cytochrome-c-t and Liver-Diseases

The liver is continuously exposed to a large antigenic load that includes pathogens, toxins, tumor cells and dietary antigens. Amongst the hepatitis viruses, only hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause chronic hepatitis, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Of the different antiviral defense systems employed by the tissue, apoptosis significantly contributes to the prevention of viral replication, dissemination, and persistence. Loss of tolerance to the liver autoantigens may result in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). This review outlines the recent findings that highlight the role and mechanisms of apoptotic processes in the course of liver diseases. Among factors that contribute to liver pathology, we discuss the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, HBx, ds-PKR, TRAIL, FasL, and IL-1alpha. Since TNF and FasL-induced hepatocyte apoptosis is implicated in a wide range of liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, ischemia/reperfusion liver injury, and fulminant hepatic failure, these items will be discussed in greater detail in this review. We also highlight some recent discoveries that pave the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies by protecting hepatocytes (for example by employing Bcl-2, Bcl-XL or A1/Bfl-1, IAPs, or synthetic caspase inhibitors), or by the induction of apoptosis in stellate cells. The assessment of the severity of liver disease, as well as monitoring of patients with chronic liver disease, remains a major challenge in clinical hepatology practice. Therefore, a separate chapter is devoted to a novel cytochrome c-based method useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of fulminant hepatitis.

Topics: Apoptosis; Autoimmune Diseases; Biomarkers; Cytochromes c; Humans; Liver Diseases; Tumor Necrosis Factors

Hemorrhagic shock (HS) is an important cause of high mortality in traumatized patients. Cryptotanshinone (CTS) is a bioactive compound extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen). The current study aimed to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of CTS on the liver injury induced by HS.. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish the HS model by hemorrhaging and monitoring mean arterial pressure (MAP). CTS was intravenously administered at concentration of 3.5 mg/kg, 7 mg/kg, or 14 mg/kg 30 minutes before resuscitation. Twenty-four hours after resuscitation, the liver tissue and serum samples were collected for the following examinations. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to evaluate hepatic morphology changes. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in liver tissue and the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were examined to reveal the extent of liver injury. The protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in liver tissue was detected by western blot. The TUNEL assay determined the apoptosis of hepatocytes. Oxidative stress of liver tissue was assessed by the examination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and oxidative chain complexes (complex I, II, III, IV), as well as cytochrome c expression in cytoplasm and mitochondria, were also used to determine the extent of oxidative injury in the liver. Immunofluorescence (IF) was employed to estimate nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression. The mRNA and protein levels of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductases 1 (NQO1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were assessed by real-time qPCR, western blot to investigate the mechanism of CTS regulating HS-induced liver injury.. H&E staining and a histological score of rat liver suggested that HS induced liver injury. The activity of ALT, AST, and MPO was significantly increased by HS treatment. After CTS administration the ALT, AST, and MPO activities were suppressed, which indicates the liver injury was alleviated by CTS. The HS-induced upregulation of the TUNEL-positive cell rate was suppressed by various doses of CTS. HS-induced ROS production was decreased and the protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the HS-induced rat liver was reversed by CTS administration. In the liver of HS-induced rats, the upregulation of MDA content and the downregulation of GSH content and SOD activitywere suppressed by CTS. Additionally, CTS increases ATP content and mitochondrial oxidative complexes activities and suppressed the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Moreover, IF and western blot demonstrated that the activation of Nrf2 blocked by HS was recovered by different doses of CTS in liver tissue. The expression of downstream enzymes of the Nrf2 pathway, including HO-1, NQO1, COX-2, and iNOS, was reversed by CTS in the HS rat model.. The current study for the first time revealed the protective effect of CTS in HS-induced liver injury. CTS effectively recovered hepatocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondria damage induced by HS in the rat liver partly via regulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Topics: Animals; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cytochromes c; Liver Diseases; Male; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Phenanthrenes; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive Oxygen Species; Shock, Hemorrhagic; Signal Transduction

Topics: Animals; Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase (Ammonia); Carbamyl Phosphate; Cytochromes c; Hepatocytes; Hyponatremia; Liver Diseases; Mice; Mitochondria; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase; Urea

