Curcumin Attenuates Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm by Inhibition of Inflammatory Response and ERK Signaling Pathways

Abstract EN

Curcumin has long been used to treat age-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

In this study, we explored the effects of curcumin on the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Methods.

ApoE−/− mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: AngII group, AngII + curcumin (AngII + Cur) group (100 mg/kg/d), and the control group.

Miniosmotic pumps were implanted subcutaneously in ApoE−/− mice to deliver AngII for 28 days.

After 4-week treatment, abdominal aortas with AAA were obtained for H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting.

Results.

The results showed that curcumin treatment significantly decreased the occurrence of AAA.

The levels of macrophage infiltration, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factors-α (TNF-α) were significantly lower in AngII + Cur group than those in AngII group (all P<0.01).

The level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly higher in AngII + Cur group than those in AngII group P<0.01.

The ERK1/2 phosphorylation in AngII + Cur group was significantly lower than that in AngII group P<0.01.

Conclusions.

These results suggested that curcumin can inhibit the AngII-induced AAA in ApoE−/− mice, whose mechanisms include the curcumin anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, and downregulation of ERK signaling pathway.