We investigated the tissue regeneration and lipid-lowering effects of policosanol (PCO) by employing a hyperlipidemic zebrafish model. A reconstituted high-density lipoprotein containing policosanol (PCO-rHDL) facilitated greater cell growth and replication with less apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in BV-2 microglial cell lines. From in vivo study, injection of rHDL containing apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) caused 76 ± 4% (p = 0.01) greater tissue regeneration activity than the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) control, whereas PCO-rHDL caused 94 ± 7% (p = 0.002) increased regeneration. PCO in ethanol (EtOH) showed lower cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitory ability than did anacetrapib, whereas PCO-rHDL showed higher inhibitory ability than anacetrapib, suggesting a synergistic effect between PCO and rHDL. Following 9 weeks of PCO consumption, the PCO group (0.003% PCO in Tetrabit) showed the highest survivability (80%), whereas normal diet (ND) and high-cholesterol diet (HCD) control groups showed 67% and 70% survival rates, respectively. Supplementation with a HCD resulted in two-fold elevation of CETP activity along with 3- and 2.5-fold increases in serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TGs) levels, respectively. Consumption of PCO for 9 weeks resulted in 40 ± 5% (p = 0.01 vs. HCD) and 33 ± 4% (p = 0.02 vs. HCD) reduction of TC and TGs levels, respectively. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level increased up to 37 ± 2 mg/dL (p = 0.004), whereas the percentage of HDL-C/TC increased up to 20 ± 2% from 5 ± 1% compared to the HCD control. The serum glucose level was reduced to 47 ± 2% (p = 0.002) compared to the HCD control. Fatty liver change and hepatic inflammation levels were remarkably increased upon HCD consumption and were two-fold higher than that under ND. However, the PCO group showed 58 ± 5% (p = 0.001) and 50 ± 3% (p = 0.006) reduction of inflammation enzyme levels and lipid content in hepatic tissue under HCD. In conclusion, PCO supplementation showed lipid-lowering and HDL-C-elevating effects with ameliorating fatty liver change. These in vivo anti-atherosclerotic and anti-diabetic effects of PCO are well associated with in vitro anti-apoptotic activities.

Consumption of policosanol (PCO), a refined mixture of sugar cane wax alcohols, can elevate serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), although the molecular mechanism is still unknown. To investigate the mechanism of action responsible for the anti-senescence effects of PCO on lipoprotein metabolism and HDL functionality, we synthesized reconstituted HDL (rHDL) containing PCO. Encapsulation of PCO by rHDL (PCO-rHDL) enhanced anti-oxidant activity against cupric ion-mediated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. PCO-rHDL (final concentration, 9 μM PCO) showed more potent anti-oxidant activity than vitamin C treatment (final concentration, 100 μM). PCO-rHDL inhibited fructose-mediated glycation, which is a major pathological mechanism of diabetic complications, in a dose-dependent manner. PCO also showed cytoprotective effects in monocytes and macrophages with less triggering of apoptotic processes and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). PCO-rHDL strongly inhibited uptake of acetylated LDL into macrophages, which is an initial atherosclerotic process. Surprisingly, PCO-rHDL inhibited human serum cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity by up to 47% (final concentration, 10 μM PCO). Subcutaneous injection of PCO-rHDL dose-dependently enhanced tissue regeneration activity by 2.4-fold and 3.6-fold compared to that of the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) control. In conclusion, PCO in HDL showed potent anti-oxidant, anti-glycation, and CETP inhibitory activities along with tissue regenerative activity, especially upon incorporation into HDL. These results suggest that PCO can enhance functionality of HDL in serum to exert anti-senescence and longevity effects.

Background Although the health effects of vitamin C are well known, its physiological effect on serum lipoproteins and microRNA still remain to be investigated, especially daily consumption of a high dosage. Objectives To investigate the physiological effect of vitamin C on serum lipoprotein metabolism in terms of its anti-oxidant and anti-glycation activities, and gene expression via microRNA regulation. Methods We analyzed blood parameters and lipoprotein parameters in young subjects (n = 46, 22 ± 2 years old) including smokers who consumed a high dose of vitamin C (1250 mg) daily for 8 weeks. Results Antioxidant activity of serum was enhanced with the elevation of Vit C content in plasma during 8 weeks consumption. In the LDL fraction, the apo-B48 band disappeared at 8 weeks post-consumption in all subjects. In the HDL fraction, apoA-I expression was enhanced by 20% at 8 weeks, especially in male smokers. In the lipoprotein fraction, all subjects showed significantly reduced contents of advanced glycated end products and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Triglyceride (TG) contents in each LDL and HDL fraction were significantly reduced in all groups following the Vit C consumption, suggesting that the lipoprotein was changed to be more anti-inflammatory and atherogenic properties. Phagocytosis of LDL, which was purified from each individual, into macrophages was significantly reduced at 8-weeks post-consumption of vitamin C. Anti-inflammatory and anti-senescence effects of HDL from all subjects were enhanced after the 8-weeks consumption. The expression level of microRNA 155 in HDL3 was reduced by 49% and 75% in non-smokers and smokers, respectively. Conclusion The daily consumption of a high dose of vitamin C for 8 weeks resulted in enhanced anti-senescence and anti-atherosclerotic effects via an improvement of lipoprotein parameters and microRNA expression through anti-oxidation and anti-glycation, especially in smokers.

Natural polysaccharides have shown immune modulatory effects with low toxicity in both animal and human models. A previous study has shown that the polysaccharide from Codium fragile (CFP) promotes natural killer (NK) cell activation in mice. Since NK cell activation is mediated by dendritic cells (DCs), we examined the effect of CFP on DC activation and evaluated the subsequent induction of anti-cancer immunity in a murine model. Treatment with CFP induced activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Moreover, subcutaneous injection of CFP promoted the activation of spleen and lymph node DCs in vivo. CFP also induced activation of DCs in tumor-bearing mice, and combination treatment with CFP and ovalbumin (OVA) promoted OVA-specific T cell activation, which consequently promoted infiltration of IFN-γ-and TNF-α-producing OT-1 and OT-II cells into the tumors. Moreover, combination treatment using CFP and cancer self-antigen efficiently inhibited B16 tumor growth in the mouse model. Treatment with CFP also enhanced anti-PD-L1 antibody mediated anti-cancer immunity in the CT-26 carcinoma-bearing BALB/c mice. Taken together these data suggest that CFP may function as an adjuvant in the treatment of cancer by enhancing immune activation.