Capsanthin Inhibits Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation and Vascular Inflammation in ApoE Mice

Capsanthin is a red pigment and the major carotenoid component of red paprika ( L.). However, its role in atherosclerosis is yet to be fully elucidated. This study investigated the role of dietary capsanthin in vascular inflammation in atherosclerotic mice. We evaluated the anti-atherosclerotic effects of daily oral administration of capsanthin (0.5 mg/kg of body weight/day) in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE) mice fed a Western-type diet (WD). Capsanthin treatment inhibited vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expression and nuclear factor-κB ser536 phosphorylation in tumor necrosis factor-α-stimulated cultured endothelial cells. Dietary capsanthin significantly inhibited the WD-induced elevation in the plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride in mice. Interestingly, capsanthin reduced aortic plaque formation and VCAM-1 expression, which is vascular inflammation, in atherosclerotic mice. In addition, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, a systemic inflammatory marker, was inhibited in capsanthin-treated mice. Furthermore, capsanthin significantly reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, in the plasma of atherosclerotic mice. Collectively, our data demonstrate that dietary capsanthin plays a protective role against atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic mice. This protective effect could be attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of capsanthin.