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Xie X, Liao Y, Lin Z, Luo H, Wei G, Huang N, Li Y, Chen J, Su Z, Yu X, Chen L, Liu Y. Patchouli alcohol alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis via inhibiting mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane disruption-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation in rats. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 138:112634. [PMID: 38971107 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a severe metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) characterized by abnormal hepatic steatosis and inflammation. Previous studies have shown that Patchouli alcohol (PA), the primary component of Pogostemonis Herba, can alleviate digestive system diseases. However, its protection against MASH remains unclear. This study explored the protective effects and underlying mechanism of PA against high-fat diet-induced MASH in rats. Results showed that PA considerably reduced body weight, epididymal fat, and liver index and attenuated liver histological injury in MASH rats. PA alleviated hepatic injury by inhibiting steatosis and inflammation. These effects are associated with the improvement of SREBP-1c- and PPARα-mediated lipid metabolism and inhibition of the STING-signaling pathway-mediated inflammatory response. Moreover, PA-inhibited hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, reducing SREBP-1c and STING expressions and enhance PPARα expression. PA treatment had the strongest effect on the regulation of mitogen fusion protein 2 (Mfn2) in inhibiting mitochondrial dysfunction. Mfn2 is an important structural protein for binding ERs and mitochondria to form mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs). MASH-mediated disruption of MAMs was inhibited after PA treatment-induced Mfn2 activation. Therefore, the pharmacological effect of PA on MASH is mainly attributed to the inhibition of MAM disruption-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation. The findings of this study may have implications for MASH treatment that do not neglect the role of Mfn2-mediated MAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yingyi Liao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zixin Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Huijuan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Guilan Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ning Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yucui Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jiannan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ziren Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiuting Yu
- Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan 523808, China; Pharmaceutical Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Liping Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China.
| | - Yuhong Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan 523808, China.
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Xing X, Sun Q, Wang R, Wang Y, Wang R. Impacts of glutamate, an exercise-responsive metabolite on insulin signaling. Life Sci 2024; 341:122471. [PMID: 38301875 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Disruption of the insulin signaling pathway leads to insulin resistance (IR). IR is characterized by impaired glucose and lipid metabolism. Elevated levels of circulating glutamate are correlated with metabolic indicators and may potentially predict the onset of metabolic diseases. Glutamate receptor antagonists have significantly enhanced insulin sensitivity, and improved glucose and lipid metabolism. Exercise is a well-known strategy to combat IR. The aims of our narrative review are to summarize preclinical and clinical findings to show the correlations between circulating glutamate levels, IR and metabolic diseases, discuss the causal role of excessive glutamate in IR and metabolic disturbance, and present an overview of the exercise-induced alteration in circulating glutamate levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search was conducted to identify studies on glutamate, insulin signaling, and exercise in the PubMed database. The search covered articles published from December 1955 to January 2024, using the search terms of "glutamate", "glutamic acid", "insulin signaling", "insulin resistance", "insulin sensitivity", "exercise", and "physical activity". KEY FINDINGS Elevated levels of circulating glutamate are correlated with IR. Excessive glutamate can potentially hinder the insulin signaling pathway through various mechanisms, including the activation of ectopic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Glutamate can also modify mitochondrial function through Ca2+ and induce purine degradation mediated by AMP deaminase 2. Exercise has the potential to decrease circulating levels of glutamate, which can be attributed to accelerated glutamate catabolism and enhanced glutamate uptake. SIGNIFICANCE Glutamate may act as a mediator in the exercise-induced improvement of insulin sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorui Xing
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Qin Sun
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Ruwen Wang
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yibing Wang
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Ru Wang
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
