Laboratório de Hepatologia e Gastroenterologia Experimental, Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-903, Brazil.
Published: March 2012
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most prevalent forms of chronic liver disease in the Western world. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid in humans that may be a promising therapy for treating this disease.
Aim: To evaluate the effect of taurine on hepatic steatosis induced by thioacetamide in Danio rerio.
Methods: Animals were divided into four groups: control (20 μl of saline solution), taurine (1,000 mg/kg), thioacetamide (300 mg/kg), and the taurine-thioacetamide group (1,000 + 300 mg/kg). Thioacetamide was injected intraperitoneally three times a week for 2 weeks. The mRNA expression, lipoperoxidation, antioxidant enzymatic activity, and histological analyses were evaluated in the liver and the triglyceride content was assessed in the serum.
Results: Thioacetamide injection induced steatosis, as indicated by histological analyses. The lipoperoxidation showed significant lipid damage in the thioacetamide group compared to the taurine-thioacetamide group (p < 0.001). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the taurine-thioacetamide group (5.95 ± 0.40) was significantly increased compared to the thioacetamide group (4.14 ± 0.18 U SOD/mg of protein) (p < 0.001). The mRNA expression of SIRT1 (0.5-fold) and Adiponectin receptor 2 (0.39-fold) were lower in the thioacetamide group than the control (p < 0.05). TNF-α mRNA expression was 6.4-fold higher in the thioacetamide group than the control (p < 0.05). SIRT1 mRNA expression was 2.6-fold higher in the taurine-thioacetamide group than in the thioacetamide group.
Conclusions: Taurine seems to improve hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress and increasing SIRT1 expression.
Laboratório de Hepatologia e Gastroenterologia Experimental, Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-903, Brazil.
Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most prevalent forms of chronic liver disease in the Western world. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid in humans that may be a promising therapy for treating this disease.
Aim: To evaluate the effect of taurine on hepatic steatosis induced by thioacetamide in Danio rerio.
