Effects of alfalfa saponin extract on mRNA expression of Ldlr, LXRα, and FXR in BRL cells.

We studied the effects of alfalfa saponin extract (ASE) on low density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr), liver X receptor α (LXRα), and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in normal and hyperlipidemic Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells. Normal and hyperlipidemic BRL cells were divided into eight groups: normal, or normal cells treated with 50, 100, and 150 mg/L ASE, hyperlipidemic, or hyperlipidemic cells treated with 50, 100, and 150 mg/L ASE. After treatment for 24 h, Ldlr, LXRα, and FXR mRNA expression levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Data showed that mRNA expression of Ldlr in normal BRL cells was significantly up-regulated by ASE treatment and mRNA expressions of LXRα and FXR were significantly down-regulated both in normal and hyperlipidemic BRL cells after ASE treatment. Thus, ASE might ameliorate hepatic steatosis by regulating genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, including up-regulation of Ldlr as well as down-regulation of LXRα and FXR.