title: Baicalein protects against polymicrobial sepsis-induced liver injury via inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis in mice.
abstract: Liver dysfunction has been known to occur frequently in cases of sepsis. Baicalein, the main active ingredient of the Scutellaria root, exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties in endotoxic shock. However, the role of baicalein in polymicrobial sepsis-induced liver injury and its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of baicalein on polymicrobial sepsis-induced liver injury and to explore the possible mechanisms. Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were treated with baicalein (100mg/kg, i.p) at 1h, 6h and 12h following CLP. Baicalein significantly improved the survival of septic mice. Treatment with baicalein ameliorated the CLP-induced liver injury, as indicated by the lower serum aminotransferase levels and the fewer histopathologic abnormalities. Baicalein reduced the neutrophil infiltration and the hepatic inflammatory cytokine expression and release. It also decreased the hepatic and the serum high-mobility group box 1 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels in septic mice. Moreover, baicalein significantly inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation and suppressed the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In conclusion, these results suggest that baicalein treatment could protect against the sepsis-induced liver injury, and improve the survival of mice with polymicrobial sepsis. The mechanism of the protective action of baicalein seems to involve its ability to reduce inflammatory response, to inhibit hepatic apoptosis, and to suppress MAPKs and NF-κB activation.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; Experimental Transplantation Surgery, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 1 Drackendorfer straße, Jena 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Anding
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, 627 Wuluo Road, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, China.
authors.forename: Haoshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, 627 Wuluo Road, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Shenpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Jifa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China. Electronic address: huqi@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Experimental Transplantation Surgery, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 1 Drackendorfer straße, Jena 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dahmen
authors.affiliation: Experimental Transplantation Surgery, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 1 Drackendorfer straße, Jena 07747, Germany.
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dirsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002432:Cecum / Q000601:surgery; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011677:Punctures / Q000009:adverse effects; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D044950:Flavanones; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D020011:Protective Agents; C006680:baicalein; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C076231:Mif protein, mouse
keywords: Apoptosis; Baicalein; Baicalein (PubChem CID: 5281605); Inflammation; Liver injury; Sepsis