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Zeng S, Tao M, Yuan L, Zhang L, Luo X. Inhibition of mGluR5 ameliorates lipid accumulation and inflammation in HepG2 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 653:1-11. [PMID: 36842305 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease characterized by ectopic lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. To date, no specific drug has been approved for its treatment. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) has been showed expressed in hepatocytes and related to some liver diseases such as alcoholic steatosis. However, the function of mGluR5 in NAFLD is not clear. This work aims to investigate the effect and potential mechanism of mGluR5 in NAFLD. We found that mGluR5 expression was increased in the livers of HFD-fed mice and in palmitate-treated HepG2 cells. Suppression of mGluR5 by the specific antagonist MPEP could ameliorate palmitate-induced lipid accumulation, whereas the mGluR5 agonist CHPG promoted lipid deposition in the cells. Knockdown of mGluR5 by small interfering RNA further demonstrated that inhibition of mGluR5 could reduce lipid accumulation. Furthermore, our results revealed that mGluR5 regulated lipid metabolism by increasing the gene expression of lipogenesis. Inflammatory factors and phosphorylation levels of NF-κB-p65 and JNK were also tested in treated hepatocytes. mGluR5 promoted the inflammatory reaction and JNK phosphorylation. Inhibition of JNK signaling by JNK-IN-8 rescued CHPG-induced lipogenesis and inflammation. This study showed mGluR5 regulated lipid accumulation and inflammation in palmitic acid-treated HepG2 cells via the JNK signaling pathway. mGluR5 might be a potential drug target for NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zeng
- Centre for Lipid Research & Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Center, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) of Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.
| | - Min Tao
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Lei Yuan
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Lili Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xie Luo
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Ferrigno A, Cagna M, Bosco O, Trucchi M, Berardo C, Nicoletti F, Vairetti M, Di Pasqua LG. MPEP Attenuates Intrahepatic Fat Accumulation in Obese Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076076. [PMID: 37047048 PMCID: PMC10094379 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The blockade of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) was previously found to reduce fat accumulation in HEPG2 cells. Here, we evaluated the effects of mGluR5 blockade in a mouse model of steatosis. Male ob/ob mice fed a high-fat diet were treated with MPEP or vehicle. After 7 weeks, liver biopsies were collected, and nuclei were isolated from fresh tissue. Lipid droplet area and collagen deposition were evaluated on tissue slices; total lipids, lipid peroxidation, and ROS were evaluated on tissue homogenates; PPARα, SREBP-1, mTOR, and NF-κB were assayed on isolated nuclei by Western Blot. Target genes of the above-mentioned factors were assayed by RT-PCR. Reduced steatosis and hepatocyte ballooning were observed in the MPEP group with respect to the vehicle group. Concomitantly, increased nuclear PPARα and reduced nuclear SREBP-1 levels were observed in the MPEP group. Similar trends were obtained in target genes of PPARα and SREBP-1, Acox1 and Acc1, respectively. MPEP administration also reduced oxidative stress and NF-κB activation, probably via NF-κB inhibition. Levels of common markers of inflammation (Il-6, Il1β and Tnf-α) and oxidative stress (Nrf2) were significantly reduced. mTOR, as well as collagen deposition, were unchanged. Concluding, MPEP, a selective mGluR5 negative allosteric modulator, reduces both fat accumulation and oxidative stress in a 7-week murine model of steatosis. Although underlying mechanisms need to be further investigated, this is the first in vivo study showing the beneficial effects of MPEP in a murine model of steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ferrigno
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Cagna
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Oriana Bosco
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Trucchi
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Clarissa Berardo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Mariapia Vairetti
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura G Di Pasqua
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Age-Related NAFLD: The Use of Probiotics as a Supportive Therapeutic Intervention. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182827. [PMID: 36139402 PMCID: PMC9497179 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human aging, a natural process characterized by structural and physiological changes, leads to alterations of homeostatic mechanisms, decline of biological functions, and subsequently, the organism becomes vulnerable to external stress or damage. In fact, the elderly population is prone to develop diseases due to deterioration of physiological and biological systems. With aging, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases, and this causes lipid, protein, and DNA damage, leading to cellular dysfunction and altered cellular processes. Indeed, oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of several chronic disorders, including hepatic diseases, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, the most common liver disorder in the Western world, is characterized by intrahepatic lipid accumulation; is highly prevalent in the aging population; and is closely associated with obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Among the risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, the dysbiotic gut microbiota plays an essential role, leading to low-grade chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and production of various toxic metabolites. The intestinal microbiota is a dynamic ecosystem of microbes involved in the maintenance of physiological homeostasis; the alteration of its composition and function, during aging, is implicated in different liver diseases. Therefore, gut microbiota restoration might be a complementary approach for treating NAFLD. The administration of probiotics, which can relieve oxidative stress and elicit several anti-aging properties, could be a strategy to modify the composition and restore a healthy gut microbiota. Indeed, probiotics could represent a valid supplement to prevent and/or help treating some diseases, such as NAFLD, thus improving the already available pharmacological intervention. Moreover, in aging, intervention of prebiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation, as well as probiotics, will provide novel therapeutic approaches. However, the relevant research is limited, and several scientific research works need to be done in the near future to confirm their efficacy.
