Abstract
Oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDL) are believed to play a central role in the
events that initiate atherosclerosis. Antioxidants have been shown to decrease the
oxidation of LDL, leading to the diminution of atherosclerosis. Since it is well-known
that decreased levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are linked to the development
of atherosclerosis, we studied the modulation of the oxidation of LDL by DHEA. LDL
were obtained from 10 healthy subjects and oxidized by free radicals produced by γ-radiolysis of ethanol–water mixtures. The formation of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric
acid-reactive substances (TBARS), the vitamin E content, as well as the incorporation
of 4-[14C]DHEA in LDL and the chemotactic effect of oxidized LDL in the presence of DHEA towards
monocytes, were investigated. It was found that DHEA was able to inhibit the oxidation
of LDL by reducing over 90% of the conjugated dienes and TBARS formation, as well
as by reducing the vitamin E disappearance and significantly decreasing the chemotactic
activity towards monocytes. Our results suggest that DHEA exerts its antioxidative
effect by protecting the endogenous vitamin E of LDL.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 4,
1997
Received in revised form:
July 28,
1997
Received:
March 26,
1997
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
