Effects of resveratrol, exercises and their combination on Farnesoid X receptor, Liver X receptor and Sirtuin 1 gene expression and apoptosis in the liver of elderly rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver

Endoplasmic reticulum stress PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway is involved in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 1 diabetic rats: The rescue effect of treatment exercise and insulin-like growth factor I

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress (ERS) is a key factor in the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in diabetes. The current study aimed to examine the effects of exercise and IGF-I on ERS markers in liver tissue. Rats were divided into five groups (n = 8 per group), including control (CON), diabetes (DIA), diabetes + exercise (DIA + EX), diabetes + IGF-I (DIA + IGF-I), and diabetes + exercise + IGF-I (DIA + EX + IGF-I). Type 1 diabetes was induced by an I.P. injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). After 30 days of treatment with exercise or IGF-I alone or in combination, liver tissue was assessed for caspase 12, 8, and CHOP protein levels, and expression of ERS markers (ATF-6, PERK, IRE-1A) and lipid metabolism-involved genes (FAS, FXR, SREBP-1c) by western immunoblotting. In addition, for the evaluation of histopathological changes in the liver, Hematoxylin - Eosin and Masson's Trichrome staining were done. Compared to the control group, diabetes significantly caused liver fibrosis, induced ERS, increased caspase 12 and 8 levels in the liver, and changed expression levels of genes associated with lipid metabolism, including FAS, FXR, and SREBP-1c. Treatment with either exercise or IGF-I reduced fibrosis levels suppressed ER stress markers and apoptosis, and improved expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism. In addition, simultaneous treatment with exercise and IGF-I showed a synergistic effect compared to DIA + E and DIA + IGF-I. The results suggest that IGF-1 and exercise reduced liver fibrosis possibly by reducing ERS, creating adaptive ER stress status, and improving protein folding.

Natural Products in the Modulation of Farnesoid X Receptor Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health concern with a high prevalence and increasing economic burden, but official medicine remains unavailable. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a nuclear receptor member, is one of the most promising drug targets for NAFLD therapy that plays a crucial role in modulating bile acid, glucose, and lipid homeostasis, as well as inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the rejection of the FXR agonist, obecholic acid, by the Food and Drug Administration for treating hepatic fibrosis raises a question about the functions of FXR in NAFLD progression and the therapeutic strategy to be used. Natural products, such as FXR modulators, have become the focus of attention for NAFLD therapy with fewer adverse reactions. The anti-NAFLD mechanisms seem to act as FXR agonists and antagonists or are involved in the FXR signaling pathway activation, indicating a promising target of FXR therapeutic prospects using natural products. This review discusses the effective mechanisms of FXR in NAFLD alleviation, and summarizes currently available natural products such as silymarin, glycyrrhizin, cycloastragenol, berberine, and gypenosides, for targeting FXR, which can facilitate development of naturally targeted drug by medicinal specialists for effective treatment of NAFLD.

Effects of Treadmill Exercise on Liver Apoptosis in Fluoride-Exposed Mice

Hepatotoxicity induced by excessive fluoride (F) exposure has been extensively studied in both humans and animals. Chronic fluorosis can result in liver apoptosis. Meanwhile, moderate exercise alleviates apoptosis caused by pathological factors. However, the effect of moderate exercise on F-induced liver apoptosis remains unclear. In this research, sixty-four three-week-old Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice, half male and half female, were randomly divided into four groups: control group (distilled water); exercise group (distilled water and treadmill exercise); F group [100 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF)]; and exercise plus F group (100 mg/L NaF and treadmill exercise). The liver tissues of mice were taken at 3 months and 6 months, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) results showed that nuclear condensation and apoptotic hepatocytes occurred in the F group. However, this phenomenon could be reversed with the intervention of treadmill exercise. The results of QRT-PCR and western blot displayed NaF- induced apoptosis via tumor necrosis factor recpter 1 (TNFR1) signaling pathway, while treadmill exercise could restore the molecular changes caused by excessive NaF exposure.