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Santos RPM, Ribeiro R, Ferreira-Vieira TH, Aires RD, de Souza JM, Oliveira BS, Lima ALD, de Oliveira ACP, Reis HJ, de Miranda AS, Vieira EML, Ribeiro FM, Vieira LB. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 knockout rescues obesity phenotype in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5621. [PMID: 35379852 PMCID: PMC8980063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08924-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity represents a global health problem and is characterized by metabolic dysfunctions and a low-grade chronic inflammatory state, which can increase the risk of comorbidities, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and insulin resistance. Here we tested the hypothesis that the genetic deletion of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) may rescue metabolic and inflammatory features present in BACHD mice, a mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD) with an obese phenotype. For that, we crossed BACHD and mGluR5 knockout mice (mGluR5-/-) in order to obtain the following groups: Wild type (WT), mGluR5-/-, BACHD and BACHD/mGluR5-/- (double mutant mice). Our results showed that the double mutant mice present decreased body weight as compared to BACHD mice in all tested ages and reduced visceral adiposity as compared to BACHD at 6 months of age. Additionally, 12-month-old double mutant mice present increased adipose tissue levels of adiponectin, decreased leptin levels, and increased IL-10/TNF ratio as compared to BACHD mice. Taken together, our preliminary data propose that the absence of mGluR5 reduce weight gain and visceral adiposity in BACHD mice, along with a decrease in the inflammatory state in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which may indicate that mGluR5 may play a role in adiposity modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca P M Santos
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Roberta Ribeiro
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Talita H Ferreira-Vieira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
- Faculdade Sete Lagoas, Sete Lagoas, Brazil
| | - Rosaria D Aires
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
- Faculdade Sete Lagoas, Sete Lagoas, Brazil
| | - Jessica M de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Bruna S Oliveira
- Departamento de Morfologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Anna Luiza D Lima
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Antônio Carlos P de Oliveira
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Helton J Reis
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Aline S de Miranda
- Departamento de Morfologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Erica M L Vieira
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Fabiola M Ribeiro
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Luciene B Vieira
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ave. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil.
