Expression of early growth response factor 1 and intervention of silymarin in rat models of alcoholic fatty liver

Zhou Hong-xing

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.27.016

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Proinflammatory transcription factors and inflammatory factors play an important role in the occurrence of alcoholic liver disease. However, early growth response factor 1 is one of the key factors of starting inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the effects of silymarin on early growth response factor1 in rat models of alcoholic fatty liver. METHODS:The rat models were established using the methods of feeding with high fat diet and intragastricaly administering alcohol, in total 8 weeks. Silymarin intervention at high and low doses (200,100 mg/kg) was given after each gavage. The normal group was set as comparison. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Serological indicator detection and hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that compared with the model group, the body weight of rats was increased (P < 0.05); serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase activity, early growth response factor 1 and tumor necrosis factor-α expression in the liver tissue were decreased (P < 0.05); pathological grading results were superior in the high-dose silymarin group to in the other groups (P < 0.01). The results confirm that high dose of silymarin can protect the liver function of rats, reduce the occurrence of liver function damage, which may be associated with the inhibition on the early growth response factor 1 in the body of rats, thereby reducing the tumor necrosis factor-α formation, but the specific mechanism remains to be further studied.