title: Stearic acid attenuates cholestasis-induced liver injury.
abstract: Inflammation is involved in cholestasis-induced hepatic damage. Stearic acid has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory potential. We assessed whether stearic acid has protective effects against cholestasis-related liver damage. Cholestasis was produced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in male Sprague-Dawley rats for 3weeks. Daily administration of stearic acid was started 2weeks before injury and lasted for 5weeks. In comparison with the control group, the BDL group showed hepatic damage as evidenced by elevation in serum biochemicals, ductular reaction, fibrosis, and inflammation. These pathophysiological changes were attenuated by chronic stearic acid supplementation. The anti-fibrotic effect of stearic acid was accompanied by reductions in alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive matrix-producing cells and critical fibrogenic cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 production. Stearic acid also attenuated BDL-induced leukocyte accumulation and NF-kappaB activation. The data indicate that stearic acid attenuates BDL-induced cholestatic liver injury. The hepatoprotective effect of stearic acid is associated with anti-inflammatory potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tung's Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pin-Ho
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Shih-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yen-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Wen-Ying
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Yu-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Su-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Shue-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Raung
authors.forename: Chun-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008026:Ligation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013229:Stearic Acids; C031183:stearic acid