Hepatic Oxidative Markers Research Articles

Effects of carnosine supplementation on markers for the pathophysiological development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in a diet-induced model

Consumption of diets high in sugar and fat is related to the development of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Carnosine (CAR) is a dipeptide with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action and has been studied for treating diseases. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of CAR on diet-induced MASLD in rats. Male Wistar rats were distributed into 2 groups (17 weeks): normocaloric (Co, n = 12), and hypercaloric diet rich in lipids and simple carbohydrates (MASLD, n = 12). After, the animals were redistributed to begin the treatment with CAR (4 weeks): Co (n = 6), Co + CAR (n = 6), MASLD (n = 6), and MASLD + CAR (n = 6), administered intraperitoneally (250 mg/kg). Evaluations included nutritional, hormonal and metabolic parameters; hepatic steatosis, inflammatory and oxidative markers. MASLD group had a higher adiposity index, systolic blood pressure, glucose, plasma and liver triglycerides and cholesterol, insulin, hepatic steatosis, oxidative markers, and lower PPAR-α (Peroxisome Proliferator-activated receptor α), compared to the Co. CAR attenuated plasma and hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels, hepatic steatosis, CD68+ macrophages, and hepatic oxidative markers, in addition to increasing HDL cholesterol levels and PPAR-α, compared to the untreated MASLD group. CAR acts in importants pathophysiological processes of MASLD and may be a therapeutic compound to control the disease.

The effect of swimming training on oxidative stress, SIRT1 gene expression, and histopathology of hepatic tissue in type 2 diabetic rats.

Elevated oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been proposed as one of the major risk factors in pathophysiology of several organ damages including liver tissue. In this study, we evaluated the effect of swimming training on hepatic oxidative markers, SIRT1 gene expression, and histological alterations in T2DM. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups (N=7): control, exercise, diabetic, and diabetic + exercise. One week after the induction of T2DM, rats were subjected to swimming (60 min/5 days a week) for 12 weeks. At the end of the experiment, oxidative markers (SOD, GPx, CAT activities, and MDA level) and SIRT1 gene expression were measured in the liver by special kits and RT-PCR, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin statins were used for histological alterations. Swimming training attenuated MDA levels and enhanced SOD, GPx, and CAT activities in the liver of diabetic animals. Furthermore, swimming training restored the expression of SIRT1 in T2DM. Histopathological finding of the hepatic tissue confirmed a protective role for swimming training in diabetic rats. Our findings indicate that swimming training attenuates oxidative stress probably by upregulation of SIRT1 in the liver of type 2 diabetic rats.

Antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, and antidyslipidemic effects of Brazilian-native fruit extracts in an animal model of insulin resistance

ABSTRACTObjective: Insulin resistance (IR) plays an important role in the development of many diseases, such as diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the extracts from fruits native to Brazil on metabolic parameters and hepatic oxidative markers in an animal model of insulin resistance induced by dexamethasone (DEX).Methods: Wistar rats received water or extracts of Eugenia uniflora or Psidium cattleianum, once a day for 21 days. For the last 5 days, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of saline or DEX.Results: DEX caused a reduction in body weight gain and relative pancreatic weight, as well as glucose intolerance, and an increase in serum glucose and triacylglycerol levels. The extracts were found to prevent hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia. DEX caused an increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and reactive oxygen species production in the liver of rats, and both extracts prevented these changes. In addition, hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity was reduced by DEX. However, total thiol content and activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase were not altered in any of the tested groups.Conclusion: Fruit extracts of E. uniflora and P. cattleianum exhibited considerable antihyperglycemic, antidyslipidemic, and antioxidant effects, and may be useful in the therapeutic management of alterations due to IR.

The use of microencapsulated hepatocytes transplantation reduces mortality and liver alterations in Schistosoma mansoni infected hamsters.

Hepatocyte transplantation is an attractive therapeutic modality for liver disease as an alternative for orthotropic liver transplantation. The goal of this work was to study the adequacy of intrasplenic hepatocyte transplantation (HCTx) in fresh and microencapsulated forms, in a hamster model of liver fibrosis by Schistosoma mansoni infected hamsters were divided into 6 groups; untreated for 11 weeks (GI) and for 15 weeks (GII), treated with praziquantel (PZQ) 7 weeks PI, and killed 4 weeks (GIII) and 8 weeks (GIV) post-treatment. Treated with PZQ 7 weeks PI, and then treated orally with immunosuppressive drug "cyclosporine (4 weeks post PZQ treatment), 24 hr. before interasplenic injection with fresh hepatocytes (V). Treated with PZQ 7 weeks PI, and then injected interasplenically (4 weeks post-treatment) with microencapsulated hepatocytes (GVI). GI & GIII were killed 11 weeks PI for assessment the anti-schistosomal efficacy of PZQ. The other four groups were killed 15 weeks PI for investigation of liver and spleen histology, serum liver enzymes and hepatic oxidative markers before and after HCTx. Freshly isolated hepatocytes with a mean viability 92.97 +/- 1.2% were used for microencapsulation and transplantation. Histological study showed the presence of transplanted hepatocytes in spleen of recipient. PZQ accelerated healing of hepatic granulomatous lesions as evidenced parasitologically by the increase in the percentage of dead eggs and histologically showing more granuloma circumscription with more ova degeneration and less inflammatory cells. The 25-day survival rates in GII, GIV, GV& GVI were 5/15 (33.3%), 8/15 (53.3%), 10/15 (66.7%) and 9/15 (60%) respectively. In addition, there were significantly better outcomes in serum biochemical indexes such as ALT, AST, gamma-GT, ALP, and hepatic SOD and MDA in the fresh and microencapsulated groups than in PZQ-treated group, without great differences between the microencapsulated and the fresh transplanted groups. Liver pathological staining supported these findings.