Luo WS, Jin YL, Ou SY, Qin H, Sun XR. Effect of total flavone of Litchi chinensis Sonn on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in hepatic fibrosis in rats.
Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2012;
20:1602-1608. [DOI:
10.11569/wcjd.v20.i18.1602]
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Abstract
AIM: To study the effect of total flavone of Litchi chinensis Sonn (TFL) on liver cell apoptosis in rats with hepatic fibrosis and to explore possible mechanisms involved.
METHODS: Fifty rats were randomly divided into five groups: blank control group, colchicine group, model group, low- and high-dose TFL groups. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine. The TFL groups were intragastrically administered with different doses of TFL for 6 wk, while the blank control group and colchicine group were given normal saline and colchicine, respectively. After treatment, liver samples were taken to examine the degree of liver fibrosis by HE and Masson staining and to detect Bcl-2 and Bax expression by immunohistochemistry. Serum ALT and AST levels were also measured.
RESULTS: The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group (both P = 0.000). The expression of Bcl-2 was higher and that of Bax was lower in the TFL groups and colchicine group than in the model group (Bcl-2: P = 0.000, 0.047, 0.021; Bax: P = 0.000, 0.014, 0.007), and in the high-dose TFL group than in the low-dose TFL group (P = 0.018, 0.002). Bcl-2 and Bax expression showed no significant difference between the low-dose TFL group and colchicine group (P = 0.726, 0.767). The severity of liver fibrosis was positively correlated with Bax expression (P = 0.000) but negatively with Bcl-2 expression (P = 0.000). Serum levels of ALT and AST were significantly lower in the blank control group, TFL groups and colchicine group than in the model group (all P = 0.000), but showed no significant difference between the low-dose TFL group and colchicine group (P = 0.597, 0.669).
CONCLUSION: TFL can resist hepatic fibrosis and improve liver function possibly by up-regulating Bcl-2 expression and down-regulating Bax expression to inhibit liver cell apoptosis.
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