Regulation of biliary cholesterol secretion is associated with abcg5 and abcg8 expressions in the rats: effects of diosgenin and ethinyl estradiol

In this study, we evaluate the effect of diosgenin, ethinyl estradiol and these co-administration on changes of lipoprotein metabolism and expression of hepatic genes those are important for cholesterol metabolism including the recently identified abcg5 and abcg8 in male Wistar rats. Rats were subjected to four experimental groups: (1) control group, (2) diosgenin group, which was fed the diet containing 1% diosgenin for 7 days, (3) ethinyl estradiol group, which received ethinyl estradiol in a dose of 5 mg/kg daily for 5 days, (4) diosgenin–ethinyl estradiol group, which received ethinyl estradiol treatment and was fed the diet containing 1% diosgenin. Diosgenin-feeding induced the hepatic abcg5 / abcg8 expressions and biliary cholesterol secretion. Ethinyl estradiol administration reduced hepatic abcg5 / abcg8 expressions and biliary cholesterol secretion. There was a positive correlation between hepatic expressions of abcg5/abcg8 and biliary cholesterol secretion. These findings strongly suggest that abcg5 and abcg8 are key proteins for biliary cholesterol excretion. Diosgenin-feeding did not affect the hepatic abcg5 / abcg8 expressions and biliary cholesterol excretion in ethinyl estradiol-treated rat. Serum bile acid and bilirubin were higher and biliary bile acid and bilirubin secretions were lower in diosgenin–ethinyl estradiol group than those in ethinyl estradiol group. This finding suggests that diosgenin enhances the cholestatic effect of ethinyl estradiol in the rat. In conclusion, alteration of biliary cholesterol secretion is related to the expressions of hepatic abcg5 and abcg8 in diosgenin- or ethinyl estradiol-treated rat.