Improvement of liver damage by clove leaf extracts in rats with acute pancreatitis regulated by SIRT1/PGC-1α/NRF1 signaling pathway

  Objective  To explore the protective effect of clove leaf extract on the liver tissue of acute pancreatitis (AP) rats, and the role of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ co-activator-1α (PGC-1α)/nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) signaling pathway.

  Methods  Sixty SD male rats were randomly divided into control group, AP group as well as low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups (low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose clove leaf extract), with twelve rats in each group. Except for the control group, rats in the other groups were all constructed AP rat models and given corresponding doses of clove leaf extract for intragastric treatment. The rat was dissected under aseptic conditions, the liver was stripped, and the liver coefficient was calculated; the serum amylase (AMY), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in serum were detected; the serum inflammatory factorsinterleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)contents were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method; the oxidative stress indicators of liver tissueSuperoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected; the pathological changes of liver tissue were detected by HE staining; the protein expression levels of SIRT1, PGC-1α, and NRF1 in liver tissues were detected by Western blot.

  Results  The liver tissue structure of the rats in the control group was normal; the liver tissue structure of rats in the AP group was severely damaged, and a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated; the liver tissue pathological damage of rats in the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups was significantly improved, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was reduced. Compared with the control group, the liver coefficients, AMY, ALT, AST, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA levels in the AP group increased significantly (P < 0.05); SOD and GSH-Px levels and SIRT1, PGC-1α and NRF1 protein expression levels reduced significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the AP group, the liver coefficients, AMY, ALT, AST, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA levels in the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups reduced significantly (P < 0.05); SOD and GSH-Px levels and SIRT1, PGC-1α, and NRF1 protein expression levels increased significantly (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Clove leaf extract may activate the SIRT1/PGC-1α/NRF1 signaling pathway, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation as well as improve liver tissue damage in AP rats.