Protective Effects and Mechanism of Meretrix meretrix Oligopeptides against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Abstract

Meretrix meretrix oligopeptides (MMO) derived from shellfish have important medicinal properties. We previously obtained MMO from alcalase by hydrolysis processes. Here we examine the protective effects of MMO against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and explored the underlying mechanism. Human Chang liver cells were used in our experiments after exposure to palmitic acid at a final concentration of 15 μg/mL for 48 h to induce an overload of fatty acid as NAFLD model cells. Treatment with MMO for 24 h increased the viability of the NAFLD model cells by inhibiting apoptosis. MMO alleviated oxidative stress in the NAFLD model cells by preserving reactive oxygen species activity and increasing malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity. MMO improved mitochondrial dysfunction by decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential and increasing the activities of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase. In addition, MMO inhibited the activation of cell death-related pathways, based on reduced p-JNK, Bax expression, tumor necrosis factor-α, caspase-9, and caspase-3 activity in the NAFLD model cells, and Bcl-2 expression was enhanced in the NAFLD model cells compared with the control group. These findings indicate that MMO have antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects on NAFLD model cells and may thus exert protective effects against NAFLD.

• Authors: Fangfang Huang, Shasha Zhao, Fangmiao Yu, Zuisu Yang, Guofang Ding
• Journal: Marine drugs (Mar Drugs) Vol. 15 Issue 2 (Feb 14 2017) ISSN: 1660-3397 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 28216552 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Oligopeptides
• Protective Agents
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Palmitic Acid
• Malondialdehyde
• Caspase 3
• Caspase 9

Topics

• Antioxidants (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Caspase 3 (metabolism)
• Caspase 9 (metabolism)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Humans
• Liver (drug effects, metabolism)
• Malondialdehyde (metabolism)
• Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial (drug effects)
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Oligopeptides (pharmacology)
• Oxidation-Reduction (drug effects)
• Oxidative Stress (drug effects)
• Palmitic Acid (pharmacology)
• Protective Agents (pharmacology)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (metabolism)