High-phytosterol rapeseed oil prevents atherosclerosis by ameliorating damage of oxidative stress and inflammation in endothelial cells and monocyte-macrophage differentiation

There is a large number of atherosclerosis (AS) patients worldwide, and high-phytosterol rapeseed oil (HPRO) might possess significant potential to ameliorate this disease. This study examined the anti-atherosclerotic impact of HPRO and the potential mechanism by which β-sitosterol alleviates AS through reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and monocyte-macrophages. The findings indicated that HPRO reduced the severity of AS lesions and reduced ROS levels in mice, and β-sitosterol decreased oxidative damage and inflammation in HAEC by regulating the KLF4/Nrf2/HO-1/ROS and MAPK/PPARγ pathways. β-sitosterol impedes matrix penetration by obstructing the NADPH oxidase/ROS signaling pathway during the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages, and lowers inflammation through the TLR4/MyD88/TRAF6/TNF-α pathway. Taken together, the β-sitosterol might protect against endothelial and monocyte-macrophage oxidative stress and inflammatory injury, thus establishing a theoretical foundation for the adoption and increased use of HPRO in the prevention of AS.