Integrative evidence construction for resveratrol treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: preclinical and clinical meta-analyses

Background: Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in various plants, is known for its diverse bioactivities and has been explored in relation to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no high-quality evidence exists regarding its efficacy. Objective: a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential efficacy of resveratrol in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by analyzing both preclinical studies and clinical trials. Method: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched for the included literature with the criteria for screening. Quantitative synthesis and meta-analyses were performed by STATA 16.0. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included, and the results indicated that resveratrol effectively improved liver function, reduced fatty liver indicators, and affected other indices in preclinical studies. The effective dosage ranged from 50 mg/kg-200 mg/kg, administered over a period of 4-8 weeks. While there were inconsistencies between clinical trials and preclinical research, both study types revealed that resveratrol significantly reduced tumor necrosis factor-α levels, further supporting its protective effect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Additionally, resveratrol alleviated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease primarily via AMPK/Sirt1 and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways. Conclusion: Current meta-analysis could not consistently verify the efficacy of resveratrol in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but demonstrated the liver-protective effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The large-sample scale and single region RCTs were further needed to investigate the efficacy.

The effects of subtoxic dose of acetaminophen combined with exercise on the liver of rats

Regular physical exercise is beneficial to the body. Acute exercise causes oxidant stress in many tissues including the liver by creating an unbalanced status between oxidant and antioxidant levels. Analgesic drugs are commonly consumed to reduce the pain after exercise. Acetaminophen (APAP), commonly used as an over-the-counter analgesic, can cause hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of APAP at subtoxic dose, which is given after the acute and exhaustive exercise on the rat livers. Male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into 6 groups each consisting of 7 rats/group; Control, APAP (250 mg/kg, ip), Acute Exercise (AEx), Acute Exhaustive Exercise (AEEx), Acute Exercise and APAP (AEx+APAP) and Acute Exhaustive Exercise and APAP (AEEx+APAP) groups. Rats were exercised at moderate intensity or exhaustive on the treadmill and then received APAP. Tissue MDA levels were significantly increased in AEEx, AEx+APAP and AEEx+APAP groups compared with the control. There was no significant difference in GSH levels between groups. Tissue Sirtuin1 (Sirt1) levels of APAP, AEx and AEEx groups were significantly less than control. There was no significant difference between groups in VEGF levels. Liver damage score was significantly higher in all groups compared with control group. As a result, this study shows that subtoxic dose of APAP treatment alone or in combination with acute or exhaustive treadmill exercise can cause oxidative liver damage by affecting Sirt1 levels and without affecting VEGF levels.

Farnesoid-X receptor as a therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer

Farnesoid-X receptor (FXR), as a nuclear receptor activated by bile acids, is a vital molecule involved in bile acid metabolism. Due to its expression in immune cells, FXR has a significant effect on the function of immune cells and the release of chemokines when immune cells sense changes in bile acids. In addition to its regulation by ligands, FXR is also controlled by post-translational modification (PTM) activities such as acetylation, SUMOylation, and methylation. Due to the high expression of FXR in the liver and intestine, it significantly influences intestinal homeostasis under the action of enterohepatic circulation. Thus, FXR protects the intestinal barrier, resists bacterial infection, reduces oxidative stress, inhibits inflammatory reactions, and also acts as a tumor suppressor to impair the multiplication and invasion of tumor cells. These potentials provide new perspectives on the treatment of intestinal conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its associated colorectal cancer (CRC). Moreover, FXR agonists on the market have certain organizational heterogeneity and may be used in combination with other drugs to achieve a greater therapeutic effect. This review summarizes current data on the role of FXR in bile acid metabolism, regulation of immune cells, and effects of the PTM of FXR. The functions of FXR in intestinal homeostasis and potential application in the treatment of IBD and CRC are discussed.

The preventive effect of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor for hepatic steatosis in a rat model of short bowel syndrome

PURPOSE

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) patients require total parenteral nutrition (TPN) following massive small bowel resection (SBR), which may cause intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), a life-threatening complication. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) acts as a potent hepatocyte mitogen with anti inflammatory and antioxidant actions. The present study evaluated the effect of recombinant human HGF (rh-HGF) on SBR and subsequent IFALD using a parentally fed rat model of SBS.

METHODS

Rats underwent jugular vein catheterization for continuous TPN and 90% SBR. They were divided into 2 groups: TPN alone (SBS/TPN group: n = 7) or TPN plus the intravenous administration of rh-HGF (0.3 mg/kg/day) (SBS/TPN+HGF group: n = 7). On day 7, their tissues and stool were harvested to evaluate the effects of HGF.

RESULTS

Regarding the histological findings, based on the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score, the SBS/TPN+HGF group showed significantly less hepatic steatosis and inflammatory cell infiltration than the SBS/TPN group (NAFLD activity score, 4.00 ± 1.83 vs. 1.00 ± 0.82; p < 0.01). The SBS/TPN+HGF group showed a higher expression of Farnesoid X receptor in the liver and lower expression of Toll-like receptor 4 in the ileum than the SBS/TPN group. Regarding the composition of the bacterial gut microbiota, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were decreased in the SBS/TPN+HGF group compared with the SBS/TPN group.

