Oroxylin A accelerates liver regeneration in CCl₄-induced acute liver injury mice.
BACKGROUND
Based on the previous research that oroxylin A can suppress inflammation, we investigated the hepatoprotective role of oroxylin A against CCl₄-induced liver damage in mice and then studied the possible alteration of the activities of cytokine signaling participating in liver regeneration. Wild type (WT) mice were orally administrated with oroxylin A (60 mg/kg) for 4 days after CCl₄ injection, the anti-inflammatory effects of oroxylin A were assessed directly by hepatic histology and indirectly by measuring serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Albumin. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was performed to evaluate the role of oroxylin A in promoting hepatocyte proliferation. Serum IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1Ra levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liver HGF, EGF, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1Ra and IL-1β gene expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The data indicated that the IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA of oroxylin A administered group significantly increased higher than the control within 12 hours after CCl4 treatment. Meanwhile, oroxylin A significantly enhanced the expression of IL-1Ra at the early phase, which indicated that oroxylin A could facilitate the initiating events in liver regeneration by increasing IL-1Ra which acts as an Acute-Phase Protein (APP). In addition, a lethal CCl₄-induced acute liver failure model offers a survival benefit in oroxylin A treated WT mice. However, oroxylin A could not significantly improve the percent survival of IL-1RI⁻/⁻ mice with a lethal CCl₄-induced acute liver failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirmed that oroxylin A could strongly promote liver structural remodeling and functional recovery through IL-1Ra/IL-1RI signaling pathway. All these results support the possibility of oroxylin A being a therapeutic candidate for acute liver injury.
Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang, China.
Runzhi
R
Zhu
Guofang
G
Zeng
Yinqin
Y
Chen
Qingyu
Q
Zhang
Bin
B
Liu
Jie
J
Liu
Hege
H
Chen
Mingyi
M
Li
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D007378:Interleukins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C080669:5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-2-phenylchromen-4-one; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase