The role of Bax/Bcl-2 and Nrf2-Keap-1 signaling pathways in mediating the protective effect of boric acid on acrylamide-induced acute liver injury in rats

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to investigate whether boric acid (BA) can protect rats from acrylamide (AA)-induced acute liver injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

AA was used to induce acute liver injury. Thirty rats were divided into five group including Group 1 (saline), Group 2 (AA), Group 3 (20 mg/kg BA), Group 4 (10 mg/kg BA+AA) and Group 5 (20 mg/kg BA+AA). Their blood and liver were harvested to be kept for analysis. Liver function enzyme activities were performed by spectrophotometric method. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde levels were determined by colorimetric method. The in-silico studies were performed using the "blind docking" method.

RESULTS

Administration AA to rats, biochemical parameters, liver histology, and expression levels of apoptotic markers were negatively affected. However, after the administration of BA, the altered biochemical parameters, liver histology, and expression levels of apoptotic markers were reversed. Moreover, the mechanisms of AA-induced deterioration in the levels of SOD, CAT, and Nrf2-Keap-1 and the mechanisms of the protective effect of BA against these deteriorations were explained by in silico studies.

CONCLUSION

Thus, the present study could explain the interactions between AA and thiol-containing amino acid residues of Keap-1, the effect of BA on these interactions, and the biochemical toxicity caused by the AA. In this sense, this work is the first of its kind in the literature. Based on the biochemical, histopathological, and in silico results, it can be suggested that BA has the potential to be used as a protective agent against AA-induced liver injury.

Cyclophosphamide induced oxidative stress, lipid per oxidation, apoptosis and histopathological changes in rats: Protective role of boron

BACKGROUND

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an alkylating chemotherapeutic drug used in the treatment of many types of cancer. However, as with other chemotherapeutic drugs, the use of CP is limited by the damage to healthy tissues such as testes, bladder and liver as well as cancerous tissue. Boron (B) is a trace element with many biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-lipid per oxidation.

METHODS

This current study aims to determine protective effects of B on CP induced testicular toxicity. The rats were divided into 4 groups (control, CP, B and B plus CP groups). The testes of experimental animals were taken for histological, apoptotic markers and biochemical analysis.

RESULTS

The damage to some seminifer tubules, loss of typical appearance, thinning of seminifer epithelium and relative enlargement of the tubule lumen were watched in testis of the group that administrated CP. Moreover, Bcl-2, TAC and GSH levels decreased while TOC, OSI, MDA, Bax and Caspase-3 levels increased. On the other hand, pretreatment limited to B in the B plus CP group, testicular tissue improved. In addition, Bcl-2, GSH, TAC levels increased, Bax, MDA, TOC, OSI and caspase-3 levels decreased.

CONCLUSION

B significantly reduced testicular lipid per-oxidation and strengthened antioxidant defenses. Our results showed that pre-treatment B can protect rat testis against CP-induced testicular damage owing to its anti-lipid per oxidation, anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.

Hepato-preventive and anti-apoptotic role of boric acid against liver injury induced by cyclophosphamide

This study aims to examine cyclophosphamide (CP) exsposure associated toxicity on rat livers and the likely defensive effects of boric acid (BA). The rats used in this study were divided into four groups: control group, CP group, BA group, and BA + CP group. The present study was carried out using routine histological H&E stain, immunohistochemical stain caspase-3 as apoptotic marker, serum biochemical analysis for liver function markers (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkalen phosphatase (ALP)), oxidative stress markers (total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and total antioxidant capacity marker (TAC)). In the CP group, the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TOS, OSI and caspase-3 increased whereas TAC levels decreased compared with the control group. In the BA + CP group, the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TOS, OSI and caspase-3 decreased whereas TAC levels increased compared with the CP group. The histopathological evaluation of light microscope images and immunohistochemical caspase-3 activity in the BA + CP group were found to be decrease compared with those in the CP group. In conclusion, BA was successful in defending the liver against apoptosis and histopathological changes that are attributable to CP.