L-ergothioneine modulates oxidative damage in the kidney and liver of rats in vivo: studies upon the profile of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
OBJECTIVE
L-ergothioneine is a fungal metabolite exhibiting antioxidant functions in cells. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of oral administration of L-ergothioneine on the oxidative damage in vivo caused by the Fenton reagent ferric-nitrilotriacetate.


METHODS
Rats were supplemented with L-ergo prior to the administration of acute dose of ferric-nitrilotriacetate. Kidney and liver levels of L-ergothioneine, glutathione, alpha-tocopherol, polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated dienes were assessed.


RESULTS
Oral administration of 70 mg L-ergo/kg body weight of rats for 7 days prior to the injection of ferric-nitrilotriacetate protected the fatty acids against oxidation, with notable protections directed to: 20:5 (eicosapentaenoic acid) (23%), 22:6 (docosahexaenoinic acid) (30%), 20:3 n6 (eicosatrienoic acid) (22%), 20:4 (arachidonic acid) (25%), 18:2 linoleic acid (25%) and 18:1 oleic acid (14%) in the kidney. The protection of 20:5, 20:3 n6 and 18:1 in the liver by 32%, 20% and 11%, respectively, were statistically significant. L-ergothioneine significantly reduced kidney and liver levels of conjugated dienes and conserved the concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and glutathione in the kidney and liver in the ferric-nitrilotriacetate/L-ergothioneine treated rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation with L-ergothioneine not only protects the organs against the lipid peroxidation but conserves the consumption of endogenous glutathione and alpha-tocopherol. However consumption of mushrooms may have better promise as dietary sources of L-ergothioneine to humans.
Deiana
Monica
M
Dipartimento di Biologia Sperimentale, Sezione Patologia Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria SS 554, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. mdeiana@unica.it
Rosa
Antonella
A
Casu
Viviana
V
Piga
Rosaria
R
Assunta Dessì
M
M
Aruoma
Okezie I
OI
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004880:Ergothioneine / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis
D000975:Antioxidants; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D008055:Lipids; D004880:Ergothioneine; D005978:Glutathione; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid; C020326:ferric nitrilotriacetate