title: Lactoferrin Increases Antioxidant Activities and Ameliorates Hepatic Fibrosis in Lupus-Prone Mice Fed with a High-Cholesterol Diet.
abstract: Lactoferrin (LF) has beneficial effects against various diseases. However, the effects of LF on liver fibrosis in systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are unknown. In this study, NZB/W F1 mice were utilized to investigate the effects of LF on SLE. Experiments reveal that LF significantly increases glutathione and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl levels and significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels in both serum and liver in NZB/W F1 mice. LF also lowered matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and liver inflammatory indices, such as aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Notably, significantly decreased expression of fibrotic related molecules, including transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and TGF-β1 receptor, were observed in the livers of NZB/W F1 mice that had been treated with LF. Significantly, suppressed Smad2/3 signaling, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen deposition were also detected. These findings reveal that LF has beneficial effects on SLE by increasing antioxidant activities and ameliorating liver inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting the therapeutic effectiveness of LF against SLE.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center , Tainan, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Hung-An
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Neurology, Chunghua Christian Hospital , Chunghua, Taiwan .|3 Department of Medical Intensive Care Unit, Chunghua Christian Hospital , Chunghua, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Chun-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: 4 Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung, Taiwan .|5 Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung, Taiwan .|6 Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University , Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: 7 Institute of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Li-Jeng
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 7 Institute of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Chun-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: 7 Institute of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .|Immunology Research Center, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .|Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Tsai-Ching
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: 7 Institute of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .|Immunology Research Center, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .|9 Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan .|Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Bor-Show
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Tzang
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000032:analysis; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007781:Lactoferrin; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D016207:Cytokines; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497783:Smad2 protein, mouse; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497791:Smad3 protein, mouse; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D007781:Lactoferrin; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: cholesterol; fibrosis; lactoferrin; liver; systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE)