Poria cocos polysaccharide prevents alcohol-induced hepatic injury and inflammation by repressing oxidative stress and gut leakiness

Abstract

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major worldwide chronic liver disease accompanied by hepatic inflammation, gut leakiness, and abnormal oxidative stress. Our previous study demonstrated substantial hepatoprotective activity of the active Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP-1C). The present study explored whether PCP-1C protects against ALD among hepatic inflammation, gut leakiness, and abnormal oxidative stress. The results showed that PCP-1C significantly improved alcohol-induced liver injury by decreasing serum biochemical parameters, alleviating hepatic steatosis, and reducing lipid accumulation caused by ALD. Moreover, PCP-1C treatment reduced hepatic inflammation by inhibiting the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and also improved hepatocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1)/reactive oxygen species (ROS)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway. Regarding intestinal protection, PCP-1C could repair the intestinal barrier and reduce lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leakage. Generally, PCP-1C exerts a positive therapeutic effect on ALD, which may play a pivotal of decreasing inflammatory factor release, inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis, and improving intestinal barrier injury.

Lactobacillus plantarum J26 Alleviating Alcohol-Induced Liver Inflammation by Maintaining the Intestinal Barrier and Regulating MAPK Signaling Pathways

“…Ma et al [ 33 ] found that knockdown or inhibition of the p38 gene attenuated the aggravation of neutrophil infiltration and alleviated liver injury and inflammation in an acute-on-slow alcohol-fed mice model, indicating that p38 plays a key role in slow-on-acute alcohol-fed liver injury. The study results of Jiang et al [ 34 ] showed that Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP-1C) could reduce liver inflammation by inhibiting MAPK signaling pathway. This suggests that the downregulation of this signal may be a way to prevent inflammation in the liver.…”

Research Progress on the Therapeutic Effect of Polysaccharides on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through the Regulation of the Gut–Liver Axis

“…In recent years, polysaccharides have attracted wide-spread attention for their physiological properties, such as anti-virus [ 73 ], anti-tumor [ 74 ], anti-inflammatory [ 75 ], anti-diabetic [ 76 ], anti-liver injury [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ], reducing obesity [ 82 ], and immune regulation [ 83 ]. Polysaccharides have become one of the current research hotspots owing to the prevention and treatment of liver damage in various ways (e.g., anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress) [ 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 ].…”

Preparation, characterization, antioxidant and antianemia activities of Poria cocos polysaccharide iron (III) complex

“…The value of Mw/Mn was close to 1, which indicates that PCP-1C was relatively homogeneous. Further experiments showed that PCP1C had excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity [ 19 ]. However, whether it is possible to use PCP1C with higher purity to prepare polysaccharide iron and how its physiological activity needs to be further studied.…”