CONCLUSION

In our SBS with TPN rat model, rh-HGF administration had a preventive effect against hepatic steatosis and dysbiosis. rh-HGF may therefore be a potentially effective therapeutic agent for SBS and subsequent IFALD.

TYPE OF STUDY

Experimental research.

Effects of Functional Phenolics Dietary Supplementation on Athletes' Performance and Recovery: A Review

In recent years, many efforts have been made to identify micronutrients or nutritional strategies capable of preventing, or at least, attenuating, exercise-induced muscle damage and oxidative stress, and improving athlete performance. The reason is that most exercises induce various changes in mitochondria and cellular cytosol that lead to the generation of reactive species and free radicals whose accumulation can be harmful to human health. Among them, supplementation with phenolic compounds seems to be a promising approach since their chemical structure, composed of catechol, pyrogallol, and methoxy groups, gives them remarkable health-promoting properties, such as the ability to suppress inflammatory processes, counteract oxidative damage, boost the immune system, and thus, reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery. Phenolic compounds have also already been shown to be effective in improving temporal performance and reducing psychological stress and fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the current knowledge on the effects of dietary phenolics on physical performance and recovery in athletes and sports practitioners. Overall, the reports show that phenolics exert important benefits on exercise-induced muscle damage as well as play a biological/physiological role in improving physical performance.

Application of herbs and active ingredients ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem, and its prevalence has been on the rise in recent years. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) contains a wealth of therapeutic resources and has been in use for thousands of years regarding the prevention of liver disease and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of NAFLD in China. but the molecular mechanisms behind it have not been elucidated. In this article, we have updated and summarized the research and evidence concerning herbs and their active ingredients for the treatment in vivo and vitro models of NAFLD or NASH, by searching PubMed, Web of Science and SciFinder databases. In particular, we have found that most of the herbs and active ingredients reported so far have the effect of clearing heat and dispelling dampness, which is consistent with the concept of dampness-heat syndrome, in TCM theory. we have attempted to establish the TCM theory and modern pharmacological mechanisms links between herbs and monomers according to their TCM efficacy, experiment models, targets of modulation and amelioration of NAFLD pathology. Thus, we provide ideas and perspectives for further exploration of the pathogenesis of NAFLD and herbal therapy, helping to further the scientific connotation of TCM theories and promote the modernization of TCM.

The Potential Application of Chinese Medicine in Liver Diseases: A New Opportunity

Liver diseases have been a common challenge for people all over the world, which threatens the quality of life and safety of hundreds of millions of patients. China is a major country with liver diseases. Metabolic associated fatty liver disease, hepatitis B virus and alcoholic liver disease are the three most common liver diseases in our country, and the number of patients with liver cancer is increasing. Therefore, finding effective drugs to treat liver disease has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine (CM) has the advantages of low cost, high safety, and various biological activities, which is an important factor for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. This review systematically summarizes the potential of CM in the treatment of liver diseases, showing that CM can alleviate liver diseases by regulating lipid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, immune function, and gut microbiota, as well as exerting anti-liver injury, anti-oxidation, and anti-hepatitis virus effects. Among them, Keap1/Nrf2, TGF-β/SMADS, p38 MAPK, NF-κB/IκBα, NF-κB-NLRP3, PI3K/Akt, TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways are mainly involved. In conclusion, CM is very likely to be a potential candidate for liver disease treatment based on modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, and genomeproteomics, which needs more clinical trials to further clarify its importance in the treatment of liver diseases.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes on oxidative stress responses in skin cells

The mechanism by which reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by oxidative stress promote cellular senescence has been studied in detail. This study aimed to verify the preventive or therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Ex) on the production of ROS induced by oxidative stress in human skin fibroblasts and clarify the mechanisms that promote cellular senescence. In a system where H₂O₂ was applied to skin fibroblasts, we assessed the effects of the application of MSC-Ex before and after oxidative stress and measured the fluctuations in several signaling molecules involved in subsequent intracellular stress responses. Exosomes were isolated from MSCs (MSC-Ex) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs, NHDF-Ex) before and after exposure to H₂O₂. NHDFs were treated with exosomes before and after exposure to H₂O₂. mRNA expression (aquaporin-1 and aquaporin-3) and hyaluronan secretion associated with skin moisturization were reduced by H₂O₂ treatment, whereas MSC-Ex reversed these effects. The cellular senescence induced by H₂O₂ was also reproduced in fibroblasts. Specifically, the downregulation of SIRT1 led to increased acetylated p53 expression over time, which induced the expression of p21, a downstream molecule of p53, and arrested the cell cycle, leading to cell senescence. MSC-Ex enhanced these signal transduction systems. MSC-Ex was also effective at blocking the increase of β-galactosidase activity and accumulation of ROS in cells. This effect was stronger than that of NHDF-Ex. MSC-Ex were found to act defensively against epidermal and cellular senescence induced by oxidative stress.

