Dihydromyricetin ameliorates chronic liver injury by reducing pyroptosis

BACKGROUND Chronic liver injury(CLI) is now a worldwide disease. However, there is no effective treatment. Pyroptosis plays an essential role in CLI. Dihydromyricetin(DHM) resists oxidation and protects the liver. We hypothesize that the beneficial effect of DHM on CLI is related to its effect on the expression of pyroptosisrelated molecules. Therefore, we studied the influence of DHM on CLI and pyroptosis.AIM To study the role of pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of CLI and the therapeutic mechanism of DHM.METHODS Thirty-two mice were randomly divided into four groups: The control group was injected with olive oil, the carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) group was injected with CCl4, the vehicle group was injected with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin while injecting CCl4 and the DHM group was injected with DHM while injecting CCl4. After four weeks of treatment, liver tissues from the mice were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and oil red O. Blood was collected from the angular vein for serological analysis. The severity of CLI was estimated. Some liver tissue was sampled for immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription PCR to observe the changes in pyroptosis-related molecules.RESULTS Serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) in the CCl4 group were higher than those in the control group, and serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, AST and ALT in the DHM group were lower than those in the vehicle group. Hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O staining showed that there were more lipid droplets in the CCl4 group than in the control group, and there were fewer lipid droplets in the DHM group than in the vehicle group. Western blotting showed that the expression of the pyroptosis-related molecules caspase-1, NOD-, LRR-and pyrin domain-containing 3(NLRP3) and gasdermin D(GSDMD)-N in the CCl4 group was higher than that in the control group, while expression of these proteins in the DHM group was lower than that in the vehicle group. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR results showed that the expression of the pyroptosis-related genes caspase-1, NLRP3, GSDMD and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in the CCl4 group was higher than that in the control group, while there was no significant change in NLRP3 and caspase-1 expression in the DHM group compared with that in the vehicle group, and the expression of GSDMD and IL-1β was decreased.CONCLUSION DHM improves CCl4-induced CLI and regulates the pyroptosis pathway in hepatocytes. DHM may be a potential therapeutic agent for CLI.

The triterpenoids-enriched extracts from Antrodia cinnamomea mycelia attenuate alcohol-induced chronic liver injury via suppression lipid accumulation in C57BL/6 mice

The major pathologic hallmark of the alcoholic liver disease(ALD)is the representation of chronic alcohol-induced hepatocyte lipid accumulation.This study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective role of triterpenoids-enriched extracts from Antrodia cinnamomea mycelia(ACT)in chronic alcohol-induced liver injury mice,establishing in C57BL/6 mice through gradient alcohol feeding for 24 weeks.In longterm alcohol consumption mice,the significantly lost body weight,increased organ indexes,hepatic alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were all remissed after 6-week ACT orally administration,showing its hepatoprotective property.ACT suppressed the triglyceride,total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels,and enhanced high-density lipoprotein levels in serum or/and liver of chronic alcohol damaged mice.Combining with the pathological observations,ACT displayed an anti-steatosis effects to restrain the progress of ALD.Based on proteomic analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ACT had been confi rmed to regulate the levels of lipid biogeneration-related factors and depressed the over-accumulation of hepatic reactive oxygen species.According to further data,ACT prevented alcoholic liver injury may be associated with mediating lipid metabolism-related to PGC-1αand NF-κB signaling.In summary,ACT protected the body against chronic alcohol ingest induced liver injury through its regulation lipid on metabolism.

Mori fructus aqueous extracts attenuates liver injury by inhibiting ferroptosis via the Nrf2 pathway

Background Liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinogenesis secondary to liver fibrosis are serious liver diseases with no effective treatments.Mori fructus aqueous extracts(MFAEs)have served as successful treatments for many types of liver injury including fibrosis although the molecular mechanisms are unknown at present.Purpose To investigate the effect of MFAEs in alleviating acute and chronic liver injury and tried to decipher the underlying mechanism.Methods and results Mice were divided into 5 groups(n ps:contro=8)for acute(groups:control,0.3%CCl_(4),bifendate(BD),100 and 200 mg/kg MFAEs,7 d)and chronic(groul,10%CCl_(4),BD,100 and 200 mg/kg MFAEs,4 weeks)liver injury study.Each mouse was injected intraperitoneally with 10μL/g corn oil containing CCl_(4)expect the control group.HepG2 cells were used in vitro study.Eighteen communal components were identified by UPLC-LTQOrbitrap-MS.We utilized a mouse model for acute and chronic liver injury using CCl_(4)and MFAEs administration effectively blocked fibrosis and significantly inhibited inflammation in the liver.MFAEs activated the nuclear factor erythroid derived 2 like 2/heme oxygenase 1(Nrf2/HO-1)pathway and promoted the synthesis of the antioxidants glutathione(GSH),superoxidedismutase(SOD)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)that resulted in reduced levels of CCl_(4)-induced oxidative stress molecules including reactive oxygen species.These extracts administered to mice also inhibited ferroptosis in the liver by regulating the expression of Acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4(ACSL4),solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),thus reducing the occurrence of liver fibrosis.Both in vivo and in vitro tests indicated that the mechanism of MFAEs protection against liver fibrosis was linked to activation of Nrf2 signaling.These effects were blocked in vitro by the addition of a specific Nrf2 inhibitor.Conclusion MFAEs inhibited oxidative stress,ferroptosis and inflammation of the liver by activating Nrf2 signal pathway and provided a significant protective effect against CCl_(4)-induced liver fibrosis.