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Watanabe. Vessel Plus 2020;4:4 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2019.27

Review Open Access

Therapeutic properties of the new phytochemical
osmotin for preventing atherosclerosis

Takuya Watanabe

Department of Internal Medicine, Ushioda General Hospital/Clinic, Yokohama 230-0001, Japan.
Correspondence to: Dr. Takuya Watanabe, Department of Internal Medicine, Ushioda General Hospital/Clinic, Yokohama
Workers’ Welfare Association, 1-6-20 Yako, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0001, Japan. E-mail: t-watanabe@ushioda.or.jp

How to cite this article: Watanabe T. Therapeutic properties of the new phytochemical osmotin for preventing atherosclerosis.
Vessel Plus 2020;4:4. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2019.27

Received: 30 Aug 2019 First Decision: 9 Jan 2020 Revised: 5 Feb 2020 Accepted: 2 Mar 2020 Published: 13 Mar 2020
Science Editor: Ali H. Eid Copy Editor: Jing-Wen Zhang Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract
Osmotin, a natural plant protein found in tomato, potato, pepper, and tobacco, is a homolog of human adiponectin. It
Received: First Decision: Revised: Accepted: Published: x
exerts multiple biological activities through adiponectin receptors in a variety of mammalian cells. The therapeutic
Science Editor: Copy Editor: Production Editor: Jing Yu properties of osmotin have recently been shown in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by in vitro and in vivo
experiments. Osmotin suppresses the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells by downregulating inflammatory
cytokines and adhesion molecules in both cells. It suppresses oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced foam cell
formation by downregulating cluster of differentiation 36 and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 as
well as upregulating ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 in monocyte-derived macrophages. In vascular smooth
muscle cells, osmotin suppresses the migration, proliferation, and production of collagen 1, fibronectin, and matrix
metalloproteinase 2 by decreasing the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and
nuclear factor-κB as well as increasing AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression. Treatment with osmotin
suppresses abdominal fat accumulation in C57BL/6 mice and prevents the development of aortic atherosclerotic
-/-
lesions, improving vascular inflammation and plaque instability in apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe ) mice.
Osmotin protects against obesity- and diabetes-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in leptin-deficient obese
(ob/ob) and leptin receptor-deficient diabetic (db/db) mice. These effects are attributed to the stimulatory actions
of osmotin on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and AMPK. Moreover, osmotin lowers serum levels of
total cholesterol and triglyceride in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. These findings suggest that osmotin contributes
to improving the extracellular risk factors for atherosclerosis and vascular intracellular and molecular responses.
Therefore, the novel phytochemical osmotin may serve as a novel therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and related
diseases.

© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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