Alkannin Inhibited Hepatic Inflammation in Diabetic Db/Db Mice

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry

Wenhua Xue¹ 

关键词: Alkannin;    Liver injury;    Inflammation;    Rho-kinase pathway;   

DOI  :  10.1159/000488264

学科分类：分子生物学，细胞生物学和基因

来源: S Karger AG

【 摘 要 】

Background/Aims The current study was designed to investigate the protective role of alkannin (ALK) on liver injury in diabetic C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice and explore its potential mechanisms. Methods An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. The levels of insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were determined by commercial kits. The pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were determined by ELISA. The levels of the ROCK/NF-κB pathway were determined by Western blotting. Results The contents of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were inhibited by ALK, metformin or fasudil in diabetic db/db mice. Further, Western blotting analysis showed that the expression of Rho, ROCK1, ROCK2, p-NF-κBp65, and p-IκBα was significantly reversed by ALK treatment. In human hepatic HepG2 cells, the hepatoprotective effects of ALK were further characterized. With response to palmitic acid-challenge, increased amounts of insulin, ALT, AST, TG, and TC were observed, whereas ALK pretreatment significantly inhibited their leakage in HepG2 cells without appreciable cytotoxic effects. The inflammation condition was recovered with ALK treatment as shown by changes of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Further, Western blotting analysis also suggested that ALK improves hepatic inflammation in a Rho-kinase pathway. Conclusion The present study successfully investigated the role of Rho-kinase signalling in diabetic liver injury. ALK exhibited hepatoprotective effects in diabetic db/db mice, and it might act through improving hepatic inflammation through the Rho-kinase pathway.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC-ND