Sulforaphane ameliorates cadmium induced hepatotoxicity through the up-regulation of /Nrf2/ARE pathway and the inactivation of NF-κB
Qingfeng He, Yunjing Luo, Ziqi Xie
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the ameliorative effect and mechanisms of sulforaphane (SFN) on cadmium (Cd)-induced hepatotoxicity. Four in vitro free radical scavenging tests, HepG2 cell viability analysis, and cadmium chloride (CdCl2) indeced liver injured mice mode were employed. SFN scavenged the free radicals in vitro, and mitigated the oxidative damages in HepG2 cells incubated with SFN + CdCl2. In mice models, SFN pretreatment dose-dependently remarkably improved redox homeostasis, and attenuated the expressions of the key liver inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) by CdCl2. The pathological examinations were consistent with the above results. Moreover, both mRNA and protein expression of hepatic nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 and hemeoxygenase-1 increased, while nuclear factor-kappa B reduced in Cd + SFN co-treated groups. Taken together, this study firstly demonstrated the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of SFN against Cd induced liver damages, which associated with the modulation of intrinsic Nrf2/ARE and NF-κB pathway.