Fig. 8 | Communications Biology

Fig. 8

From: Caffeine-free hawk tea lowers cholesterol by reducing free cholesterol uptake and the production of very-low-density lipoprotein

Fig. 8

Proposed multi-target and multi-component action modes of hawk tea as a previously unrecognized cholesterol-lowering agent. In brief, hawk tea extract (HTE) inhibits Niemann–Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1)-mediated free cholesterol uptake by HepG2 cells, thereby inducing the transcription of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) downstream of the sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) pathway, and promoting the clearance of LDL. Meanwhile, HTE suppressed hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α)-mediated transcription of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) and apolipoprotein B (APOB), thereby decreasing the production of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) by HepG2 cells. The catechin (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and the flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin are bioactive components mediating the effects of HTE on the NPC1L1-SREBP2-LDLR axis and HNF4α-MTP/APOB axis in HepG2 cells. In addition, the gut microbiota serves as another target of hawk tea. LPL: lipoprotein lipase

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