title: β-carotene protects the gastric mucosa against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of β-carotene on gastric mucosal lesions caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat. Forty male rats were randomly divided into sham, control (I/R injury) and three β-carotene-pretreated groups. To induce the I/R lesions, the celiac artery was clamped for 30 min. The clamp was then removed to allow reperfusion for three hours. Pretreated-rats received β-carotene (15, 30 or 60 mg/kg daily, i.p.) or vehicle for five days before the induction of the I/R injury. Samples of gastric mucosa were collected to measure the mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and TGF-β by quantitative, real-time PCR. Pretreatment with β-carotene decreased the total area of gastric ulcer and mRNA expression, as well as plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and TNF-α, in a dose-dependent manner. The gene expression and plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, TGF-β, were significantly increased in β-carotene-pretreated groups compared with the control. Our findings showed that the protective effect of β-carotene may be mediated partly by reducing mRNA expression and plasma levels of IL-1β and TNF-α, and concurrently, by increasing gene expression and plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-β. These findings suggest that β-carotene has a protective role in gastric mucosa. Further clinical and in vivo studies need to be undertaken to support this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center PRC, Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of the Digestive System and Dept. of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. alimard77@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mard
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seyyed Ali
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neisi
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darbor
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassanpour
authors.forename: Manoochehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makvandi
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solgi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D020011:Protective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019207:beta Carotene
keywords: IL-1β; TGF-β; ischemia-reperfusion injury; quantitative real-time PCR; β-carotene