Hassan M, Ibrahim MA, Hafez HM, Mohamed MZ, Zenhom NM, Abd Elghany HM. Role of Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt Genes in the Hepatoprotective Effect of Cilostazol.
ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020;
14:61-67. [PMID:
30179140 DOI:
10.2174/1574884713666180903163558]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor (PDE3I), is a platelet aggregation inhibitor and vasodilator that is useful for treating intermittent claudication. Experimental studies have shown that cilostazol has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant effects effects.
OBJECTIVES
Although the hepatoprotective effect cilostazol has been studied, the molecular mechanisms of such protection, including: the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) / hemoxygenase (HO-1) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) /serine/threonine kinase (Akt) pathways are not fully explored, which is the aim of this study.
METHODS
To achieve the aim of this study, 35 rats were grouped into: control groups, liver injury group (model- non treated: injected with thioacetamide (TAA), 150 mg/kg, i.p.), and two cilostazoltreated groups (treated with cilostazol 10 and 50 mg/kg, p.o.). The rats were treated for 8 days and injected with TAA on the 7th day of the experiment and sacrificed 48 hours after TAA injection.
RESULTS
The model group showed evidence of liver injury as indicated by the elevation of liver enzymes and confirmed by histopathological findings. TAA-induced liver injury was accompanied by down-regulation of the cytoprotective pathways: PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 mRNAs. Cilostazol administration ameliorated TAA-induced liver injury, where it caused a significant improvement in the activity of liver enzymes as well as in the histopathological changes. Such an effect was associated with a significant increase in the expression of PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 mRNAs as detected by Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
CONCLUSION
Cilostazol protected rats against TAA hepatotoxicity through up-regulation of PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 gene expression.
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