Curcumin Protects against CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats by Inhibiting HIF-1α Through an ERK-Dependent Pathway

Molecules

Yanling Zhao³  Xiao Ma³  Jiabo Wang³  Xuan He¹  Yan Hu²  Ping Zhang⁴  Ruilin Wang⁴  Ruisheng Li²  Man Gong⁴  Shengqiang Luo⁴  Xiaohe Xiao³ 

[1] State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China;Research and Technology Service Center, 302 Military Hospital of China, Beijing 100039, China;China Military Institute of Chinese Medicine, 302 Military Hospital of China, Beijing 100039, China;Department of Integrative Medical Center, 302 Military Hospital of China, Beijing 100039, China

关键词: curcumin;    carbon tetrachloride;    liver fibrosis;    hypoxia inducible factor;   

DOI  :  10.3390/molecules191118767

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The ERK/HIF-1α signaling pathway is believed to play an important role in the genesis of progressive fibrosis. An increasing expression of HIF-1α and ERK accompanies CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Curcumin is verified to have antifibrotic effects in several kinds of liver fibrosis models. There is no specific evidence illustrating a connection between curcumin and the HIF-1α/ERK pathway in rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl₄. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by CCl₄ in treated rats. The data demonstrated that curcumin was able to attenuate liver fibrosis and inhibit the proliferation of HSC. Moreover, curcumin could remarkably elevate the hepatic function by decreasing serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP, and increasing levels of ALB, TP and α-SMA, Col III mRNA expression. Meanwhile, ECM status could also be reflected by curcumin treatment. The alleviation with curcumin treatment was associated with inhibition of HIF-1α and phosphor-ERK. This study indicates that curcumin alleviates fibrosis by reducing the expression of HIF-1α partly through the ERK pathway.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.