Molecular mechanism study of intervention effect of Cassia seed on atherosclerotic plaque of rabbits with hyperhomocysteinemia

Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism of intervention effect of Cassia seed on atherosclerotic plaque of rabbits with hyperhomocysteinemia. Methods Forty rabbits were randomly divided into four groups：control group, methionine group,Cassia seed ﹢ methionine group,Lipitor﹢methionine group. Rabbits with hyperhomocysteinemia model were established using high L-methionine. The plasma levels of homocysteine（ Hcy）in rabbits were compared among the four groups. The formation process of plaque was detected by vascular ultrasound,the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were observed by immunohistochemistry,and the intervention effect of Cassia seed on the pathologic process of the disease was analyzed. Results Compared with methionine group,IMT of abdominal aorta and Vp of abdominal aorta decreased obviously in Cassia seed group and Lipitor group, there were significant differences（ P ﹤0. 05 ）,but there were no significant differences between Cassia seed group and Lipitor group（ P ﹥0. 05 ）. Immunohistochemistry showed that,there was significant difference in the Bax expression level between methionine group and control group（ P﹤0. 01 ）. Compared with methionine group,the positive expression rate of Bax in smooth muscle cells and foam cells decreased,the expression levels of Bcl-2 increased slightly in Cassia seed group and Lipitor group,there were significant differences（P﹤0. 01）. The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 decreased in Cassia seed group. Conclu-sions Cassia seed can intervene the formation of atherosclerotic plaque of rabbits with hyperhomocysteinemia through down-regulation the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 . Key words: Cassia seed ;  Hyperhomocysteinemia ;  Bcl-2 ;  Bax