title: Xanthohumol, a main prenylated chalcone from hops, reduces liver damage and modulates oxidative reaction and apoptosis in hepatitis C virus infected Tupaia belangeri.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Tupaia belangeri (Tupaia) represents an important model of HCV infection. Xanthohumol (XN), a major prenylated chalcone from hops, has various biological activities including hepatopreventive and anti-viral activities. In this study, Tupaias infected with HCV RNA positive serum were used to evaluate the effects of XN on liver damage, oxidative reaction, apoptosis and viral protein expression in liver tissues. The Tupaias inoculated with HCV positive serum had elevated serum aminotransferase levels and inflammation, especially hepatic steatosis, and HCV core protein expression in liver tissue. In the animals inoculated with HCV positive serum, XN significantly decreased aminotransferase levels, histological activity index, hepatic steatosis score and transforming growth factor β1 expression in liver tissue compared with the animals without XN intervention. XN reduced HCV core protein expression in liver tissue compared with those without XN intervention but the difference was not significant. XN significantly decreased malondialdehyde, potentiated superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, reduced Bax expression, promoted Bcl-xL and inhibited caspase 3 activity in liver tissues compared with the animals without XN intervention. These results indicate that XN may effectively improve hepatic inflammation, steatosis and fibrosis induced by HCV in Tupaias primarily through inhibition of oxidative reaction and regulation of apoptosis and possible suppression of hepatic stellate cell activation. The anti-HCV potential of XN needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mingbo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qunying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cuiling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhengwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D047188:Chalcones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D027582:Humulus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D054876:Prenylation; D011427:Propiophenones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014417:Tupaia / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D047188:Chalcones; D005419:Flavonoids; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D011427:Propiophenones; C104536:xanthohumol