Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

NF-kappaB-activated tissue transglutaminase is involved in ethanol-induced hepatic injury and the possible role of propolis in preventing fibrogenesis.

Chen CS, Wu CH, Lai YC, Lee WS, Chen HM, Chen RJ, Chen LC, Ho YS, Wang YJ

Center of Quality Management and Breast Health Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

The increased expression and cross-linking activity of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) have been demonstrated in acute liver injury and fibrosis. We focused on the molecular mechanisms that contribute to ethanol-induced tTG expression and investigated the efficacy of propolis components in preventing both the tTG expression in vitro and fibrogenesis in vivo. We demonstrate herein that both ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways can regulate the effects of ethanol on NF-kappaB-dependent transcription and these signaling pathways may be involved in activation of ethanol-mediated tTG expression. We also found that administration of pinocembrin (PIN), one of the major components of propolis, inhibited tTG activation and significantly prevented the development of thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis. The present study suggests that tTG may be an important member of the cascade of factors necessary for ethanol-induced liver fibrogenesis and PIN could serve as an anti-fibrogenic agent.

Published 17 March 2008 in Toxicology, 246(2): 148-57.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Liver Cirrhosis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.