title: α-Linolenic acid attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats through suppression of oxidative stress and apoptosis.
abstract: Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used anti-tumor drug, can give rise to severe cardiotoxicity by oxidative stress and cell apoptosis, which restricts its clinical application. α-Linolenic acid (ALA) has been shown to serve as a potent cardioprotective agent. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of ALA on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms for this cardioprotection in rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups and administrated with normal saline, ALA (500 µg/kg), DOX (2.5 mg/kg), or ALA (500 µg/kg) plus DOX (2.5 mg/kg) for 17 days. The results showed that DOX treatment significantly increased the heart weight/body weight, liver wet weight (WW)/dry weight (DW), lung WW/DW, serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and cardiac troponin I, myocardial necrosis and myocardial malondialdehyde content, and induced the mRNA expression of Nrf2 in the nucleus, cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, DOX led to a significant decrease in left ventricular end-diastolic volume, stroke volume, ejection fraction, SOD, glutathione-peroxidase, catalase, as well as the expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) in the cytoplasm, phospho-AKT, phospho-ERK, and Bcl-2. Co-treatment with ALA significantly eliminated these changes induced by DOX except further reduction of Keap1 and elevation of Nrf2 and SOD mRNA. These results showed the cardioprotective effects of ALA on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system through activating Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and anti-apoptosis through activating protein kinase B/extracellular signal regulated kinase pathway. Our results suggested a promising future of ALA-based preventions and therapies for myocardial damage after administration of DOX.
authors.affiliation: Life Science Research Center, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Libao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Zizhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qihui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shuangjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000072019:Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C486610:KEAP1 protein, rat; D000072019:Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004317:Doxorubicin; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: apoptosis; doxorubicin; oxidative stress; α-linolenic acid