Thymosin β4 Prevents Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in Ethanol- and LPS-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), an actin-sequestering protein, is involved in tissue development and regeneration. It prevents inflammation and fibrosis in several tissues. We investigated the role of Tβ4 in chronic ethanol- and acute lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced mouse liver injury. C57BL/6 mice were fed 5% ethanol in liquid diet for 4 weeks plus binge ethanol (5 g/kg, gavage) with or without LPS (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) for 6 hours. Tβ4 (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was administered for 1 week. We demonstrated that Tβ4 prevented ethanol- and LPS-mediated increase in liver injury markers as well as changes in liver pathology. It also prevented ethanol- and LPS-mediated increase in oxidative stress by decreasing ROS and lipid peroxidation and increasing the antioxidants, reduced glutathione and manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase. It also prevented the activation of nuclear factor kappa B by blocking the phosphorylation of the inhibitory protein, IκB, thereby prevented proinflammatory cytokine production. Moreover, Tβ4 prevented fibrogenesis by suppressing the epigenetic repressor, methyl-CpG-binding protein 2, that coordinately reversed the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and downregulated fibrogenic genes, platelet-derived growth factor-β receptor, α-smooth muscle actin, collagen 1, and fibronectin, resulting in reduced fibrosis. Our data suggest that Tβ4 has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic potential during alcoholic liver injury.

Protective Role of Dietary Curcumin in the Prevention of the Oxidative Stress Induced by Chronic Alcohol with respect to Hepatic Injury and Antiatherogenic Markers

Curcumin, an antioxidant compound found in Asian spices, was evaluated for its protective effects against ethanol-induced hepatosteatosis, liver injury, antiatherogenic markers, and antioxidant status in rats fed with Lieber-deCarli low menhaden (2.7% of total calories from ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)) and Lieber-deCarli high menhaden (13.8% of total calories from ω-3 PUFA) alcohol-liquid (5%) diets supplemented with or without curcumin (150 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Treatment with curcumin protected against high ω-3 PUFA and ethanol-induced hepatosteatosis and increase in liver injury markers, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Curcumin upregulated paraoxonase 1 (PON1) mRNA and caused significant increase in serum PON1 and homocysteine thiolactonase activities as compared to high ω-3 PUFA and ethanol group. Moreover, treatment with curcumin protected against ethanol-induced oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant glutathione and decreasing the lipid peroxidation adduct 4-hydroxynonenal. These results strongly suggest that chronic ethanol in combination with high ω-3 PUFA exacerbated hepatosteatosis and liver injury and adversely decreases antiatherogenic markers due to increased oxidative stress and depletion of glutathione. Curcumin supplementation significantly prevented these deleterious actions of chronic ethanol and high ω-3 PUFA. Therefore, we conclude that curcumin may have therapeutic potential to protect against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury and atherosclerosis.

Identification of an astacin-like metallo-proteinase transcript from the infective larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis

Strongyloides stercoralis, an important nematode pathogen of humans, is transmitted by contact with soil contaminated with the microscopic larvae of the parasite. We determined the cDNA sequence and deduced amino acid structure of a metallo-proteinase that is abundantly transcribed expressed by infective stage larvae of S. stercoralis. This deduced structure of the enzyme revealed a multi-domain protein that included an NH2-terminal peptidase. This peptidase consisted of a signal peptide, a pro-enzyme region, and a mature peptidase domain that included the metal ion co-ordinating motifs, HETSHALGVIH and SIMHY ("Met-turn"), characteristic of the catalytic active site of members of the metzincin superfamily of zinc metallo-endopeptidases. It was phylogenetically and structurally similar to astacin from the digestive gland of the crayfish Astacus astacus, to the HCH-1 peptidase of Caenorhabditis elegans required for hatching and migration of a post-embryonic neuroblast, and to the morphogenetically important peptidases, bone morphogenetic protein-1 (BMP-1) and Drosophila tolloid. In addition, the Strongyloides enzyme, designated strongylastacin, includes a central epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain followed by a carboxyl CUB (complement sub component C1r/C1s/embryonic sea urchin protein Uegf/bone morphogenetic protein) domain. Inspection of the dbEST database revealed the presence of at least 9 transcript clusters that are related to greater or lesser extent to strongylastacin; based on these expressed sequence tags, strongylastacin was expressed only in the infective third stage larvae, whereas other transcript clusters were expressed both in filariform and rhabditiform stages or only in the rhabditiform stage. Based on the deduced sequence, structure, and expression profile, strongylastacin is the probable candidate for the zinc-dependent metalloprotease, Ss40, known to be deployed by larvae of S. stercoralis to penetrate human skin to initiate infection.

Quercetin up-regulates paraoxonase 1 gene expression via sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 that translocates from the endoplasmic reticulum to the nucleus where it specifically interacts with sterol responsive element-like sequence in paraoxonase 1 promoter in HuH7 liver cells

We previously showed that quercetin expresses its antiatherogenic effects by up-regulating paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene and high-density lipoprotein's protective capacity against low-density lipoprotein oxidation. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of action of quercetin, we have now determined the effects of quercetin on PON1 gene expression, activity, protein level, nuclear mature sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) level, and its translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus and its interaction with PON1 promoter in human HuH7 liver cells using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, spectrophotometry, immunoblot, confocal microscopy, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay techniques, respectively. Quercetin (20 micromol/L) treatment increased PON1 messenger RNA by 75% (P < .02), with a concomitant 2-fold (P < .05) increase in PON1 activity accompanied by 60% (P < .01) increase in PON1 protein level. There was parallel to the 1.5- to 2.0-fold increase (P < .05) in mature SREBP2 in the cell nuclei that was verified by increased immunolocalization of the mature SREBP2 (65-kd species) in the nuclei of quercetin-treated cells by confocal microscopy. Evaluation of the binding of biotin-labeled sterol responsive element (SRE)-like element of the PON1 promoter to the nuclear extract from the 24-hour quercetin (20 micromol/L)-treated HuH7 cells by electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that the SREBP2 specifically binds to the SRE-like element that was abolished by prior incubation with anti-SREBP2 or significantly decreased by 200-fold molar excess of unlabeled SRE-like sequence. Based on these results, we conclude that quercetin exhibits its antiatherogenic property by eliciting the translocation of the mature SREBP2 from endoplasmic reticulum to the nucleus, where it binds to SRE-like sequence in the PON1 promoter and up-regulates PON1 gene transcription and PON1 activity.

Is alcohol beneficial or harmful for cardioprotection?

While the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on liver have been well studied and documented, its effect on the cardiovascular system is bimodal. Thus, moderate drinking in many population studies is related to lower prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). In contrast, heavy drinking correlates with higher prevalence of CAD. In several other studies of cardiovascular mortalities, abstainers and heavy drinkers are at higher risk than light or moderate drinkers. The composite of this disparate relation in several population studies of cardiovascular mortality has been a "U-" or "J-"shaped curve. Apart from its ability to eliminate cholesterol from the intima of the arteries by reverse cholesterol transport, another major mechanism by which HDL may have this cardioprotective property is by virtue of the ability of its component enzyme paraoxonase1 (PON1) to inhibit LDL oxidation and/or inactivate OxLDL. Therefore, PON1 plays a central role in the disposal of OxLDL and thus is antiatherogenic. Furthermore, PON1 is a multifunctional antioxidant enzyme that can also detoxify the homocysteine metabolite, homocysteine thiolactone (HTL), which can pathologically cause protein damage by homocysteinylation of the lysine residues, thereby leading to atherosclerosis. We demonstrated that moderate alcohol up regulates liver PON1 gene expression and serum activity, whereas heavy alcohol consumption had the opposite effects in both animal models and in humans. The increase in PON1 activity in light drinkers was not due to preferential distribution of high PON1 genotype in this group. It is well known that wine consumption in several countries shows a remarkable inverse correlation to local rates of CAD mortality. Significantly, apart from its alcohol content, red wine also has polyphenols such as quercetin and resveratrol that are also known to have cardioprotective effects. We have shown that quercetin also up regulates PON1 gene in rats and in human liver cells. The action of quercetin seems to be mediated via the active form of the nuclear lipogenic transcription factor, sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) that is translocated from endoplasmic reticulum to the nucleus. However, the mechanism of action of ethanol-mediated up-regulation of PON1 gene remains to be elucidated. We conclude that both moderate ethanol and quercetin, the two major components of red wine, exhibit cardioprotective properties via the up-regulation of the antiatherogenic gene PON1.

Quercetin and ethanol attenuate the progression of atherosclerotic plaques with concomitant up regulation of paraoxonase1 (PON1) gene expression and PON1 activity in LDLR-/- mice