Pancreatic cancer is one of the fatal causes of global cancer-related deaths. Although surgery and chemotherapy are standard treatment options, post-treatment outcomes often end in a poor prognosis. In the present study, we investigated anti-pancreatic cancer and amelioration of radiation-induced oxidative damage by crocin. Crocin is a carotenoid isolated from the dietary herb saffron, a prospect for novel leads as an anti-cancer agent. Crocin significantly reduced cell viability of BXPC3 and Capan-2 by triggering caspase signaling via the downregulation of Bcl-2. It modulated the expression of cell cycle signaling proteins P53, P21, P27, CDK2, c-MYC, Cyt-c and P38. Concomitantly, crocin treatment-induced apoptosis by inducing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. Microarray analysis of the expression signature of genes induced by crocin showed a substantial number of genes involved in cell signaling pathways and checkpoints (723) are significantly affected by crocin. In mice bearing pancreatic tumors, crocin significantly reduced tumor burden without a change in body weight. Additionally, it showed significant protection against radiation-induced hepatic oxidative damage, reduced the levels of hepatic toxicity and preserved liver morphology. These findings indicate that crocin has a potential role in the treatment, prevention and management of pancreatic cancer.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Carotenoids; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Crocus; Cytochromes c; Female; Humans; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver Diseases; Mice; Mice, Nude; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Radiation Injuries; Signal Transduction; Transcriptome; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

P53 is known as a transcription factor to control apoptotic cell death through regulating a series of target genes in nucleus. There is accumulating evidences show that p53 can directly induce cell apoptosis through transcription independent way at mitochondria. However, the mechanism by which p53 translocation into mitochondria in response to oxidative stress remains unclear. Here, glucose oxidase (GOX) was used to induce ROS generation in HepG2 cells and liver tissues of mice. The results showed that p53 was stabilized and translocated to mitochondria in a time and dose dependent manner after GOX exposure. Interestingly, as an inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition, cyclosporine A (CsA) was able to effectively reduce GOX mediated mitochondrial p53 distribution without influencing on the expression of p53 target genes including Bcl-2 and Bax. These indicated that CsA could just block p53 entering into mitochondria, but not affect p53-dependent transcription. Meanwhile, CsA failed to inhibit the ROS generation induced by GOX, which indicated that CsA had no antioxidant function. Moreover, GOX induced typical apoptosis characteristics including, mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of Bax and release of cytochrome C in mitochondria, accompanied with activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. These processions were suppressed after pretreatment with CsA and pifithrin-μ (PFT-μ, a specific inhibitor of p53 mitochondrial translocation). In vivo, CsA was able to attenuate p53 mitochondrial distribution and protect mice liver against from GOX mediated apoptotic cell death. Taken together, these suggested that CsA could suppress ROS-mediated p53 mitochondrial distribution and cell apoptosis depended on its inhibition effect to mitochondrial permeability transition. It might be used to rescue the hepatic cell apoptosis in the patients with acute liver injury.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Caspase 3; Caspase 9; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cyclosporine; Cytochromes c; Gene Expression Regulation; Glucose Oxidase; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Liver Diseases; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Mitochondrial Membranes; Oxidative Stress; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sulfonamides; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

Numerous pathological processes that affect liver function in patients with liver failure have been identified. Among them, hyperammonia is one of the most common phenomena.The purpose of this study was to determine whether hyperammonia could induced specific liver injury.. Hyperammonemic cells were established using NH4Cl. The cells were assessed by MTT, ELISA, and flow cytometric analyses. The expression levels of selected genes and proteins were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analyses.. The effects of 20 mM NH4Cl pretreatment on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of primary hepatocytes and other cells were performed by MTT assays and flow cytometric analyses. Significant increasing in cytotoxicity and apoptosis were only observed in hepatocytes. The cell damage was reduced after adding BAPTA-AM but unchanged after adding EGTA. The expression levels of caspase-3, cytochrome C, calmodulin, and inducible nitric oxide synthase were increased and that of bcl-2 was reduced. The Na+-K+-ATPase activities in hyperammonia liver cells was no signiaficant difference compaired with the control group, but was decreased in astrocytes. NH4Cl pretreatment of primary hepatocytes promoted the activation of mitochondrial permeability transition pores and the mitochondria swelled irregularly.. Hyperammonia induces specific liver injury through an intrinsic Ca2+-independent apoptosis pathway.

