title: Vitamin A supplementation alleviates extrahepatic cholestasis liver injury through Nrf2 activation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of vitamin A in liver damage induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: SHAM group, BDL group, and BDL + VitA group . The concentrations of retinol and retinyl palmitate in the liver were analyzed using HPLC, and liver function was evaluated by the level of TBIL, ALT, AST, and ALP in serum. Hepatic oxidative status was estimated by measuring T-SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA, and AOPP. Nrf2 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry and western blotting, and EMSA was performed to determine Nrf2 DNA-binding activity. The expression of the downstream factors such as Ho1 and Nqo1 was also examined using immunohistochemistry and western blotting assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin A treatment restored levels of retinoids in liver, improved liver function, alleviated oxidative stress, and facilitated the translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus in the experimental obstructive jaundice. Vitamin A was also found to increase the expression of Nrf2 downstream proteins such as Ho1 and Nqo1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin A was here found to ameliorate cholestatic liver injury. This effect may be related to the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway in bile duct ligation rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Guiyang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Kewei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000293:injuries; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000150:complications; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004224:Diterpenes; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D005978:Glutathione; D001663:Bilirubin