BACKGROUND

As moderate wine drinking is atheroprotective, it is clinically relevant to elucidate its possible mechanism/s of action/s. Our objective is to demonstrate the potential benefits of the wine components, quercetin and ethanol, on the development of aortic plaques with parallel changes in antiatherogenic factors.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The effects of quercetin and ethanol on the development of aortic atherosclerotic lesions, liver PON1 gene expression, and serum PON1 activity were measured in LDLR(-/-) mice on an atherogenic diet for 4 and 8 weeks. Depending on the duration and dosage of these modulators, 12.5 to 25 mg/dl quercetin (12.5Q to 25Q) and 18 to 25% ethanol, the magnitude of decreases in aortic lesions caused by moderate ethanol and quercetin ranged from 20 to 70% (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) based on ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) analyses, and from 18 to 61% (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) based on morphometric analyses. The composite plot of all the UBM and morphometric data showed significant correlation between these 2 methods (p = 0.0001, Pearson r = 0.79 for 4-week treatment; p = 0.000004, Pearson r = 0.84 for 8-week treatment). Concomitantly, 4-week treatments with 12.5Q and 18% ethanol up regulated liver PON1 mRNA by 41% (p < 0.05) and 37% (p < 0.05), respectively, accompanied by 92% (p < 0.001) and 61% (p < 0.001) increases in serum PON1 activity, respectively. The corresponding values after 8-week treatment with 12.5Q and 18% ethanol were 23% (p < 0.05) and 40% (p < 0.02) with respect to the up regulation of liver PON1 mRNA expression, while the stimulations of serum PON1 activity were 75% (p < 0.001) and 90% (p < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these findings, we conclude that quercetin and moderate ethanol significantly inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis by up regulating the hepatic expression of the antiatherogenic gene, PON1, with concomitant increased serum PON1 activity.

Betaine protects chronic alcohol and omega-3 PUFA-mediated down-regulations of PON1 gene, serum PON1 and homocysteine thiolactonase activities with restoration of liver GSH

BACKGROUND

Paraoxonase (PON1) is an antioxidant enzyme that prevents LDL oxidation as well as detoxifies homocysteine thiolactone (HCTL), both of which can cause atherosclerosis. Chronic alcohol (ETOH) and high omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) consumption may affect PON1 status presumably via reactive oxygen species by depleting liver glutathione (GSH), whereas betaine may counter their effects. Therefore, we investigated the influence of ETOH, omega-3 PUFA, and betaine on liver GSH, PON1 expression, lipid score, as well as serum PON1 and HCTLase activities.

METHODS

Experimental rats belonging to various dietary groups were pair-fed with Lieber-DeCarli low (2.8% the dietary calories as omega3-fatty acids) and high (13.8% the dietary calories as omega3-fatty acids) menhaden fish alcohol-liquid diets with and without betaine (10 g/l diet) for 8 weeks after which liver PON1 mRNA, GSH, lipid score, and serum PON1, HCTLase, and ALT activities were measured.

RESULTS

High omega-3 PUFA decreased liver PON1 mRNA expression, serum PON1, and HCTLase activity by 23% (p < 0.01), 20% (p < 0.05), and 28% (p < 0.05), respectively compared to the low omega-3 PUFA group. ETOH decreased PON1 mRNA expression by 25 and 30% (p < 0.01) with concomitant 27% (p < 0.05) and 38% (p < 0.01), decrease in liver GSH levels in low and high omega-3 PUFA groups, respectively. Correspondingly, serum PON1 activity decreased by 23% (p < 0.05) and 58% (p < 0.01) while serum HCTLase activity decreased by 25% (p < 0.05) and 59% (p < 0.01) in the low and high omega-3 PUFA ETOH groups, respectively. Betaine restored liver PON1 mRNA expressions in low and high omega-3 PUFA ETOH groups with parallel restorations of PON1 activity and liver GSH. Concomitantly, betaine reduced hepatosteatosis accompanied by alleviation of liver injury caused by chronic alcohol and high omega-3 PUFA.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, we conclude that dietary betaine not only atheroprotective by restoring liver GSH that quenches free radicals, but also may alleviate liver injury by reducing hepatosteatosis.

Adverse signaling of scavenger receptor class B1 and PGC1s in alcoholic hepatosteatosis and steatohepatitis and protection by betaine in rat

Because scavenger receptor class B type 1 is the cholesterol uptake liver receptor, whereas peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1β (PGC-1β) and PGC-1α are critical for lipid synthesis and degradation, we investigated the roles of these signaling molecules in the actions of ethanol-polyunsaturated fatty acids and betaine on hepatosteatosis and steatohepatitis. Ethanol-polyunsaturated fatty acid treatment caused the following: i) hepatosteatosis, as evidenced by increased liver cholesterol and triglycerides, lipid score, and decreased serum adiponectin; ii) marked inhibition of scavenger receptor class B type 1 glycosylation, its plasma membrane localization, and its hepatic cholesterol uptake function; and iii) moderate steatohepatitis, as evidenced by histopathological characteristics, increased liver tumor necrosis factor α and IL-6, decreased glutathione, and elevated serum alanine aminotransferase. These actions of ethanol involved up-regulated PGC-1β, sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 1c and 2, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and HMG-CoA reductase mRNAs/proteins and inactive non-phosphorylated AMP kinase; and down-regulated silence regulator gene 1 and PGC-1α mRNA/proteins and hepatic fatty acid oxidation. Betaine markedly blunted all these actions of ethanol on hepatosteatosis and steatohepatitis. Therefore, we conclude that ethanol-mediated impaired post-translational modification, trafficking, and function of scavenger receptor class B type 1 may account for alcoholic hyperlipidemia. Up-regulation of PGC-1β and lipid synthetic genes and down-regulation of silence regulator gene 1, PGC-1α, adiponectin, and lipid degradation genes account for alcoholic hepatosteatosis. Induction of proinflammatory cytokines and depletion of endogenous antioxidant, glutathione, account for alcoholic steatohepatitis. We suggest betaine as a potential therapeutic agent because it effectively protects against adverse actions of ethanol.

