Phenethylamine in chlorella alleviates high-fat diet-induced mouse liver damage by regulating generation of methylglyoxal

Abstract

This study examined the effects of oral administration of water extract of chlorella (WEC) (100 mg/kg bodyweight) and phenethylamine (10 μg/kg bodyweight) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced liver damage in mice. Phenethylamine significantly mitigated HFD-induced lipid oxidation (generation of malondialdehyde) and liver damage without markedly decreasing hepatic lipid accumulation. WEC exerted similar effects although with decreased efficacy. In addition, WEC and phenethylamine decreased the methylglyoxal levels and increased the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein levels in the liver. Methylglyoxal is generated from substrates of GAPDH, dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. These facts indicate that methylglyoxal triggers oxidation of accumulated lipid, which generates malondialdehyde and consequently induces liver damage. Suppression of generation of toxic aldehydes by WEC and phenethylamine was also confirmed by maintaining hepatic cysteine, highly reactive to aldehydes. Thus, trace amounts of phenethylamine alleviate HFD-induced liver damage by regulating methylglyoxal via increase of GAPDH.

Trapping Methylglyoxal by Taxifolin and Its Metabolites in Mice

“…12 Among these, trapping MGO is a very effective treatment strategy to prevent AGE-induced harmful effects. Although numerous chemical drugs, including aminoguanidine, 13 pyridoxamine, 14 and metformin, 15 have been found to effectively trap MGO in vivo, adverse effects of most chemical drugs trapping MGO complicate their approval by regulatory authorities. 12 Natural compounds exist abundantly in nature with many physiological and pharmacological activities.…”

Effect of Indian gooseberry extract on improving methylglyoxal-associated leptin resistance in peripheral tissues of high-fat diet-fed rats

“…and phenethylamine (10 μg/kg b.w.) effectively reversed HFD-induced liver damage by inhibiting MG-triggered lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in rats [ 26 ]. Additionally, increasing heat shock proteins and mechanoprotection in both young (age 12 weeks) and aged (70 weeks) mice with UCP1 ectopic expression of uncoupling protein-1 in skeletal muscle effectively improves the clearance of MG and MG-derived AGEs that subsequently exhibit a healthy aging phenotype [ 6 ].…”