Effect of globin digest on the liver injury and hepatic gene expression profile in galactosamine-induced liver injury in SD rats

AimsWe investigated the effect of globin digest (GD) on the liver injury and hepatic gene expression profile in galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver injury.Main methodsThe effect of GD on the liver injury was examined by measuring the activities of serum transferases and hepatic antioxidant enzymes, histopathological analysis, gene expression profile, and proteins of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and met proto-oncogene (c-Met) in SD rats at 24 h after GalN administration. The effect of GD on the expression of PPARα and its target gene in AML-12 mouse hepatocytes was also examined.Key findingsGD suppressed the elevated activities of serum transferases in GalN-induced liver injury in SD rats. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance content in GalN-injured liver was a decreasing tendency by GD. GD suppressed the increased oxidized glutathione content, and increased the decreased protein, reduced glutathione contents, and catalase activity in GalN-injured liver. GD may improve the antioxidant defense system and protein synthesis in GalN-injured liver. GD suppressed the elevated expression of the genes related to the inflammation, and decreased the histopathological grade value of inflammatory cell infiltration in GalN-injured liver. GD increased the expression of PPARα protein in GalN-injured liver, and also increased the expression of PPARα and its target gene in AML-12 hepatocytes. The total and phosphorylated c-Met proteins in GalN-injured liver were the increasing tendencies by GD.SignificanceThese findings indicate that GD has the hepatoprotective effect on GalN-induced liver injury in SD rats.