Antagonistic effect of the glycopeptide from zein on acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice
Xiaojie Wang, Xiaolan Liu, Xiqun Zheng, Yue Qu
Abstract
Alcohol consumption increases the risk of liver disease. Here, the hepatoprotective effect of glycosylated zein peptides (GZPs) against acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice was evaluated. GZPs were prepared by transglutaminase-induced D-glucosamine conjugation onto zein peptides. Compared with the alcohol model group, GZP (250 mg/kg·body weight) remarkably increased liver enzyme activities (including alcohol dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and endogenous antioxidant enzymes) and glutathione levels; decreased serum triacylglycerol, tumor necrosis factor-α, liver malonaldehyde, ROS, lipopolysaccharide, and cytochrome P450 2E1 levels; and significantly reversed pathological changes in liver tissues. GZP protected against alcohol-induced increases in mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, and fatty acid synthetase, and upregulated the mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. Thus, GZP exhibited a significant protective effect against alcohol- induced acute liver injury through its accelerating alcohol metabolism, antisteatosis, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory responses.