Assessment of single and combined administration of ubiquinone and lactoferrin on histopathology, ultrastructure, oxidative stress, and WNT4 expression gene induced by thioacetamide on hepatorenal system of adult male rats

Background

Hepatorenal syndrome is a life-threatening medical complication of liver cirrhosis. Hepatic cirrhosis is commonly accompanied by rapid failure of renal functions. Thioacetamide (TAA) is a potent hepatotoxin and a class 2-type carcinogen. Ubiquinone (Coq₁₀) and lactoferrin (LF) are potent antioxidants with antifibrotic and antiinflammatory effects. However, whether Coq₁₀ and LF reduce the hepatorenal injury induced by TAA remains unclear. Here, we investigated the potential protective effect of both/or Coq₁₀ and LF in ameliorating TAA-induced hepatorenal injury and the role of WNT4 gene expression in detecting TAA-induced renal injury in rats. Seventy healthy and mature male Sprague Dawley rats, weighting (200 g ± 20 g) and aging (4–6) weeks were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 10): control, Coq₁₀, LF, TAA, TAA + Coq₁₀, TAA + LF, and TAA + Coq₁₀ + LF. The hepatorenal injury was induced through intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of TAA (150 mg/kg/twice/weekly) for nine weeks. Coq₁₀ (10 mg/kg/day) and LF (200 mg/kg/day) were orally administered for nine weeks.

Results

TAA induced marked hepatorenal damage, evident by the significant increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), serum creatinine (SCr) activities, and the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level. Besides, the significant increases in concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NOx) together with significant decreases in the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The histopathological analysis of the TAA group showed obvious fibrosis, steatosis, and inflammation of the hepatic parenchyma as well as severe glomerular and tubular damage of the renal parenchyma. In addition, TAA induced marked ultrastructural alterations and up-regulation in the expression of the WNT4 gene in the kidney. Meanwhile, the biochemical, histopathological, and ultrastructural alterations were significantly decreased with significant down-regulation in the expression of WNT4 in the groups exposed to TAA and treated with Coq₁₀ and LF.

Conclusion

Our data suggested that Coq₁₀ and LF could have protective effects on TAA hepatorenal damage, through improving the hepatic and renal functions, reduction of oxidative stress, structural and ultrastructural alterations, besides down-regulation in the expression of WNT4.