Protective Effect Of Selenoarginine Against Alcohol-induced Liver Injury In Mice

This study used selenoarginine as experimental object to study its protective effect against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice, which was synthesized in our laboratory, and tested its efficiency and safety compared with SeO₂.This study used intragastric administration to replicate the model of alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The results indicated that selenoarginine has evident inhibition on alcohol induced morphologic changes of liver cells, steatosis and hepatic fibrosis. Selenoarginine inhibited markedly the elevation of serum hyaluronic acid and the increase synthesis of collagen induced by alcohol. The oxidants in liver such as GSH-Px, SOD and GSH from selenoarginine group were much higher than alcohol group, and the degree of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were much lower than alcohol group. Investigation on lipid metabolism suggested selenoarginine could cut down the elevation of serum cholesterol induced by alcohol, and keep the high-density lipoproteins at a relative high degree. Analysis of the composition of liver fatty acid by gas chromatography suggested the ratio of were degraded significantly caused by alcohol, and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acid was maintained at normal level from selenoarginine group. Selenoarginine significantly degraded the elevation of apoptosis and TNF-a induced by alcohol.Selenoarginine protected effectively against the liver injury caused by alcohol. The main mechanism could be concluded as follows, selenoarginine participated in the synthesis of GSH-Px, and raised the activity of GSH-Px, and depressed the consumption of SOD and GSH, and thus the capability of antioxidants was enhanced. Therefore the attack on cellular membrane, protein and lipid caused by free radical was inhibited by selenoarginine, and the stimulation of cytokine on synthesis of collagen and apoptosis was also inhibited by selenoarginine.The results demonstrated that selenoarginine has a better protective effect on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice, and performed better than SeO₂, and it is an organic selenium source which has an extensive perspective in exploitation and utilization.