[Short-chain fatty acid butyrate acid attenuates atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice and the underlying mechanism].

This study was designed to evaluate the role of short-chain fatty acid butyrate acid on intestinal morphology and function, and atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E-knockout (ApoE-/-) mice. ApoE-/- mice on high-fat, high-cholesterol diet were treated with butyrate acid (200 mmol/L) or NaCl (control) in the drinking water for 12 weeks, followed by histological evaluations of atherosclerotic lesion in aorta. Real-time PCR analysis and ELISA were used to measure the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Butyrate acid significantly attenuated high-fat, high-cholesterol diet-induced atherosclerotic plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice. Butyrate acid prevented high-fat, high-cholesterol diet-induced inflammation in both the aorta and the circulation, as evidenced by reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines. These changes were accompanied by a marked attenuation in metabolic endotoxemia lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Butyrate acid induced intestinal expression of the tight junction proteins (Occludin and zona occuldens protein-1), thereby preventing the gut permeability. Butyrate acid dose-dependently upregulated the expression of the tight junction proteins in Caco-2 cells in GPR41-dependent manner. In conclusion, butyrate acid attenuates atherosclerotic lesions by ameliorating metabolic endotoxemia-induced inflammation through restoration of the gut barrier.