Topics: Apoptosis; Calcium; Calmodulin; Caspase 3; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cell Proliferation; Cytochromes c; Gene Expression Profiling; Hep G2 Cells; Hepatocytes; Humans; Hyperammonemia; Liver Diseases; MCF-7 Cells; Mitochondria; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in the protection of ischemic preconditioning (IPC), but the exact role of PKC in early and late hepatic IPC is still unclear. The present study was conducted in order to investigate the differential role of PKC during early and late hepatic IPC. Rats were subjected to 90 min of partial hepatic ischemia followed by 3 (early IPC) and 24 h (late IPC) of reperfusion. IPC was induced by 10 min of ischemia following 10 min of reperfusion prior to sustained ischemia, and chelerythrine, a PKC inhibitor, was injected 10 min before IPC (5 mg/kg, i.v.). Chelerythrine abrogated the protection of early IPC, as indicated by increased serum aminotransferase activities and decreased hepatic glutathione content. While the IPC-treated group showed a few apoptotic cell deaths during both phases, chelerythrine attenuated these changes only at late IPC and limited IPC-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) overexpression. Membrane translocation of PKC-δ and -ε during IPC was blocked by chelerythrine. Our results suggest that PKC might play a differential role in early and late IPC; activation of PKC-δ and -ε prevents necrosis in early IPC through preservation of redox state and prevents apoptosis in late IPC with iNOS and HO-1 induction. Therefore, PKC represents a promising target for hepatocyte tolerance to ischemic injury, and understanding the differential role of PKC in early and late IPC is important for clinical application of IPC.

Topics: Acetophenones; Animals; Apoptosis; Benzophenanthridines; Benzopyrans; Cytochromes c; Heme Oxygenase-1; Ischemic Preconditioning; Liver Diseases; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Protein Kinase C; Protein Kinase C-delta; Protein Kinase C-epsilon; Rats; Reperfusion Injury

Apoptosis of human liver cells is commonly found in liver diseases and liver surgery and directly affects their prognosis. Recent studies have found that δ-opioid receptors, abundant in the membranes of hepatic cells, participate in the oncogenesis and progression of liver tumors, viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and other diseases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the activation of the δ-opioid receptor on liver cell apoptosis and explore its relationship with PKC and the mitochondrial pathway. Hepatic cells were serum-deprived to induce apoptosis in vitro. During the period of apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential decreased, protein levels of cytosolic cytochrome c increased and the expression of Bcl-2 decreased, indicating that apoptosis was specifically induced by the mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, activation of δ-opioid receptors reversed the apoptotic state of hepatic cells. Following δ-opioid receptor activation, the mitochondrial membrane potential remained stable, and the expression of cytosolic cytochrome c and Bax decreased. These data suggest that δ-opioid receptor activation specifically inhibits the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In addition, activation of the δ-opioid receptor apparently increased the levels of PKC; blocking the PKC pathway led to increased apoptosis of liver cells, which was not affected by the activation of δ-opioid receptor. Blocking the PKC pathway led to increased apoptosis of liver cells, which was associated with δ-opioid receptor activation. Therefore, the PKC pathway is involved in the anti-apoptotic effects of the δ-opioid receptor on liver cells.

Topics: Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Cytochromes c; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; Gene Expression; Hepatocytes; Humans; Liver; Liver Diseases; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mitochondria; Naltrexone; Protein Kinase C; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Receptors, Opioid, delta; Serum; Signal Transduction; Stress, Physiological; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis may be reversible, possibly through the selective clearance of activated hepatic stellate cells/myofibroblasts by apoptosis. Hepatic stellate cells transdifferentiate into myofibroblast-phenotype cells in culture, a process that recapitulates hepatic stellate cell activation in vivo. Bakuchiol, a prenylated phenolic terpene isolated from the seed of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Leguminosae), reduced activated hepatic stellate cells when treated to rats during liver injury recovery period as demonstrated by alpha-smooth muscle actin immunostaining in rat liver and induced apoptosis in activated hepatic stellate cells/myofibroblasts as demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3, release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm, translocation of Bax into mitochondria, and the proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in vitro. Bakuchiol-induced apoptosis was prevented by z-DEVD-fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase-3, and z-VAD-fmk, a general caspase inhibitor, suggesting that bakuchiol-induced apoptosis occurs through a caspase-3-dependent pathway in vitro. Bakuchiol treatment stimulated the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK), c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in vitro. Pretreatment with SP600125 attenuated the bakuchiol-induced translocation of Bax into mitochondria, cytochrome c release into the cytosol, caspase-3 activation, and PARP cleavage. In contrast, preincubation with SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, and U0126, an ERK inhibitor, had no effect on bakuchiol-induced cell death and caspase-3 activity. Taken together, these findings indicate that bakuchiol induces caspase-3-dependent apoptosis through the activation of JNK, followed by Bax translocation into mitochondria in rat liver myofibroblasts.

