title: N-acetylcysteine attenuates intrauterine growth retardation-induced hepatic damage in suckling piglets by improving glutathione synthesis and cellular homeostasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may play beneficial roles against intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)-induced hepatic damage in suckling piglets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen IUGR and seven normal birth weight (NBW) neonatal male piglets were selected. Piglets were weaned at 7 days of postnatal age and fed the control formula milk (NBW-CON and IUGR-CON groups) or the control formula milk supplemented with 1.2 g/kg NAC (IUGR-NAC group) for 14 days (n = 7). The plasma and liver samples were analyzed for the parameters related to hepatic damage, redox status, apoptosis, and autophagy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the NBW-CON group, IUGR-CON group exhibited increased activities of plasma aminotransferases, increased numbers of apoptotic hepatocytes, as well as higher concentrations of protein carbonyl, malondialdehyde (MDA), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta, and phospholipid-conjugated form (MAP1LC3B-II), along with a decrease in the content of reduced glutathione (GSH). NAC treatment increased GSH content and GSH-to-oxidized GSH ratio in the liver of IUGR-NAC group, most likely owing to the improved activities of γ-glutamine-cysteine ligase, γ-glutamine-cysteine synthetase, and glutathione reductase. The hepatic protein carbonyl and MDA contents were decreased in the IUGR-NAC group compared with the IUGR-CON group. In addition, NAC-treated piglets had an increased content of B cell lymphoma/leukemia 2 protein, whereas a decreased expression level of MAP1LC3B-II in the liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAC may have beneficial effects in improving GSH synthesis and cellular homeostasis in the liver of IUGR suckling piglets.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weipeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhixiong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yueping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingfei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. tianwangnjau@163.com.
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015870:Gene Expression; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006706:Homeostasis; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D009336:Necrosis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine
keywords: Cellular homeostasis; Glutathione synthesis; Intrauterine growth retardation; N-acetylcysteine; Oxidative stress; Piglet