Vitamin E dietary supplementation inhibits transforming growth factor beta 1 gene expression in the rat liver.
Overexpression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) and increased transcription of pro-collagen type I, are known to represent major events implicated in the development of liver fibrosis under either experimental or clinical conditions. Here we report that long-term dietary vitamin E supplementation in animals undergoing an experimental model of liver fibrosis (induced by chronic treatment of rats with carbon tetrachloride) results in a net inhibition of both hepatic TGF beta 1 and alpha 2 (I) procollagen mRNA levels. Moreover, of striking interest is the observation that vitamin E supplementation per so down-modulates basal levels of TGF beta 1 mRNA in the liver of untreated animals, suggesting that a dietary regimen rich in vitamin E may potentially interfere with both the initiation and progression of the fibrosclerotic processes.
Parola
M
M
Dipartimento di Medicina ed Oncologia Sperimentale, Centro di Immunogenetica ed Oncologia Sperimentale CNR, Torino, Italy.
Muraca
R
R
Dianzani
I
I
Barrera
G
G
Leonarduzzi
G
G
Bendinelli
P
P
Piccoletti
R
R
Poli
G
G
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D011347:Procollagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D011347:Procollagen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014810:Vitamin E