AUTHOR=Li Xiao , Guo Jingting , Liang Ning , Jiang Xinwei , Song Yuan , Ou Shiyi , Hu Yunfeng , Jiao Rui , Bai Weibin TITLE=6-Gingerol Regulates Hepatic Cholesterol Metabolism by Up-regulation of LDLR and Cholesterol Efflux-Related Genes in HepG2 Cells JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology VOLUME=9 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.00159 DOI=10.3389/fphar.2018.00159 ISSN=1663-9812 ABSTRACT=

Gingerols, the pungent ingredients in ginger, are reported to possess a cholesterol-lowering activity. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study was to investigate how 6-gingerol (6-GN), the most abundant gingerol in fresh ginger, regulates hepatic cholesterol metabolism. HepG2 cells were incubated with various concentrations of 6-GN ranging from 50 to 200 μM for 24 h. Results showed that both cellular total cholesterol and free cholesterol decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, 6-GN ranging from 100 to 200 μM increased the LDLR protein and uptake of fluorescent-labeled LDL. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expressions of cholesterol metabolism-related genes were also examined. It was found that 6-GN regulated cholesterol metabolism via up-regulation of LDLR through activation of SREBP2 as well as up-regulation of cholesterol efflux-related genes LXRα and ABCA1.