title: Methylene blue attenuates acute liver injury induced by paraquat in rats.
abstract: Paraquat (PQ) poisoning often leads to severe oxidative liver injury. Recent studies have reported that methylene blue (MB) can prevent oxidative stress-induced diseases. This study tested the hypothesis that MB treatment reduced acute liver injury induced by PQ in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) normal group, (2) MB group (2mg/kg i.p.), (3) PQ group (35 mg/kg i.p.) and (4) PQ+MB group (MB 2mg/kg i.p. administrated 2h after PQ). We evaluated the changes of liver histopathology, serum liver enzymatic activities, oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1 expression, and mitochondrial permeability transition. The rats were injected with PQ produced liver injury, evidenced by histological changes and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine transaminase levels; PQ also led to oxidative stress, an increase of malondialdehyde content and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. Pathological damage and all of the above mentioned markers were reversed in the animals treated with MB than in those who received PQ alone. Meanwhile, MB significantly increased the contents of superoxide dismutase, adenosine triphosphate and the expression of heme oxygenase-1. In conclusion, MB had a protective effect against PQ-induced hepatic damage in rats. The mechanisms of the protection seem to be the inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition opening and the increase of heme oxygenase-1 expression.
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pathophysiology, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Emergency Department, The Third People's Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangsu 214000, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
authors.forename: Gao-Shan
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: The Pathology Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 200 Huihe Road, 214122 Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Zhu
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Medical School, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China. Electronic address: qfpang@jiangnan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore; D010269:Paraquat / Q000506:poisoning*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore; D009195:Peroxidase; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D010269:Paraquat; D008751:Methylene Blue
keywords: Liver; Methylene blue; Oxidative damage; Paraquat