Tangeretin Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Acute Hepatic Injury in Rats: Targeting MAPKs and Apoptosis

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 31;11(3):e0151649. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151649. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Despite its broad applications, cisplatin affords considerable nephro- and hepatotoxicity through triggering inflammatory and oxidative stress cascades. The aim of the current investigation was to study the possible protective effects of tangeretin on cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity. The impact of tangeretin on cisplatin-evoked hepatic dysfunction and histopathologic changes along with oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic biomarkers were investigated compared to silymarin. Tangeretin pre-treatment significantly improved liver function tests (ALT and AST), inhibited cisplatin-induced lipid profile aberrations (total cholesterol and triglycerides) and diminished histopathologic structural damage in liver tissues. Tangeretin also attenuated cisplatin-induced hepatic inflammatory events as indicated by suppression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and enhancement of interleukin-10 (IL-10). Meanwhile, it lowered malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF-2) levels with restoration of glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Regarding mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, tangeretin attenuated cisplatin-induced increase in phospho-p38, phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK1/2) in liver tissues. In addition, tangeretin downregulated Bax expression with augmentation of Bcl-2 promoting liver cell survival. Our results highlight the protective effects of tangeretin against cisplatin-induced acute hepatic injury via the concerted modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, MAPKs and apoptotic pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / etiology
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / metabolism
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / prevention & control*
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Cisplatin / toxicity*
  • Flavones / pharmacology*
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / physiopathology
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Silymarin / pharmacology
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Flavones
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Silymarin
  • Triglycerides
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Cholesterol
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Glutathione
  • tangeretin
  • Cisplatin

Grants and funding

The current work was financially supported by grant number 1-434-2830 from the Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, Saudi Arabia.