Isobutyrate exerts a protective effect against liver injury in a DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.

Background: Short-chain fatty acids have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions; whether isobutyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, is protective against liver injury in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis and its molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, DSS was used to induce a liver injury from a colitis model in piglets, which was expected to prevent and alleviate DSS-induced liver injury by feeding sodium isobutyrate in advance.

Results: The results showed that sodium isobutyrate could restore DSS-induced histopathological changes in the liver, inhibit the activation of the toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation primary response 88/nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway, and then reduce the DSS-induced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1β, and interleukin 6, reducing inflammatory response. Moreover, we found that sodium isobutyrate could play an antioxidant and apoptosis-reducing role by maintaining reduced mitochondrial function.

Conclusion: In conclusion, sodium isobutyrate has a preventive and protective effect on liver injury in a DSS-induced colitis. There is a potential application prospect for it in treating ulcerative-colitis-induced liver injuries. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.