title: Emodin prevents intrahepatic fat accumulation, inflammation and redox status imbalance during diet-induced hepatosteatosis in rats.
abstract: High-fat and/or high-carbohydrate diets may predispose to several metabolic disturbances including liver fatty infiltration (hepatosteatosis) or be associated with necro-inflammation and fibrosis (steatohepatitis). Several studies have emphasized the hepatoprotective effect of some natural agents. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of the treatment with emodin, an anthraquinone derivative with anti-oxidant and anti-cancer abilities, in rats developing diet-induced hepatosteatosis and steatohepatitis. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a standard diet (SD) for 15 weeks, or a high-fat/high-fructose diet (HFD/HF). After 5 weeks, emodin was added to the drinking water of some of the SD and HFD/HF rats. The experiment ended after an additional 10 weeks. Emodin-treated HFD/HF rats were protected from hepatosteatosis and metabolic derangements usually observed in HFD/HF animals. Furthermore, emodin exerted anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the HFD/HF-induced increase of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Emodin also affected the hepatocytes glutathione homeostasis and levels of the HFD/HF-induced increase of glutathionylated/phosphorylated phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). In conclusion, we demonstrated that a natural agent such as emodin can prevent hepatosteatosis, preserving liver from pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant damage caused by HFD/HF diet. These findings are promising, proposing emodin as a possible hindrance to progression of hepatosteatosis into steatohepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7241-6329
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alisi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0990-9419
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Panera
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5857-3456
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", "La Sapienza" University, Rome 00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovannella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruscalupi
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67010, Italy.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimi
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1825-9347
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piemonte
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit of "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nobili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D004642:Emodin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D004642:Emodin