Protective Effect of Ganoderma Lucidum Extract on Liver Function of Cirrhotic Mice through Nrf2/ARE Pathway / 浙江中医药大学学报

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum extract(GLE)on liver cirrhosis in mice.[Methods]Ten male C57BL/6 mice were randomly selected as control group,the remaining forty mice were intraperitoneally injected with carbon tetrachloride olive oil suspension to induce liver cirrhosis model.They were randomly divided into model group and GLE low(50 mg/kg·d),medium(100 mg/kg·d)and high(200 mg/kg·d)dose groups,while the control group and model group received 0.9％sodium chloride solution gastric irrigation,and the control group mice were given the same volume of olive oil solution twice a week.Liver index was calculated.The activities of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST)and the levels of total cholesterol(TC),total bilirubin(TB)and creatinine(Cr)in serum of mice were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer.Hematoxylin eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of liver,and Masson staining was used to observe the degree of liver fibrosis.Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)staining was used to observe the apoptosis of hepatocytes.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-6,malondialdehyde(MDA)and activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The relative expression of nuclear factor E2 related factor 2(Nrf2)and nuclear Nrf2,heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1),α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),Collagen Ⅰ and E-cadherin protein in liver tissue were detected by Western blot.[Results]Compared with control group,the liver had significant damage,the liver index,serum ALT,AST activities,TC,TB and Cr levels,liver fibrosis degree,hepatocyte apoptosis index,the levels of serum TNF-α,IL-1 β,IL-6 and MDA,the relative expression of α-SMA and Collagen I protein increased(P＜0.05),while the activity levels of serum SOD and GSH-Px,and the relative expression of total Nrf2 and nuclear Nrf2,HO-1,NQO1 and E-cadherin protein in liver tissue decreased in model group(P＜0.05).Compared with model group,liver injury gradually reduced,the liver index,serum ALT,AST activities,TC,TB and Cr levels,liver fibrosis degree,hepatocyte apoptosis index,the levels of serum TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,MDA and the relative expression of α-SMA,Collagen I protein decreased(P＜0.05),while the activity levels of serum SOD and GSH-Px,and the relative expression of Nrf2 and nuclear Nrf2,HO-1,NQO1 and E-cadherin protein in liver tissue increased in GLE low,medium and high dose groups(P＜0.05).[Conclusion]GLE can alleviate the histopathological damage and improve liver function in cirrhotic mice.This may be related to the decreased level of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction after activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway,which may interfere with liver fibrosis.