β-carotene protects the gastric mucosa against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of β-carotene on gastric mucosal lesions caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat. Forty male rats were randomly divided into sham, control (I/R injury) and three β-carotene-pretreated groups. To induce the I/R lesions, the celiac artery was clamped for 30 min. The clamp was then removed to allow reperfusion for three hours. Pretreated-rats received β-carotene (15, 30 or 60 mg/kg daily, i.p.) or vehicle for five days before the induction of the I/R injury. Samples of gastric mucosa were collected to measure the mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and TGF-β by quantitative, real-time PCR. Pretreatment with β-carotene decreased the total area of gastric ulcer and mRNA expression, as well as plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and TNF-α, in a dose-dependent manner. The gene expression and plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, TGF-β, were significantly increased in β-carotene-pretreated groups compared with the control. Our findings showed that the protective effect of β-carotene may be mediated partly by reducing mRNA expression and plasma levels of IL-1β and TNF-α, and concurrently, by increasing gene expression and plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-β. These findings suggest that β-carotene has a protective role in gastric mucosa. Further clinical and in vivo studies need to be undertaken to support this hypothesis.