Objective: To establish a model of evaluating hypolipidemic effect in vitro.
Methods: Adding cholesterol to the culture medium for HepG2 cells to induce a hypercholesterolemia model. The content of cellular cholesterol and the expression of protein regulating cholesterol metabolism in HepG2 cells were determined. The validation of the model was identified by lovastatin, a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug. Free fatty acid was added to the culture medium for HepG2 cells to induce a hypertriglyceridemia model. The content of cellular triglyceride and the absorption rate of free fatty acid were determined. The validation of the model was identified by fenofibrate, a triglyceride-lowering drug.
Results: Cellular cholesterol content was increased and the expression of HMG-CoA redutase, SREBP-2 and LDLR were decreased after adding cholesterol and 25-hydrocholesterol to the culture medium. Cellular cholesterol was decreased and the expression of SREBP-2 and LDLR were up-regulated by Lovastatin. The absorption of oleic acid in cells was up to 40% after adding oleic acid (50 micromol) to the culture medium for 6 h. The absorption of free fatty acid was increased but the content of cellular triglyceride was not increased in cells by Fenofibrate.
Conclusion: This model might be an effective method for screening and assessing functional factors for lowing plasma lipids.