Bioactive dipeptide from potato protein hydrolysate combined with swimming exercise prevents high fat diet induced hepatocyte apoptosis by activating PI3K/Akt in SAMP8 mouse

Obesity in aged population have surges the occurrence of various metabolic disorders including Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Apoptosis in the liver is one of the causative factors for NAFLD-induced liver damage. Plants derived bioactive peptides have been shown as an alternative treatment approach for the treating NAFLD due to its less toxicity. Moderate exercise has been reported to improve cellular physiological function prevent age associated metabolic disorders. In the present study, we evaluate the effects of bioactive dipeptide (IF) derived from alcalase potato-protein hydrolysates and swimming exercise in preventing High Fat Diet (HFD)-induced liver damage in senescence accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mice model. Mouse were fed with HFD for 6 weeks followed by oral IF administration or swimming exercise and both for 8 weeks. HFD induces significant structural changes in liver of HFD fed SAMP8 mouse. Both IF administration and exercise prevent the structural abnormalities induced by HFD, however, combined IF treatment and exercise offer better protection. Combined IF treatment and exercise activate PI3K/Akt cell survival protein and effectively inhibit Fas-FADD-induced apoptosis in HFD fed aged mouse. Oral supplementation of bioactive peptide IF combined with moderate swimming exercise effectively alleviate HFD-induced hepatic injury in aged mice.

The effect of N-Acetyl cysteine on the expression of Fxr (Nr1h4), LXRα (Nr1h3) and Sirt1 genes, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the liver of rats exposed to different doses of cadmium

The aim of this study was to consider the expression of farnesoid X receptor (Fxr), liver X receptor (LXRα) and sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and the protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the liver of rats treated with cadmium (Cd). 30 Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: G1 (control), G2 (single dose of Cd), G3 (continuous dose of Cd), G4 (single dose of Cd + continuous dose of NAC), and G5 (continuous dose of Cd + continuous dose of NAC). The apoptosis of hepatic cells was measured using the TUNEL assay. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-10, TNF-α, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured by specific kits. The expression of Fxr, LXRα, and Sirt1 genes and ratio of Bax/Bcl2 was considered using RT-PCR. While NAC treatment improved TAC and IL-10 values, it decreased MDA and TNF-α levels in the liver of rats exposed to Cd (P < 0.001). NAC decreased Bax/Bcl2 in the liver of G4 and G5 groups (P < 0.001). Exposure to a continuous dose of Cd decreased Fxr, LXRα, and Sirt1 expression by 36.65- (P < 0.001), 12.52- (P < 0.001) and 11.34-fold (P < 0.001) compared to control, respectively. NAC increased Fxr, LXRα, and Sirt1 expression (P < 0.01) and decreased Cd concentrations in both serum and tissue samples in G4 and G5 groups. Our results suggested that NAC protects liver tissue against Cd toxicity by elevating antioxidant capacity, mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and up-regulation of FXR, LXR, and SIRT1 genes.

Research progress in use of traditional Chinese medicine monomer for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

With the improvement of people's living standards and the change of eating habits, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has gradually become one of the most common chronic liver diseases in the world. However, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of NAFLD. Therefore, it is urgent to find safe, efficient, and economical anti-NAFLD drugs. Compared with western medicines that possess fast lipid-lowering effect, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have attracted increasing attention for the treatment of NAFLD due to their unique advantages such as multi-targets and multi-channel mechanisms of action. TCM monomers have been proved to treat NAFLD through regulating various pathways, including inflammation, lipid production, insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, and intestinal microbiota. In particular, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), nuclear transcription factor kappa (NF-κB), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), sirtuin1 (SIRT1), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), p53 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) are considered as important molecular targets for ameliorating NAFLD by TCM monomers. Therefore, by searching PubMed, Web of Science and SciFinder databases, this paper updates and summarizes the experimental and clinical evidence of TCM monomers for the treatment of NAFLD in the past six years (2015-2020), thus providing thoughts and prospects for further exploring the pathogenesis of NAFLD and TCM monomer therapies.

