Sun Y, Pu LY, Lu L, Wang XH, Zhang F, Rao JH. N-acetylcysteine attenuates reactive-oxygen-species-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress during liver ischemia-reperfusion injury.
World J Gastroenterol 2014;
20:15289-15298. [PMID:
25386077 PMCID:
PMC4223262 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v20.i41.15289]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and tissue injury during liver ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI).
METHODS: Mice were injected with NAC (300 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 2 h before ischemia. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting determined ER stress molecules (GRP78, ATF4 and CHOP). To analyze the role of NAC in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated ER stress and apoptosis, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was examined in cultured hepatocytes treated by H2O2 or thapsigargin (TG).
RESULTS: NAC treatment significantly reduced the level of ROS and attenuated ROS-induced liver injury after IRI, based on glutathione, malondialdehyde, serum alanine aminotransferase levels, and histopathology. ROS-mediated ER stress was significantly inhibited in NAC-treated mice. In addition, NAC treatment significantly reduced caspase-3 activity and apoptosis after reperfusion, which correlated with the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. Similarly, NAC treatment significantly inhibited LDH release from hepatocytes treated by H2O2 or TG.
CONCLUSION: This study provides new evidence for the protective effects of NAC treatment on hepatocytes during IRI. Through inhibition of ROS-mediated ER stress, NAC may be critical to inhibit the ER-stress-related apoptosis pathway.
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