Effects of melatonin and acetylsalicylic acid against hepatic oxidative stress after bile duct ligation in rat

Hepatoprotective effect of astaxanthin against cholestasis liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation in adult Wistar rats

In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid, against the cholestatic liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Toward this end, male rats were subjected to BDL and treated with astaxanthin for 35 days. Afterwards, their serum and liver biochemical factors were assessed. Also, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to determine the fibrosis and the expression levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß1) in the liver tissue. Based on the results, BDL caused a significant increase in liver enzyme levels, blood lipids, and bilirubin, while decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) enzymes. Also, in the BDL rats, hepatocyte necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory lymphocytes, and hyperplasia of bile ducts were detected, along with a significant increase in α-SMA and TGF-ß1 expression. Astaxanthin, however, significantly prevented the BDL's detrimental effects. In all, 10 mg/kg of this drug maintained the bilirubin and cholesterol serum levels of BDL rats at normal levels. It also reduced the liver enzymes' activity and serum lipids, while increasing the SOD, CAT, and GSH activity in BDL rats. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-ß1 in the BDL rats treated with 10 mg/kg of astaxanthin was moderate (in 34%-66% of cells) and no considerable cholestatic fibrosis was observed in this group. However, administrating the 20 mg/kg of astaxanthin was not effective in this regard. These findings showed that astaxanthin could considerably protect the liver from cholestatic damage by improving the biochemical features and regulating the expression of related proteins.

Melatonin Alleviates Liver Apoptosis in Bile Duct Ligation Young Rats

Bile duct ligation (BDL)-treated rats display cholestasis and liver damages. The potential protective activity of melatonin in young BDL rats in terms of apoptosis, mitochondrial function, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis has not yet been evaluated. Three groups of young male Sprague-Dawley rats were used: one group received laparotomy (Sham), a second group received BDL for two weeks (BDL), and a third group received BDL and intraperitoneal melatonin (100 mg/day) for two weeks (BDL + M). BDL group rats showed liver apoptosis, increased pro-inflamamtory mediators, caspases alterations, anti-apoptotic factors changes, and dysfunction of ER homeostasis. Melatonin effectively reversed apoptosis, mainly through intrinsic pathway and reversed ER stress. In addition, in vitro study showed melatonin exerted its effect mainly through the melatonin 2 receptor (MT2) in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, BDL in young rats caused liver apoptosis. Melatonin rescued the apoptotic changes via the intrinsic pathway, and possibly through the MT2 receptor. Melatonin also reversed ER stress induced by BDL.

Melatonin improves the survival of cryopreserved callus of Rhodiola crenulata

An important aspect of the function of melatonin seems to be the mediation of stress caused by environmental and chemical factors. In the cryopreservation process, environmental changes including osmotic injury, desiccation, and low temperature can impose a series of stresses on plants. In this study, we evaluated the role of melatonin in stress protection during the process of cryopreservation using callus of an endangered plant species Rhodiola crenulata. The survival rate of the cryopreserved callus significantly increased when the callus was pretreated for 5 days with 0.1 μm melatonin prior to freezing in liquid nitrogen. Analysis of antioxidative activity following the pretreatment of callus with 0.1 μm melatonin showed a significant reduction in malondialdehyde production during various steps of cryopreservation. Enhanced peroxidase and catalase activity was observed in the callus after pretreatment with 0.1 μm melatonin compared to the control. These observations provide new evidence of the antioxidant/anti-stress function of melatonin, and it is the first report of its potential application in the preservation of elite endangered germplasm through the process of cryopreservation.

Hepatoprotective actions of melatonin: Possible mediation by melatonin receptors

Melatonin, the hormone of darkness and messenger of the photoperiod, is also well known to exhibit strong direct and indirect antioxidant properties. Melatonin has previously been demonstrated to be a powerful organ protective substance in numerous models of injury; these beneficial effects have been attributed to the hormone’s intense radical scavenging capacity. The present report reviews the hepatoprotective potential of the pineal hormone in various models of oxidative stress in vivo, and summarizes the extensive literature showing that melatonin may be a suitable experimental substance to reduce liver damage after sepsis, hemorrhagic shock, ischemia/reperfusion, and in numerous models of toxic liver injury. Melatonin’s influence on hepatic antioxidant enzymes and other potentially relevant pathways, such as nitric oxide signaling, hepatic cytokine and heat shock protein expression, are evaluated. Based on recent literature demonstrating the functional relevance of melatonin receptor activation for hepatic organ protection, this article finally suggests that melatonin receptors could mediate the hepatoprotective actions of melatonin therapy.

Bile duct ligation: step-by-step to cholangiocyte inflammatory tumorigenesis

Chronic liver inflammation after murine bile duct ligation could evolve according to three interrelated phenotypes, which would have different metabolic, functional and histologic characteristics. Liver injury secondary to extrahepatic cholestasis would induce an early ischemic-reperfusion phenotype with cholangiocyte depolarization, abnormal ion transport, hypometabolism with anaerobic glycolysis and hepatocytic apoptosis. This phenotype, in turn, could trigger the switch to a leukocytic phenotype by the cholangiocytes, with an intense anaplerotic activity, hypermetabolism, extracellular matrix degradation and moderated proliferation to create a pseudotissue with metabolic autonomy and paracrine functions. In the long-term cholestasis-drive tumorigenesis, the tumorous tissue would principally consist of cholangiocyte parenchyma, with an impressive biosynthetic activity through the tricarboxylic cell cycle. In terms of the tumorous stroma, made up by fibroplasia and angiogenesis, it would favor the tumor trophism. In conclusion, the great intensity and persistence in the expression of these phenotypes by the cholestatic cholangiocyte would favor chronic inflammatory tumorigenesis.

Melatonin downregulates nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 and nuclear factor-kappaB during prevention of oxidative liver injury in a dimethylnitrosamine model

Melatonin has potent hepatoprotective effects as an antioxidant. However, the signaling pathway of melatonin in the induction of antioxidant enzymes against acute liver injury is not fully understood. The study aimed to determine whether melatonin could prevent dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver injury through nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and inflammation. Liver injury was induced in rats by a single injection of DMN (30 mg/kg, i.p.). Melatonin treatment (50 mg/kg/daily, i.p.) was initiated 24 hr after DMN injection for 14 days, after which the rats were killed and samples were collected. Serum and antioxidant enzyme activities improved in melatonin-treated rats, compared with DMN-induced liver injury group (P < 0.01). Melatonin reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells and necrosis in the liver, and increased the expression of NADPH: quinone oxidoreductase-1, heme oxygenase-1, and superoxide dismutase-2, which were decreased by DMN. Melatonin increased expression of novel transcription factor, Nrf2, and decreased expression of inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. The increased nuclear binding of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the DMN-induced liver injury group was inhibited by melatonin. Our results show that melatonin increases antioxidant enzymes and Nrf2 expression in parallel with the decrease of inflammatory mediators in DMN-induced liver injury, suggesting that melatonin may play a role of antioxidant defense via the Nrf2 pathway, by reducing inflammation by NF-kappaB inhibition.