Objective: To investigate the effects of Dingxin recipe (DXR) on phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and the possible anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of DXR in ApoE knockout(ApoE-/-) mice. Method: Totally 50 ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into model group

low-dose DXR group (9.25 g·kg-1·d-1)

medium-dose DXR group (18.59 g·kg-1·d-1)

high-dose DXR group (37.18 g·kg-1·d-1)

and simvastatin group (0.005 g·kg-1·d-1)

n=10 in each group. Another 10 C57/BL6J mice were selected as normal group. After feeding with high-fat diet for 16 weeks

all the mice were sacrificed and the atherosclerotic lesions in aortas were examined by HE staining. The levels of blood lipid and malondialdehyde (MDA)

total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD)

glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacciyt (T-AOC) were detected. PTEN protein expression in the aorta was identified by Western blot. Result: As compared with the normal group

the levels of blood lipid and MDA were increased in model group

while the levels of T-SOD

GSH-Px

T-AOC were reduced

and the protein expression of PTEN was significantly reduced (P<0.05). As compared with the model group

blood lipid level was significantly reduced

while the levels of T-SOD

GSH-Px

and T-AOC were increased

and MDA level was reduced in medium and high-dose DXR groups (P<0.05); in addition

the medium and high-dose groups could up-regulate the expression level of PTEN in ApoE-/-mice (P<0.05). As compared with the model group

plaque size was significantly reduced in all DXR groups.(P<0.05). Conclusion: DXR can attenuate atherosclerosis in ApoE-/-miceby regulating blood lipids

suppressingoxidative stress

and up-regulating the protein expression of PTEN.