Sang L, Wang XM, Xu DY, Sang LX, Han Y, Jiang LY. Morin enhances hepatic Nrf2 expression in a liver fibrosis rat model.
World J Gastroenterol 2017;
23:8334-8344. [PMID:
29307993 PMCID:
PMC5743504 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v23.i47.8334]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM
To investigate whether morin can reduce hepatic fibrosis by activating the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway.
METHODS
Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, morin group, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) group, and morin + CCl4 group. Rats in both the CCl4 and morin + CCl4 groups were injected intraperitoneally with CCl4 at a dose of 2 mL/kg twice a week. Rats in both the morin and morin + CCl4 groups were treated orally with morin at a dose of 50 mg/kg twice a week. Control rats were treated with vehicle only twice a week. At the end-point of the 8 wk of the experimental period, serum AST, ALT, and ALP were measured, and the liver specimens were obtained for pathological assessment. Real-time PCR and Western blot methods were used to analyze the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, collagen III, Nrf2, heme oxygenase (HO-1), and quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) using frozen liver specimens.
RESULTS
Morin-treated rats in the morin + CCl4 group had less hyperplasia of fiber tissue, minimal inflammatory cells, and less body weight loss with favorable liver enzyme measurements compared to rats treated with CCl4 only. Additionally, morin-treated rats had significantly lower mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III, but significantly higher mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 compared to rats treated with CCl4 only (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Morin could play a protective role by inducing the expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant factors (HO-1 and NQO1) and reducing the expression of α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rats.
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