Understanding the Role of Exercise in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: ERS-Linked Molecular Pathways

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is globally prevalent and characterized by abnormal lipid accumulation in the liver, frequently accompanied by insulin resistance (IR), enhanced hepatic inflammation, and apoptosis. Recent studies showed that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) at the subcellular level underlies these featured pathologies in the development of NAFLD. As an effective treatment, exercise significantly reduces hepatic lipid accumulation and thus alleviates NAFLD. Confusingly, these benefits of exercise are associated with increased or decreased ERS in the liver. Further, the interaction between diet, medication, exercise types, and intensity in ERS regulation is more confusing, though most studies have confirmed the benefits of exercise. In this review, we focus on understanding the role of exercise-modulated ERS in NAFLD and ERS-linked molecular pathways. Moderate ERS is an essential signaling for hepatic lipid homeostasis. Higher ERS may lead to increased inflammation and apoptosis in the liver, while lower ERS may lead to the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Therefore, exercise acts like an igniter or extinguisher to keep ERS at an appropriate level by turning it up or down, which depends on diet, medications, exercise intensity, etc. Exercise not only enhances hepatic tolerance to ERS but also prevents the malignant development of steatosis due to excessive ERS.

The effect of swimming exercise and diet on the hypothalamic inflammation of ApoE-/- mice based on SIRT1-NF-κB-GnRH expression

A high-fat diet and sedentary lifestyle could accelerate aging and hypothalamic inflammation. In order to explore the regulatory mechanisms of lifestyle in the hypothalamus, swimming exercise and diet control were applied in the high-fat diet ApoE-/- mice in our study. 20-week-old ApoE-/- mice fed with 12-week high-fat diet were treated by high-fat diet, diet control and swimming exercise. The results showed that hypothalamic inflammation, glial cells activation and cognition decline were induced by high-fat diet. Compared with the diet control, hypothalamic inflammation, glial cells activation and learning and memory impairment were effectively alleviated by swimming exercise plus diet control, which was related to the increasing expression of SIRT1, inhibiting the expression of NF-κB and raising secretion of GnRH in the hypothalamus. These findings supported the hypothesis that hypothalamic inflammation was susceptible to exercise and diet, which was strongly associated with SIRT1-NF-κB-GnRH expression in the hypothalamus.

A Candidate Drug for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review of Pharmacological Activities of Polygoni Multiflori Radix

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a type of metabolic syndrome, continues to rise globally. Currently, there is no approved drug for its treatment. Improving lifestyle and exercise can alleviate symptoms, but patients' compliance is poor. More and more studies have shown the potential of Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) in the treatment of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, this paper reviews the pharmacological effects of PMR and its main chemical components (tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside, emodin, and resveratrol) on NAFLD. PMR can inhibit the production of fatty acids and promote the decomposition of triglycerides, reduce inflammation, and inhibit the occurrence of liver fibrosis. At the same time, it maintains an oxidation equilibrium status in the body, to achieve the therapeutic purpose of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. Although more standardized studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm its efficacy, PMR may be a potential drug for the treatment of NAFLD and its complications. However, the occurrence of adverse reactions of PMR has affected its extensive clinical application. Therefore, it is necessary to further study its toxicity mechanism, enhance efficacy and control toxicity, and even reduce toxicity, which will contribute to the safe clinical use of PMR.

High-intensity interval training has a greater effect on reverse cholesterol transport elements compared with moderate-intensity continuous training in obese male rats

OBJECTIVES

The present study compares the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT; 18 min) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MIT; 1 h) on reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) elements in obese subjects.

METHODS

Thirty adult male rats were induced high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. After four weeks, the rats were randomly divided into three groups while simultaneously continuing the HFD for the remaining eight weeks. Group specificities were HFD-control, HFD-MIT and HFD-HIIT. The rats were sacrificed 48 h after the last training session and the samples were collected. Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation test were used for the statistical analyses (significance level: p ≤ 0.05).

RESULTS

The results showed that both HIIT and MIT improved heart ABCA1, ABCG1, ABCG4, ABCG5, ABCG8, LXR-α and PPARγ gene expression as well as plasma Apo A1, LCAT, lipids and lipoproteins (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, higher cardiac ABCA1, ABCG1, ABCG4, ABCG5, ABCG8 and PPARγ expression and plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p ≤ 0.05) concentrations were found in the HFD-HIIT group compared with the HFD-MIT group.

