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Hepatoprotective effects of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) lyophilized powder on dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis in rats

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Abstract

This study investigates the hepatoprotective effects and the potential therapeutic mechanisms of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) lyophilized powder (MLP) on dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) induced liver fibrosis in rats. After treatment with MLP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (Alb), total protein (TP) and hydroxyproline (Hyp) levels were detected, to assess the destruction of hepatocytes and the extent of liver fibrosis. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), hyaluronic acid (HA), Laminin (LN), procollagen type-III (PC-III), collagen type-IV (C-IV), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contents in serum were all tested using ELISA kits. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) protein contents and distribution were evaluated using western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. MLP significantly decreased the serum concentrations of ALT, AST, Hyp, HA, LN, PC-III, C-IV, MMP-2, TIMP-1, α-SMA and TGF-β1, while increasing the contents of Alb and MMP-9. No significant changes on TP serum concentrations were observed. These results suggest that MLP has anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and its mechanism may be associated with the attenuation of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, the acceleration of ECM degradation, inhibition of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation and TGF-β1 expression.

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Abbreviations

MLP:

Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) lyophilized powder

DMN:

Dimethylnitrosamine

FZHY:

Fuzheng Huayu

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

Hyp:

Hydroxyproline

Alb:

Albumin

TP:

Total protein

ELISA:

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

HA:

Hyaluronic acid

LN:

Laminin

PC-III:

Procollagen type III

C-IV:

Collagen type IV

TGF-β1 :

Transforming growth factor-β1

MMP-2:

Metalloproteinase-2

MMP-9:

Matrix metalloproteinase-9

TIMP-1:

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1

α-SMA:

Alpha-smooth muscle actin

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

HSCs:

Hepatic stellate cells

HCV:

Hepatitis C virus

Cpd 861:

Compound 861

C-III:

Collagen types III

C-IV:

Collagen types IV

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the financial support from the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, 199 Ren’ai road, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China

    Qian Zhang, Meng-Meng Shang, Xiao-Ping Wu & Chun-Yu Liu

  2. School of Biology & Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Qu-Fei Ling

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  1. Qian Zhang
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  2. Meng-Meng Shang
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Correspondence to Chun-Yu Liu.

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Qian Zhang, Meng-Meng Shang were contributed equally to this work.

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Zhang, Q., Shang, MM., Ling, QF. et al. Hepatoprotective effects of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) lyophilized powder on dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Arch. Pharm. Res. 44, 1–12 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-014-0445-y

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