Branched-chain amino acid-enriched nutrients stimulate antioxidant DNA repair in a rat model of liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride

Mol Biol Rep. 2012 Dec;39(12):10803-10. doi: 10.1007/s11033-012-1974-4. Epub 2012 Oct 9.

Abstract

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the progression of chronic liver disease including organ injury and hypoalbuminemia. Long-term oral supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) can inhibit liver dysfunction but their role in the prevention of liver fibrosis and injury to the liver is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess how BCAAs preserve liver function from OS. To investigate how BCAAs specifically prevent OS, we evaluated the effect of oral supplementation with BCAAs on OS using a rat liver cirrhosis model. Liver cirrhosis was induced in ten male Sprague-Dawley rats by administering carbon tetrachloride for 12 weeks. Five of the ten carbon tetrachloride-treated rats were assigned to a control group and five to a BCAA group. BCAA-supplementation significantly preserved plasma albumin concentrations and significantly inhibited the occurrence of organ injury as determined by blood chemistry analysis. Hepatic expression of OGG1 mRNA was increased in the BCAA group compared to the control group. In the BCAA group, increased hepatic levels of OGG1 protein were found by western blot. On the other hand, the number of 8-OHdG-positive cells was significantly higher in liver sections taken 1 month after carbon tetrachloride treatment. Furthermore, OGG1-positive cells were significantly increased in the hepatocytes around the central vein. BCAA was found to reduce OS, which could possibly lead to a decrease in the occurrence of hypoalbuminemia and organ injury. Our results indicate that BCAA-enriched nutrients stimulate antioxidant DNA repair in a rat model of liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / pharmacology*
  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • DNA Glycosylases / metabolism
  • DNA Repair / drug effects*
  • Deoxyguanosine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxyguanosine / metabolism
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Food
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Diseases / blood
  • Liver Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Liver Diseases / pathology*
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain
  • Antioxidants
  • Biomarkers
  • Cytokines
  • 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • DNA Glycosylases
  • OGG1 protein, rat
  • Deoxyguanosine