[Effect of apigenin on protein expressions of PPARs in liver tissues of rats with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis].

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of apigenin on the protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in liver tissues of rats with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

METHODS:

The NASH rat model was established by feeding of a high-fat diet. Unmodeled rats served as the normal controls. The modeled rats were divided into a model control group, Essentiale treatment grouP(300 mg/kg/day),and three apigenin treatment groups for low-dose (15 mg/kg/day), moderate-dose (30 mg/kg/day) and high-dose (60 mg/kg/day). After 13 weeks of treatment,changes in insulin sensitivity from pre-treatment baseline were assessed by measuring the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG),low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C),fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting insulin (FINS).The liver index and HOMA-IR were also calculated.Protein and gene expression of PPARα and PPARgamma in liver tissue were assessed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Statistical analysis was performed by the LSD test and Games-Howell test.

RESULTS:

The apigenin-treated groups showed a significantly greater change in insulin sensitivity than the untreated model group,with the most significant change occurring in the high-dose grouP(P less than 0.05).Compared with the untreated model group,the apigenin-treated groups showed lower levels of ALT (95.4+/-7.3),AST (183.7+/-14.3),TC (1.61+/-0.25),TG (1.23+/-0.21),LDL-C (1.86+/-0.14),FBG (5.29+/-1.45) and FINS (0.76+/-0.86),but a higher level of HDL-C (1.04+/-0.17); again,the high-dose group showed the greatest change (all P less than 0.05).Compared to the untreated model group,the apigenin-treated groups showed significantly lower liver index (3.75+/-0.25 vs.2.90+/-0.17) and HOMA-IR (1.34+/-0.06 vs.0.18+/-0.04),with the high-dose group showing the greatest change (both P less than 0.05). Compared to the untreated model group,the apigenin-treated groups showed higher levels of protein and mRNA of PPARα (18.27+/-4.05 and 0.63+/-0.02,respectively) and PPARgamma(8.48+/-5.05 and 0.39+/-0.02),with the high-dose group showing the greatest change (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Apigenin can improve glucose tolerance,lipid metabolism and insulin resistance while decreasing blood levels of TC,TG,LDL-C,FBG,FINS and HOMA-IR,and increasing HDL-C in NASH,as shown in a high-fat diet induced rat model, and may have therapeutic potential.

• Authors: Tingting Shi, Rangxiao Zhuang, Hongping Zhou, Fugen Wang, Yidan Shao, Zhaobin Cai
• Journal: Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology (Zhonghua Gan Zang Bing Za Zhi) Vol. 23 Issue 2 Pg. 124-9 (Feb 2015) ISSN: 1007-3418 [Print] China
• PMID: 25880979 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Insulin
• PPAR alpha
• PPAR gamma
• Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
• Triglycerides
• Apigenin
• Cholesterol
• Aspartate Aminotransferases
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (metabolism)
• Animals
• Apigenin (pharmacology)
• Aspartate Aminotransferases (metabolism)
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Cholesterol (metabolism)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Insulin (metabolism)
• Insulin Resistance
• Lipid Metabolism
• Liver (enzymology)
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (metabolism)
• PPAR alpha (metabolism)
• PPAR gamma (metabolism)
• Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Triglycerides (metabolism)