Effect of lutein on oxidative stress of rats with high homocysteine and its relevent mechanism / 中华急诊医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To reveal the effect of lutein on the status of oxidative stress in rats with high homocysteine levels (HHcy) and relevent molecular mechanisms.Methods The wistar rat HHcy model was established by intra-gastric administration with L-methionine suspension and treated with lutein.The oxidative stress status and the gene expression changes of transcription Nf-E2-related factor2 (Nrf2),a regulation factor of down stream antioxidant protein gene expression,were detected in HHcy rats and lutein intervention rats.Results Compared with the rat serum SOD activities (134.32 ± 12.65) U/mL in the control group,the serum SOD activities in the HHcy model group (95.6 ± 10.92) U/mL were significantly lower (P ＜ 0.05).The serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in the HHcy model group (121.66 ± 18.64) U/mL were also significantly lower as compared with the the control group (183.17 ± 21.29) U/mL,P ＜ 0.05.However,the serum SOD (126.75 ± 11.26) U/mL and GPx activities (167.18 ± 19.66) U/mL in the lutein intervention group were significantly higher as compared with the HHcy model group.As compared with the rat serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content (5.11 ± 0.68) μmol/L as well as the hydroxyl free radical levels (0.53 ± 0.05) U/L in the control group,the serum MDA content (7.65 ± 0.87) μmol/L and the hydroxyl free radical levels (0.92 ± 0.09) U/L in the HHcy model group were significantly higher.The serum MDA content (6.44 ±0.91) μmol/L and the hydroxyl free radical levels (0.74 ± 0.06) U/L in the lutein intervention group were significantly lower as compared with the HHcy model group.RT-PCR and Western blot results also showed decreased expression of SOD2 and GPxl mRNA in aorta epithelial tissues of HHcy model rats.With lutein intervention,the expressions ofSOD2 and GPx1mRNA were significantly increased and the gene expression of Nrf2 also up-regulated.Conclusions The Hhcy model rats were under the status of augmented oxidative stress,and carotenoid lutein could attenuate the Hcy-mediated oxidative stress,and its mechanism might be potentially associated with up-regulating the expression of Nrf2,thereby inducing the expression of its downstream antioxidant proteins.