The influence of taurine on superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde in liver tissue of rat models of liver fibrosis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that taurine has a certain therapeutic effect on the disease of various systems, such as nervous system, cardiovascular system, immune system and digestive system. The liver is the main place, also the important target organ, of taurine metabolism. Therefore, the relationship between taurine and hepatopathy has become a hot topic in recent years. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the influence of taurine on superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde expression in the liver tissue of rat models of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride. METHODS:Thirty male C57B/L rats of SPF grade were randomly and evenly divided into blank control, model and taurine groups. Rats in the blank control group were intraperitonealy injected with 100% peanut oil of 1 mL/kg, twice a week, in total 10 weeks. Rats in the model group were intraperitonealy injected with peanut oil of 1 mL/kg containing 20% carbon tetrachloride, twice a week, in total 10 weeks. Rats in the taurine group were intraperitonealy injected with peanut oil of 1mL/kg containing 20% carbon tetrachloride, twice a week, in total 10 weeks, and were intragastricaly administered taurine of 500 mg/kg per day starting from the 3rd week til the 10th week. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group, the serum levels of hyaluronic acid, laminin, typeⅢ procolagen, typeⅣ colagen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the level of superoxide dismutase in the liver tissue was lowered (P < 0.05), the level of malondialdehyde in liver tissue was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and liver index was increased (P < 0.05) in the model group. Pathological examination showed that there were necrosis of liver cels, fat vacuoles, fibrous tissue hyperplasia and inflammatory cel infiltration in the rats of the model group. Compared with the model group, the serum levels of hyaluronic acid, laminin, typeⅢ procolagen, typeⅣ colagen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase were significantly lowered (P < 0.05), the level of superoxide dismutase in the liver tissue was significantly increased (P < 0.05), the level of malondialdehyde in the liver tissue was significantly lowered (P < 0.05), and liver index was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the taurine group. Pathological examination showed that there were no inflammatory cel infiltration, fat vacuoles, and fibrous tissue deposition in the liver tissue. The results indicate that taurine can decrease the contents of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde, and relieve the degree of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloridevia exerting its antioxidative effects.