Abstract
In this study, the protective effects of probiotic Lactobacillus casei Zhang on chronic alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and the mechanism underlying these effects were examined in rats. After 1 week of adaptive feeding, Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, model group, and probiotic L. casei Zhang group, which was further divided into three groups according to dosage (1.0 × 1010, 1.0 × 109, and 1.0 × 108 CFU/day/rat). Rats in the control group were given distilled water, while the rats in other groups were administered 56% (v/v) alcohol by gavage at a dose of 0.8 mL/100 g for one week, and the dose was increased by 0.1 mL weekly (up to 1.5 mL/100 g) for 8 weeks to generate the chronic ALD model. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe the effects of probiotic L. casei Zhang on pathological changes in liver cells in rats with chronic ALD. Changes in the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in serum samples were examined. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450 3A1/2 (Cyp4503A1/2) and cytochrome c (Cytc) were analyzed by RT-PCR in liver cells. Hepatic steatosis was the major pathological change observed in the livers of the model group, and spotty necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed in some livers. The administration of probiotic L. casei Zhang at different doses improved the pathological changes in rat livers to varying degrees. It reduced the levels of ALT, AST, γ-GT, and ALP in serum (P < 0.05) and reduced the mRNA expression levels of Cyp3A1/GAPDH, CYP3A2/GAPDH, and Cytc/GAPDH in liver cells (P < 0.05). The probiotic L. casei Zhang exerts a protective effect on ALD and the mechanism underlying this effect might be related to the inhibition of Cyp3A1, Cyp3A2, and Cytc.
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