NGFI-B mRNA, while dihydrotestosterone (DHT) decreased the levels of NOR-1 mRNA only. However, the effects of E-2 and DHT on the gene expression of the NGFI-B subfamily were not remarkable. In the cells treated with 3, 3', 5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T-3) and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxy vitamin D-3 (VD3), no significant changes were observed in the gene expression of NOR-1, NGFI-B and Nurr1. These results indicate that DEX differentially regulates the expression of the genes for NOR-1, NGFI-B and Nurr1 in MCF-7 cells.