CONCLUSION

HIIT may have more cardioprotective effects than MIT against atherosclerosis, along with saving time, as supported by the changes observed in the main factors involved in the RCT process.

SIRT1 Modulators in Experimentally Induced Liver Injury

This article is directed at highlighting the involvement of the endogenous stress sensor SIRT1 (silent information regulator T1) as a possible factor involved in hepatoprotection. The selective SIRT1 modulators whether activators (STACs) or inhibitors are being tried experimentally and clinically. We discuss the modulation of SIRT1 on cytoprotection or even cytotoxicity in the liver chemically injured by hepatotoxic agents in rats, to shed light on the crosstalk between SIRT1 and its modulators. A combination of D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (D-GalN/LPS) downregulated SIRT1 expression, while SIRT1 activators, SRT1720, resveratrol, and quercetin, upregulated SIRT1 and alleviated D-GalN/LPS-induced acute hepatotoxicity. Liver injury markers exhibited an inverse relationship with SIRT1 expression. However, under subchronic hepatotoxicity, quercetin decreased the significant increase in SIRT1 expression to lower levels which are still higher than normal ones and mitigated the liver-damaging effects of carbon tetrachloride. Each of these STACs was hepatoprotective and returned the conventional antioxidant enzymes to the baseline. Polyphenols tend to fine-tune SIRT1 expression towards normal in the liver of intoxicated rats in both acute and subchronic studies. Together, all these events give an impression that the cytoprotective effects of SIRT1 are exhibited within a definite range of expression. The catalytic activity of SIRT1 is important in the hepatoprotective effects of polyphenols where SIRT1 inhibitors block and the allosteric SIRT1 activators mimic the hepatoprotective effects of polyphenols. Our findings indicate that the pharmacologic modulation of SIRT1 could represent both an important move in alleviating hepatic insults and a future major step in the treatment of xenobiotic-induced hepatotoxicity.

Resveratrol Enhances Apoptotic and Oxidant Effects of Paclitaxel through TRPM2 Channel Activation in DBTRG Glioblastoma Cells

Numerous studies have reported a strong association between increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the pathobiology of several diseases, and cancer in particular. Therefore, manipulation of cellular oxidative stress levels represents an important therapeutic target. Recently, resveratrol (RESV), a naturally occurring phytochemical, has been shown to sensitize several cell lines to the anticancer effects of other chemotherapeutic agents, including paclitaxel (PAX). However, the molecular mechanisms of action of RESV through oxidative sensitive TRPM2 channel activation remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combination therapy of RESV and PAX on activation of TRPM2 in DBTRG glioblastoma cells. DBTRG cells were divided into four treatment groups: control, RESV (50 μM), PAX (50 μM), and PAX + RESV for 24 hours. Our data shows that markers for apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and mitochondrial function, intracellular steady-state ROS levels, caspase 3 activity, TRPM2 current density, and Ca²⁺ florescence intensity were significantly increased in DBTRG cells following treatment with PAX and RESV, respectively, although cell viability was also decreased by these treatments. These biochemical markers were further increased to favor the anticancer effects of PAX in DBTRG cells in combination with RESV. The PAX and RESV-mediated increase in current density and Ca²⁺ florescence intensity was decreased with a TRPM2 blocker. This suggests that for this combination therapy to have a substantial effect on apoptosis and cell viability, the TRPM2 channel must be stimulated.

Short- and long-term effects of high-fat diet feeding and voluntary exercise on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice

Exercise is an effective tool for improving high-fat diet induced fat accumulation in the liver. However, the process of fat accumulation in the liver and the efficacy of early intervention with exercise remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term effects of high-fat diet feeding and voluntary exercise on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were randomly divided into two groups, the control group and high-fat diet feeding group, and fed a normal or high-fat diet for 12 weeks. After 6 weeks, mice in the high-fat diet feeding group were further divided into no exercise group and voluntary exercise training group, with mice in the exercise group provided a running wheel for 6 weeks. Body weight, food intake, and wheel rotation counts were measured every second day for 12 weeks. We found that voluntary exercise for 1 week (short-term exercise) significantly reduced fat accumulation in the liver by downregulating the expression of hepatic lipogenesis-associated proteins and upregulating the expression of hepatic lipolysis-associated proteins, as determined through western blotting and histology. Further, voluntary exercise for 6 weeks (long-term exercise) downregulated the expression of hepatic lipogenesis-associated proteins. These results suggest that hepatic lipogenesis and/or hepatic lipolysis mediate the beneficial effects of voluntary exercise on hepatic fat accumulation.