Lycopene relieves AFB1-induced liver injury through enhancing hepatic antioxidation and detoxification potential with Nrf2 activation

To evaluate the chemoprotective effect and mechanism of lycopene (LYC) on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced liver injury, forty-eight male mice were randomly allocated and treated with LYC (5 mg/kg) and/or AFB1 (0.75 mg/kg) by intragastric administration for 30 days. We found that LYC reduced AFB1-DNA adducts accumulation in liver and alleviated AFB1-induced liver lesions through suppressing AFB1-induced oxidative stress and enhancing glutathione transferase (GST)-mediated detoxification. Furthermore, Nrf2 expressions and nuclear translocation, and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 downstream target genes, including GST isoenzymes, GSH synthesis related enzymes and antioxidases were elevated by pretreatment with LYC in AFB1 intoxicated mice, demonstrating the hepatoprotective of LYC against AFB1 is likely attributed to Nrf2 signaling activation. However, LYC failed to restore the reduction of total cytochrome P450 content in hepatic microsomes and mRNA expressions of P450 1A2 and 3A4, indicating LYC has no significant effect on P450-mediated bioactivation of AFB1.