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Published on: February 20, 2019
Mechanism Exploration of Dietary Supplement Astaxanthin on Improving Atherosclerosis through an Integrated Strategy
Yisa Cai1,2, Shiyan Yang3, Jiajiang Zhao4
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Specific Resource Pharmaceutical Transformation, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an 223003, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
Insights
Astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant, effectively targets key drivers of atherosclerosis (AS) including inflammation and oxidative stress. This study validates its potential as a safe and effective alternative to current AS treatments.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Atherosclerosis (AS) is a primary cause of severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
- Current treatments like statins have adverse effects, necessitating safer alternatives.
- Natural compounds offer multitarget efficacy and improved safety for AS management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms of astaxanthin in atherosclerosis.
- To identify core molecular targets of astaxanthin intervention in AS.
- To validate astaxanthin's efficacy through integrated computational and experimental approaches.
Main Methods:
- Artificial intelligence virtual screening and network pharmacology for target identification.
- Machine learning and molecular dynamic simulations for target validation.
- In vitro experiments to assess astaxanthin's effects on foam cell formation, redox balance, and inflammation.
Main Results:
- Five core proteins (CTSD, DPP4, FABP5, ITGAL, MMP9) identified as key targets for astaxanthin in AS.
- Molecular dynamics confirmed stable binding of astaxanthin to these targets.
- In vitro studies demonstrated astaxanthin's ability to inhibit foam cell formation, restore redox balance, and suppress inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Astaxanthin exhibits multitarget therapeutic potential against atherosclerosis by addressing inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism.
- Its unique mechanism offers an effective and safe alternative to conventional AS therapies.
- Astaxanthin represents a promising natural agent for combating AS with improved safety and efficacy profiles.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a major and common pathological basis of ischemic intestinal infarction, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, and other highly lethal and disabling diseases. Current pharmacological interventions (e.g., statins) often cause adverse effects, limiting their long-term use. Natural compounds, with their multitarget efficacy and superior safety profiles, have emerged as promising alternatives for AS treatment. As a potent antioxidant carotenoid, astaxanthin exhibits unique therapeutic potential by simultaneously targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism, which are key drivers of AS pathogenesis. This study will systematically decipher astaxanthin's therapeutic mechanisms through an integrative strategy encompassing artificial intelligence virtual screening and experimental validation. Notably, five proteins, including CTSD, DPP4, FABP5, ITGAL, and MMP9, were identified as core targets for astaxanthin intervention in AS via network pharmacology and machine learning. Meanwhile, the results from molecular dynamic simulations confirmed that these core targets can stable binding with astaxanthin. Furthermore, in vitro experiments further validated astaxanthin can inhibit foam cell formation, restore redox balance, and suppress inflammation. Moreover, a close correlation has been found between them. These findings position astaxanthin as a multitarget natural agent to combat AS, addressing both efficacy advantage and safety concerns of current therapies.
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