OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether auraptene (AUR) exerts a protective effect on acute diquat (DQ)-induced liver injury in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Forty SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Control group), DQ poisoning model group (DQ group), AUR treatment group (DQ+AUR group), and AUR control group (AUR group), with 10 mice in each group. The DQ poisoning model was established via a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg DQ aqueous solution (0.5 mL); Control group and AUR group received an equal volume of pure water intraperitoneally. Four hours post-modeling, DQ+AUR group and AUR group were administered 0.5 mg/kg AUR aqueous solution (0.2 mL) by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days, while Control group and DQ group received pure water. Blood and liver tissues were collected after anesthesia on day 7. Liver ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatic glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected using WST-1, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and enzymatic reaction methods, respectively. Protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and activated caspase-9 in liver tissues was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mitochondria in the Control group exhibited mild swelling, uneven distribution of matrix, and a small number of cristae fractures. In the AUR group, mitochondria showed mild swelling, with no obvious disruption of cristae structure. In the DQ group, mitochondria demonstrated marked swelling and increased volume, matrix dissolution, loss and fragmentation of cristae, and extensive vacuolization. In contrast, the DQ+AUR group showed significantly reduced mitochondrial swelling, volume increase, matrix dissolution, cristae loss and fragmentation, and vacuolization compared to the DQ group. Compared with the DQ group, the DQ+AUR group exhibited significantly lower serum AST levels (U/L: 173.45±23.60 vs. 255.33±41.51), ALT levels (U/L: 51.77±21.63 vs. 100.70±32.35), and hepatic MDA levels (μmol/g: 12.40±2.76 vs. 19.74±4.10), along with higher hepatic GSH levels (mmol/g: 37.65±14.95 vs. 20.58±8.52) and SOD levels (kU/g: 124.10±33.77 vs. 82.81±22.00), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Western blotting showed upregulated Nrf2 expression (Nrf2/β-actin: 0.87±0.37 vs. 0.53±0.22) and HO-1 expression (HO-1/β-actin: 1.06±0.22 vs. 0.49±0.08), and downregulated Keap1 expression (Keap1/β-actin: 0.82±0.12 vs. 1.52±0.76) and activated caspase-9 expression (activated caspase-9/β-actin: 1.16±0.28 vs. 1.71±0.30) in the DQ+AUR group compared to the DQ group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AUR attenuates DQ-induced acute liver injury in mice by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Liver/pathology* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy* ; Diquat/poisoning* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Apoptosis ; Coumarins

Aim To investigate the effect of Jinlida on cholesterol-related genes in skeletal muscle in fat-in-duced insulin resistance ApoE-/ - mice. Methods Ten male C57 BL/6 J mice were selected as normal group ( NF );50 male ApoE-/ - mice with a high-fat feeding after 16 weeks ( HF) were divided into model group, rosiglitazone ( LGLT ) , Jinlida low dose group ( JLDL, 0. 95 g · kg-1 · d-1 ) , Jinlida medium dose group ( JLDM, 1. 9 g·kg-1 ·d-1 ) , Jinlida high dose group (JLDH, 3. 8 g·kg-1·d-1), which were per-formed intragastric administration for 8 weeks. Oil red O staining of mouse skeletal muscle was used for fat ac-cumulation. Insulin receptor ( INSR) , insulin receptor body substrate-1 ( IRS-1 ) , low-density lipoprotein re-ceptor ( LDLR ) , cholesterol sensor ( SCAP ) mRNA and protein expression in mouse skeletal muscle were measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR ( RT-PCR ) and Western blot. Results Compared with NF group, fasting blood glucose ( FBG) , choles-terol ( TC ) , triglyceride ( TG ) and low density lipo-protein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) of HF mice were signifi-cantly elevated, while high-density lipoprotein ( HDL-C ) significantly decreased ( P < 0. 05 ) . Compared with HF group, Jinlida group could reduce to varying degrees FBG, TC, TG and LDL-C in mice, and in-crease HDL-C ( P <0. 05 ) . Jinlida could downgrade fasting serum insulin ( FINS ) level, and improve the insulin sensitive index ( ISI ) ( P < 0. 05 ) . Jinlida could obviously improve skeletal muscle fat accumula-tion of mice. Compared with NF group, skeletal mus-cle INSR, IRS-1, LDLR mRNA and protein levels of HF group were significantly decreased ( P <0. 05 ) , while SCAP mRNA and protein level increased signifi-cantly (P<0. 05). Compared with HF group, Jinlida could increase to varying degrees INSR, IRS-1, LDLR mRNA and protein levels ( P < 0. 05 ) , and lower SCAP mRNA and protein levels ( P<0. 05 ) . Conclu-sion Jinlida can alleviate fat-induced insulin resist-ance in ApoE-/ - mice through regulation of cholester-ol-related gene expression.