title: Protective effect of astaxanthin on liver fibrosis through modulation of TGF-β1 expression and autophagy.
abstract: Liver fibrosis is a common pathway leading to cirrhosis and a worldwide clinical issue. Astaxanthin is a red carotenoid pigment with antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of astaxanthin on liver fibrosis and its potential protective mechanisms. Liver fibrosis was induced in a mouse model using CCL4 (intraperitoneal injection, three times a week for 8 weeks), and astaxanthin was administered everyday at three doses (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg). Pathological results indicated that astaxanthin significantly improved the pathological lesions of liver fibrosis. The levels of alanine aminotransferase aspartate aminotransferase and hydroxyproline were also significantly decreased by astaxanthin. The same results were confirmed in bile duct liagtion, (BDL) model. In addition, astaxanthin inhibited hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation and formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by decreasing the expression of NF-κB and TGF-β1 and maintaining the balance between MMP2 and TIMP1. In addition, astaxanthin reduced energy production in HSCs by downregulating the level of autophagy. These results were simultaneously confirmed in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our study showed that 80 mg/kg astaxanthin had a significant protective effect on liver fibrosis by suppressing multiple profibrogenic factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Weiqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chengfen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Huawei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Yingqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Chuanyong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine