Abstract
We investigated hypocholesterolemic mechanisms of linalool, an aromatic anti-oxidative monoterpene, which is abundant in teas and essential oils. Oral administration of linalool to mice for 6 weeks significantly lowered total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and HMG-CoA reductase protein expression (-46%; P<0.05) by both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. Linalool suppressed the gene expression of HMG-CoA reductase by reducing the binding of SREBP-2 to its promoter, as assessed by qPCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation, and by inducing ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of the HMG-CoA reductase. These findings suggest that food molecules with a pleasant scent could exert beneficial metabolic effects through multiple mechanisms.
Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acyclic Monoterpenes
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Animals
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Anticholesteremic Agents / pharmacology*
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Cholesterol / blood
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Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects*
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Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / genetics
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Hep G2 Cells
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Humans
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Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / biosynthesis*
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Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / genetics
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Insecticides / pharmacology
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Lipoproteins, LDL / blood
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Male
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Mice
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Monoterpenes / pharmacology*
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Proteolysis / drug effects
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Response Elements
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Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 / genetics
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Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 / metabolism*
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Ubiquitin / genetics
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Ubiquitin / metabolism*
Substances
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Acyclic Monoterpenes
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Anticholesteremic Agents
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Insecticides
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Lipoproteins, LDL
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Monoterpenes
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SREBF2 protein, human
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Srebf2 protein, mouse
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Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2
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Ubiquitin
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Cholesterol
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linalool
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Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases