title: Effect of berberine on expressions of uncoupling protein-2 mRNA and protein in hepatic tissue of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of berberine on uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) mRNA and protein expressions in the hepatic tissue of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats, and to explore the molecular mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  To establish the NAFLD rat model; the rats were fed by high fat forage and were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, model group, berberine high-dose group (324 mg/kg), and berberine low-dose group (162 mg/kg). After treatment for 12 weeks, the expression of UCP2 mRNA in the liver tissue was analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-RTPCR). The expression level of UCP2 protein in the liver tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry. Total PCR). cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) contents in blood serum, and TG and TC contents in the liver were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The other is to observe the axungia degree of the liver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of UCP2 mRNA and positive cell numbers in the liver tissue were dramatically increased in the model group (P<0.01). Lipid in the serum and hepatic tissues increased significantly, and the liver was fatty. But in the treatment groups, the expression levels of mRNA and UCP2 proteins were significantly down-regulated (P<0.01). Liver steatosis was improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Berberine can down-regulate the expression levels of UCP2 mRNA and UCP2 proteins of hepatic tissue in NAFLD rats. It can promote the recovery of hepatocyte steatosis and improve lipid metabolism disorder in NAFLD rats. Berberine shows a potential therapeutic effect on NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China. tyangqh@jnu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Qin-He
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Si-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yu-Pei
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-Ning
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gui-Yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Na-Li
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Xiu-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tong-Yan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D008055:Lipids; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides; C000604391:Ucp2 protein, rat; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D001599:Berberine; D002784:Cholesterol