Role of liver fatty acid binding protein in hepatocellular injury: Effect of CrPic treatment

•The hepatic injury was induced by alloxan-treatment in this study.•CrPic can prevent hepatic injury as a new kind of health products.•L-FABP is a potential target as a role of early diagnosis in hepatic injury.

This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of chromium picolinate (CrPic, Fig. 1) hepatoprotective activity from alloxan-induced hepatic injury. Diabetes is induced by alloxan-treatment concurrently with the hepatic injury in mice. In this study, we investigate the protective effect of CrPic treatment in hepatic injury and the signal role of liver fatty acid binding protein in early hepatocellular injury diagnostics. In this study, alanine aminotransferase (ALT; EC 2.6.1.2) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; EC 2.6.1.1) levels in the alloxan group were higher 71% and 50%, respectively, than those of the control group (ALT: 14.51 ± 0.74; AST: 22.60 ± 0.69). The AST and ALT levels in CrPic group were of minimal difference compared to the control groups. Here, CrPic exhibited amelioration alloxan induced oxidative stress in mouse livers. A significant increase in liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) was observed, which indicates increased fatty acid utilization in liver tissue [1]. In this study, the mRNA levels of L-FABP increased in both the control (1.1 fold) and CrPic (0.78 fold) groups compared the alloxan group. These findings suggest that hepatic injury may be prevented by CrPic, and is a potential target for use in the treatment of early hepatic injury.

Graphical abstractCrPic may offer protection and prevention against alloxan-induced hepatic injury. L-FABP was maintained because of CrPic-treatment in alloxan mice. The different expression of L-FABP was related to the changes of the hepatic injury. These changes indicated fundamental alterations in the fatty acid metabolism after a hepatic injury from alloxan-treatment.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide