Zhen-Yu Chen
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China
Title: Plasma Cholesterol, Heart Diseases and Functional Foods
Biography
Biography: Zhen-Yu Chen
Abstract
Cholesterol is always an important issue because plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) correlate strongly with the risk of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol homeostasis is maintained by a complex mechanism which involves the sterol absorption, anabolism, catabolism and excretion. Nutraceuticals and functional foods which lower plasma TC can affect the genes which regulate cholesterol homeostasis. In general, cholesterol-lowering functional foods and nutraceuticals can be classified into seven types namely intestinal Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) competitors, intestinal acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) inhibitors, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, LDL receptor up-regulators, bile acid reabsorption inhibitors, cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) activators, and plasma cholesteryl ester transporting protein (CETP) inhibitors. This presentation will summarize our research, discuss recent research progress in the field, and explore the underlying mechanisms of these popular cholesterol-lowering nutraceuticals and functional foods.