햄프씨드 오일이 고콜레스테롤식이를 급여한 흰쥐의 지질대사에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This study evaluates the potential protective effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil supplementation in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Methods: Rats were fed a 1.25% cholesterol diet for 8 weeks, followed by oral administration of either of the two doses of hemp seed oil (HO) (0.5 mL/kg (HOL group) or 1 mL/kg (HOH group) body weight/day) or simvastatin at 10 mg/kg body weight/day. Oxidative stress, lipids, liver enzymes, and renal markers were measured in the serum. Western blot analysis was applied for evaluating the expressions of inflammatory makers. Results: Except for HDL-cholesterol, the altered levels of lipoproteins, aminotransferases, urea, and creatine kinases in hypercholesterolemic rats were significantly corrected by HO administration. Especially, compared to the HOH group, HOL treatment further reduced AST, ALT, creatinine, TC, and LDL-cholesterol levels. Moreover, both the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor (CRF) in the HOL group were more restrained compared to the HOH group. Increased levels of p-AMPK coincided with the inhibition of SREBP-2 activation which subsequently suppressed the expression of HMGCR. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation coincided with the PI3K/Akt pathway activation and the increased phosphorylation of p38; these levels were significantly suppressed by HO treatment. In addition, HO treatment markedly reversed the changes in chemokines such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1. Histological alterations induced by cholesterol overload in cardiac and hepatic tissues were ameliorated by HO supplementation. Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicate a low concentration of HO demonstrates improved dysfunctions caused by a high-cholesterol diet via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. 본 연구에서는 햄프씨드 오일이 고콜레스테롤혈증을 개선시키는 지 확인하기 위하여 Sprague-Dawley rat에 1.25% 콜레스테롤식이를 8주 동안 급여하였으며, 햄프씨드 오일을 두 농도 (저농도, 고농도)로 경구 투여한 후 혈액, 조직 분석을 통하여 지질개선 및 염증 완화 효과를 발휘하는지 분석하였다. 햄프씨드 오일 식이는AMPK/SREBP-2 경로를 경유하여 혈중 콜레스테롤의 합성을 효과적으로 억제하였으며, PI3IK/Akt/NF-κB의 경로를 유의하게 억제하여 항염증 효과를 발휘함을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 신호전달의 경로는 간 조직에서 지질축적의 감소와도 관련이 있는 것으로 보인다. 이상의 결과를 종합해보면 햄프씨드 오일은 고콜레스테롤혈증의 예방 및 치료를 위한 잠재적 후보소재로서 가능성이 있음을 시사한다.