Aloin Attenuates Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Mice: Possible Role of TGF-β/Smad Signaling

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c01721
• Publication Date: 2023-12-01T15:26:43Z
• Authors: Junjie Bai; Baolin Qian; Tianying Cai; Yifan Chen; Tongxi Li; Yonglang Cheng; Ziming Wu; Chen Liu; Mingxin Ye; Yichao Du; Wenguang Fu
• Keywords: Hepatic stellate cell; Malondialdehyde; Hepatic fibrosis; Hydroxyproline

Liver fibrosis refers to the excessive buildup of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in liver tissue. It is considered a pathological response damage for which there no effective treatment. Aloin, an anthraquinone compound isolated from aloe plant, has shown good pharmacological effects treatment gastric cancer, ulcerative colitis, myocardial hypertrophy, traumatic brain injury, and other diseases; however, its specific impact on remains unclear. To address this gap, we conducted study explore mechanisms underlying potential antifibrotic effect aloin. We constructed mouse model using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) dissolved olive oil as modeling drug. Additionally, cellular was developed by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) stimulus applied hepatic stellate cells. After aloin intervention, serum alanine aminotransferase, hydroxyproline, aspartate aminotransferase were reduced mice after intervention compared CCl4-mediated injury without intervention. Aloin relieved oxidative stress caused CCl4 via reducing malondialdehyde tissue increasing level superoxide dismutase. decreased interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α increased expression IL-10, inhibited inflammatory injury. In addition, activation cells α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) collagen type I. cell animal experiments, attenuated fibrosis, acting through TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway, mitigated CCl4- TGF-β1-induced inflammation. Thus, findings provided theoretical data support new possible strategy fibrosis.