Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protect rat liver from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-induced injury.

BACKGROUND

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) are antioxidant and neuroprotective derivative from Wolfberry. However, whether LBP has a protective effect in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-induced hepatic injury is still unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to study the possible hepatoprotective effects and mechanisms of LBP on a diet-induced NASH rat model.

METHODS AND

DESIGN

In this study, female rats were fed a high-fat diet to induce NASH with or without an oral 1 mg kg(-1) LBP feeding daily for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, blood serum and liver samples from each rat were subjected to histological analysis, biochemical and molecular measurements.

RESULTS

Compared with control rats, NASH rats showed typical NASH features including an increase in liver injury, lipid content, fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. In contrast, NASH+LBP-co-treated rats showed (1) improved histology and free fatty acid levels; (2) re-balance of lipid metabolism; (3) reduction in profibrogenic factors through the TGF-β/SMAD pathway; (4) improved oxidative stress through cytochrome P450 2E1-dependent pathway; (5) reduction in hepatic pro-inflammatory mediators and chemokines production; and (6) amelioration of hepatic apoptosis through the p53-dependent intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. The preventive effects of LBP were partly modulated through the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1, LKB1/AMPK, JNK/c-Jun and MEK/ERK pathways and the downregulation of transcription factors in the liver, such as nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1.

CONCLUSION

LBP is a novel hepatoprotective agent against NASH caused by abnormal liver metabolic functions.