title: The antiapoptotic effects of different doses of β-carotene in chronic ethanol-fed rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethanol consumption might induce hepatic apoptosis and cause liver damage. The study was to investigate the effects of different doses of β-carotene supplementation on the antioxidant capacity and hepatic apoptosis in chronic ethanol-fed rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into 6 groups: C (control liquid diet), CLB [control liquid diet with β-carotene supplementation at 0.52 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day], CHB (control liquid diet with β-carotene supplementation at 2.6 mg/kg BW/day), E (ethanol liquid diet), ELB (ethanol liquid diet with β-carotene supplementation at 0.52 mg/kg BW/day), and EHB (ethanol liquid diet with β-carotene supplementation at 2.6 mg/kg BW/day). After 12 weeks, rats were sacrificed and blood and liver samples were collected for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lipid peroxidation and hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) expression had increased, and hepatic Fas ligand, caspase-8, cytochrome c, caspase-9, and -3 expressions had significantly increased in the E group. However, lipid peroxidation and CYP2E1, caspase-9, and -3 expressions were significantly lower and Bcl-xL expression was higher in the ELB group. The hepatic tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level, lipid peroxidation, and cytochrome c expression were significantly lower and Bcl-2 expression was significantly higher in the EHB group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that ethanol treatment causes oxidative stress and hepatic apoptosis leading to liver injury, and β-carotene supplementation (0.52 mg/kg BW/day) can prevent ethanol-induced liver damage by decreasing ethanol-induced oxidative stress and inhibiting apoptosis in the liver.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Hsiang-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Shin-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Oncology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Pei-Yin
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sien-Sing
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Ting
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Suh-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD); antioxidative stress; apoptosis; rat; β-carotene