Topics: Actins; Animals; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Carbon Tetrachloride; Caspase 3; Cells, Cultured; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cytochromes c; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Activation; Fibroblasts; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Mitochondria, Liver; Phenols; Protective Agents; Protein Transport; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Time Factors

This study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of glycoprotein isolated from the stems of Ulmus davidiana Nakai (UDN), which has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in folk medicine. We evaluated lipid peroxidation in glucose/glucose oxidase (G/GO)-induced BNL CL.2 cells and measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO), antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)), activity of cytotoxic-related signals (hepatic cytochrome c, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1)) and levels of plasma lipids (triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC)) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4,) 1.0 mL kg(-1))-induced A/J mouse. The results in G/GO-induced BNL CL.2 cells showed that UDN glycoprotein had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation. The results in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4,) 1.0 mL kg(-1))-induced A/J mouse indicated that treatment with UDN glycoprotein (40 mg kg -1) lowered LDH activity and TBARS formation, and increased NO production and antioxidant enzymes activity, compared with control. Also, our finding from CCl(4)-treated mice after pretreatment with UDN glycoprotein demonstrated that the activity of cytotoxic-related signals decreased but the levels of plasma lipids increased, compared with CCl(4) treatment alone. Here, we speculate that UDN glycoprotein has a protective character to CCl(4)-induced mouse liver injury.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Carbon Tetrachloride; Catalase; Cell Line; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cytochromes c; Glutathione Peroxidase; Glycoproteins; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipids; Liver; Liver Diseases; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; NF-kappa B; Plant Extracts; Protective Agents; Superoxide Dismutase; Transcription Factor AP-1; Ulmus

Ischemia and reperfusion cause mitochondrial dysfunctions that initiate the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. They involve the release of cytochrome C and the activation of the caspase cascade but the mechanism(s) leading to cytochrome C release is(are) poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the relation between cytochrome C release and the opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) during in situ liver ischemia and reperfusion. Liver ischemia was induced for 30, 60 and 120 min and blood re-flow was subsequently restored for 30 and 180 min. Ischemia hugely altered mitochondrial functions, i.e., oxidative phosphorylation and membrane potential, and was accompanied by a time-dependent mitochondrial release of cytochrome C into the cytosol and by activations of caspases-3 and -9. PTP opening was not observed during ischemia, as demonstrated by the absence of effect of an in vivo pre-treatment of rats with cyclosporin A (CsA), a potent PTP inhibitor. Cytochrome C release was due neither to a direct effect of caspases onto mitochondria nor to an interaction of Bax or Bid with the mitochondrial membrane but could be related to a direct effect of oxygen deprivation. In contrast, during reperfusion, CsA pre-treatment inhibits cytochrome C release, PTP opening and caspase activation. At this step, cytochrome C release is likely to occur as a consequence of PTP opening. In conclusion, our study reveals that cytochrome C release, and thus the induction of the mitochondrial cell death pathway, occur successively independently and dependent on PTP opening during liver ischemia and reperfusion, respectively.

Topics: Animals; Caspases; Cyclosporine; Cytochromes c; Drug Interactions; Hypoxia; Ischemia; Liver Diseases; Mitochondria; Mitochondria, Liver; Permeability; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; D-Alanine Transaminase; Hepatic Artery; Ligation; Liver; Liver Diseases; Necrosis; Penicillins; Pharmacology; Rabbits; Research; Streptomycin

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Electron Transport Complex IV; Enzyme Inhibitors; Hepatitis; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia; Jaundice; Liver Diseases

Topics: Catabolite Repression; Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Glucose; Glutarates; Ketoglutaric Acids; Liver Diseases; Pyruvates; Pyruvic Acid; Vascular Diseases

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Fatty Liver; Humans; Liver Diseases

Topics: Administration, Intravenous; Amino Acids; Blood; Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Digestion; Liver Diseases

Topics: Animals; Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Fatty Liver; Liver Diseases; Rats

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Humans; Jaundice; Liver Diseases; Liver Function Tests

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Humans; Liver Diseases; Sodium; Succinates; Succinic Acid

Topics: Cytochromes c; Humans; Liver Diseases; Liver Regeneration; Thiouracil; Thyroidectomy

Topics: Cytochromes; Cytochromes c; Diet; Humans; Hypoxia; Liver Diseases; Liver Regeneration; Oxygen