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Di Pasqua LG, Cagna M, Berardo C, Vairetti M, Ferrigno A. Detailed Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Drug-Induced Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis: An Update. Biomedicines 2022; 10:194. [PMID: 35052872 PMCID: PMC8774221 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are some of the biggest public health challenges due to their spread and increasing incidence around the world. NAFLD is characterized by intrahepatic lipid deposition, accompanied by dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance, leading to more serious complications. Among the various causes, drug administration for the treatment of numerous kinds of diseases, such as antiarrhythmic and antihypertensive drugs, promotes the onset and progression of steatosis, causing drug-induced hepatic steatosis (DIHS). Here, we reviewed in detail the major classes of drugs that cause DIHS and the specific molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. Eight classes of drugs, among the most used for the treatment of common pathologies, were considered. The most diffused mechanism whereby drugs can induce NAFLD/NASH is interfering with mitochondrial activity, inhibiting fatty acid oxidation, but other pathways involved in lipid homeostasis are also affected. PubMed research was performed to obtain significant papers published up to November 2021. The key words included the class of drugs, or the specific compound, combined with steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, fatty liver and hepatic lipid deposition. Additional information was found in the citations listed in other papers, when they were not displayed in the original search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Giuseppina Di Pasqua
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Cagna
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Clarissa Berardo
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Mariapia Vairetti
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Ferrigno
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Vairetti M, Di Pasqua LG, Cagna M, Richelmi P, Ferrigno A, Berardo C. Changes in Glutathione Content in Liver Diseases: An Update. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:364. [PMID: 33670839 PMCID: PMC7997318 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10030364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide particularly concentrated in the liver, is the most important thiol reducing agent involved in the modulation of redox processes. It has also been demonstrated that GSH cannot be considered only as a mere free radical scavenger but that it takes part in the network governing the choice between survival, necrosis and apoptosis as well as in altering the function of signal transduction and transcription factor molecules. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview on the molecular biology of the GSH system; therefore, GSH synthesis, metabolism and regulation will be reviewed. The multiple GSH functions will be described, as well as the importance of GSH compartmentalization into distinct subcellular pools and inter-organ transfer. Furthermore, we will highlight the close relationship existing between GSH content and the pathogenesis of liver disease, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), chronic cholestatic injury, ischemia/reperfusion damage, hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, the potential therapeutic benefits of GSH and GSH-related medications, will be described for each liver disorder taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Giuseppina Di Pasqua
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.V.); (M.C.); (P.R.); (C.B.)
| | | | | | - Andrea Ferrigno
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.V.); (M.C.); (P.R.); (C.B.)
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Pellicciari C. Twenty years of histochemistry in the third millennium, browsing the scientific literature. Eur J Histochem 2020; 64. [PMID: 33478199 PMCID: PMC7789425 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2020.3213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last twenty years, about 240,000 articles where histochemical techniques were used have been published in indexed journals, and their yearly number has progressively increased. The histochemical approach was selected by researchers with very different scientific interests, as the journals in which these articles were published fall within 140 subject categories. The relative proportion of articles in some of these journal categories did change over the years, and browsing the table of contents of the European Journal of Histochemistry, as an example of a strictly histochemical journal, it appeared that in recent years histochemical techniques were preferentially used to mechanistically investigate natural or experimentally induced dynamic processes, with reduced attention to purely descriptive works. It may be foreseen that, in the future, histochemistry will be increasingly focused on studying the molecular pathways responsible for cell differentiation, the maintenance or loss of the differentiated state, and tissue regeneration.
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Berardo C, Di Pasqua LG, Cagna M, Richelmi P, Vairetti M, Ferrigno A. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis: Current Issues and Future Perspectives in Preclinical and Clinical Research. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249646. [PMID: 33348908 PMCID: PMC7766139 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a continuum of liver abnormalities often starting as simple steatosis and to potentially progress into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of its increasing prevalence, NAFLD is becoming a major public health concern, in parallel with a worldwide increase in the recurrence rate of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It has been estimated that NASH cirrhosis may surpass viral hepatitis C and become the leading indication for liver transplantation in the next decades. The broadening of the knowledge about NASH pathogenesis and progression is of pivotal importance for the discovery of new targeted and more effective therapies; aim of this review is to offer a comprehensive and updated overview on NAFLD and NASH pathogenesis, the most recommended treatments, drugs under development and new drug targets. The most relevant in vitro and in vivo models of NAFLD and NASH will be also reviewed, as well as the main molecular pathways involved in NAFLD and NASH development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Andrea Ferrigno
- Correspondence: (L.G.D.P.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-0382-986-451 (L.G.D.P.)
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