关键词: 蛇菰多糖, 肝损伤, 凋亡, BDNF/TrkB

Abstract: Objective To study the effects of Ｂalanophora polysaccharides (BPS) on the expression of BDNF and TrkB proteins and apoptosis-related proteins in rats with experimental liver injury induced by D-gal. Methods Rats were randomly divided into control group (control), D-gal (model, 200 mg /kg of hypodermic D- galactose), BPS low (BPS-L), medium (BPS-M), high (BPS-H) dose groups, which were treated with intragastric administration by 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BPS per day, respectively. For six weeks in total, serum ALT and AST levels were measured by cardiac blood collection. HE staining was used to observe liver tissue morphology. The localization of BDNF and TrkB was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Western Blot was used to detect BDNF, TrkB, Bcl-2, Caspase-3 and Bax, protein expression. ELISA was used to determine the MDA content and SOD activity in liver tissues. Results Compared with the control group, the hepatocytes had edema and punctate necrosis in D-gal group, with increased serum ALT and AST levels (P <0.05), decreased SOD activity and increased MDA content (P <0.05), increased Bax, Caspase-3, BDNF, TrkB expression (P <0.05), decreased Bcl-2 expression (P <0.05). Compared to D-gal group, the hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis were obviously alleviated in BPS groups with each dose, with decreased serum ALT and AST levels (P <0.05), increased SOD activity and decreased MDA content (P <0.05), reduced B ax and Caspase-3 expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, increased expression Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic proteins (P <0.05), and decreased expression of BDNF and TrkB (P <0.05). Conclusions Balanophora polysaccharide had aprotective effect on experimental liver injury caused by D-gal. The mechanism may be related to the decrease of the expression of BDNF and TrkB and the decrease of hepatocyte apoptosis.

Key words: Balanophora polysaccharide, Liver injury, Apoptosis, BDNF/TrkB