在動脈硬化發生早期，血流中白血球的黏附和遷移入血管壁為主要因素，而內皮細胞所分泌的細胞黏附分子，則在動脈硬化過程中扮演了重要的角色。抗氧化物可以抑制細胞黏附分子的表現，並且可以降低動脈硬化發生的機會。本實驗中，主要探討以芝麻木質素sesamol與sesamin處理人類主動脈內皮細胞（HAECs）表現細胞黏附分子的影響及相關機制。以sesamol (100 μM)或sesamin (100 μM)預先處理HAEC 24小時，可以顯著的抑制U937細胞黏附於內皮細胞。以西方墨點法得知處理sesamol或是sesamin可以抑制TNF-α刺激細胞黏附分子ICAM-1的表現。觀察MAPK主要途徑ERK1/2、JNK及p38的磷酸化，發現sesamin可以抑制ERK1/2與p38的磷酸化。此外，NF-κB p65免疫染色及凝膠遲滯分析結果顯示，sesamol及sesamin均可降低NF-κB的活性。實驗結果證實，sesamin可以藉由抑制ERK1/2 與 P38的磷酸化及降低NF-κB活性，減少細胞受TNF-α刺激所引發的ICAM-1表現。由上述結果得知：芝麻木質素可藉由拮抗內皮細胞失調及發炎反應，達到保護心血管的功能。

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