title: Date fruits inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis and modulate the expression of hepatocyte growth factor, cytochrome P450 2E1 and heme oxygenase-1 in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Date fruits have protective effects against liver fibrosis; however their anti-apoptotic effects have not been investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the modulating effects of date fruits on pro- and anti-apoptotic markers, cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in liver fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver fibrosis was induced by injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for eight weeks. Date flesh extract (DFE) and pits extract (DPE) were taken daily concomitant with CCl4. Hepatocyte apoptosis was determined by measuring the expression of Fas, caspase-3, Bax, Bcl2 and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1). Hepatic levels of HGF and CYP2E1 were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with DFE and DPE significantly attenuated the elevated levels of Fas, caspase 3, Bax and CYP2E1 induced by CCl4. In addition, they alleviated the reduction in Bcl2, HGF and HO-1, the cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic factors in liver. Conclusions DFE and DPE treatment can ameliorate liver fibrosis by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , College of Pharmacy, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nouf M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Rasheed
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , College of Pharmacy, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.|b Department of Biochemistry , College of Pharmacy, Mansoura University , Mansoura , Egypt , and.
authors.forename: Hala A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.affiliation: c Anatomy Department , Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Raeesa A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mohamad
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , College of Pharmacy, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nawal M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Rasheed
authors.affiliation: c Anatomy Department , Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Musaed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Fayez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , College of Pharmacy, King Saud University , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maha A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Amin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D065749:Phoeniceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1
keywords: Liver fibrosis; apoptosis; casapase-3; cytochrome P450 2E1; hepatocyte growth factor