Synergy between NAFLD and AFLD and potential biomarkers

Fatty liver (hepatosteatosis) is the earliest abnormality in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) due either to metabolic risk factors associated with insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome in the absence of alcohol consumption or to chronic alcohol abuse. When unchecked, both NAFLD and AFLD lead to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and eventual death. A number of common mechanisms contribute to the above various stages of hepatocyte injury, including lipotoxicity, endotoxin release, oxidative and ER stress leading to increased pro-inflammatory cytokines that stimulate hepatic fibrogenesis and cirrhosis by activating the quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSC) into myofibroblasts. Significantly, patients with either NAFLD or AFLD respond favorably to early treatment modalities to reduce hepatic fat accumulation and consequent increased inflammatory signalling and activation of hepatic stellate cells. Although the pathogenic pathways associated with NAFLD and AFLD are seemingly similar, differentiation of the molecular mechanism/s of the pathogenesis of these liver diseases is critical in identifying the unique molecular signatures, especially in the early diagnosis of NAFLD and AFLD. Current clinical practice requires the invasive biopsy procedure for the conclusive diagnosis of NAFLD and AFLD. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are ∼22 nucleotide non-coding sequences that bind to the 3'-untranslated region of target transcripts and regulate gene expression by degradation of target mRNAs or inhibition of translation. Emerging studies may prove to establish miRNAs as excellent non-invasive tools for the early diagnosis of various stages of liver diseases.

Strongyloides stercoralis excretory/secretory protein strongylastacin specifically recognized by IgE antibodies in infected human sera

The infective, microscopic Strongyloides stercoralis larvae in contaminated soil can penetrate human skin with the help of excretory/secretory proteases. These proteases play a critical role in infection and transmigration of the parasite to the intestines. Strongylastacin is similar to astacin (from the digestive gland of the crayfish Astacus astacus), a multi-domain protein with a signal peptide, a pro-enzyme, a catalytic domain containing the zinc binding consensus astacin family signature sequence HEXXHXXGFXHEXXRXDR, and a second conserved zinc binding motif SIMHY at N- terminal region. An EGF-1 like domain and a CUB domain are located at the COOH- terminal. In this study, the excretory/secretory Strongylastacin gene from S. stercoralis infective larval stage was cloned and expressed as a 45 kDa in Escherichia coli. Immunoblot analysis showed the presence of natural IgG antibodies against strongylastacin in six infected and six non-endemic normal sera. These findings were confirmed in an ELISA of 32 S. stercoralis infected and 32 presumed normal human sera; all contained natural anti-strongylastacin IgG antibodies. By contrast, IgE antibodies specific to strongylastacin were present in sera from individuals infected with S. stercoralis but not in uninfected control sera. Moreover, recombinant strongylastacin did not cross-react with IgE antibodies either from patients infected with filaria or patients with tropical pulmonary eosinophilic (TPE) who had increased IgE antibodies. The present authors conclude that strongylastacin, an excretory/secretory antigen, elicits specific IgE antibodies in S. stercoralis infected humans. Non-specific IgG antibodies to strongylastacin are present in both infected and normal humans. Further investigation is needed to understand the role of the host protective response against strongylastacin.

CYP2E1, oxidative stress, post-translational modifications and lipid metabolism

Chronic alcohol-mediated down-regulation of hepatic ST6Gal1 gene leads to defective glycosylation of lipid-carrying apolipoproteins such as apo E and apo J, resulting in defective VLDL assembly and intracellular lipid and lipoprotein transport, which in turn is responsible for alcoholic hepatosteatosis and ALD. The mechanism of ethanol action involves thedepletion of a unique RNA binding protein that specifically interacts with its 3'-UTR region of ST6Gal1 mRNA resulting in its destabilization and consequent appearance of asialoconjugates as alcohol biomarkers. With respect to ETOH effects on Cardio-Vascular Diseases, we conclude that CYP2E1 and ETOH mediated oxidative stress significantly down regulates not only the hepatic PON1 gene expression, but also serum PON1 and HCTLase activities accompanied by depletion of hepatic GSH, the endogenous antioxidant. These results strongly implicate the susceptibility of PON1 to increased ROS production. In contrast, betaine seems to be both hepatoprotective and atheroprotective by reducing hepatosteatosis and restoring not only liver GSH that quenches free radicals, but also the antiatherogenic PON1 gene expression and activity.