The Protective Effects of Melatonin on Aluminum-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Rats
Date
10/19/2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type
Article
Publisher
Hindawi Limited
Series Info
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity;Volume 2020, 2020, Article number 7375136
Scientific Journal Rankings
Abstract
Aluminum (Al) is a ubiquitous element with known toxicity for both humans and animals. Herein, we aimed to investigate the potential role of melatonin (MEL) in hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity following aluminum chloride (AlCl3) treatment in rats. Adult male rats were treated with AlCl3 (34 mg/kg bwt) for eight weeks. Exposure to AlCl3 enhanced the serum activities of the liver transaminases (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) and increased the level of bilirubin, in addition to the serum kidney function markers urea and creatinine. AlCl3 intoxication boosted oxidative stress, as evidenced by increases in the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) along with simultaneous decreases in the levels of glutathione (GSH), various antioxidant enzymes, and Nrf2 mRNA expression. MEL (5 mg/kg bwt) treatment repressed LPO and NO levels, whereas it augmented GSH content. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes GPx, SOD, CAT, and GR were also restored concomitantly when MEL was administered before AlCl3. MEL also suppressed the apoptotic effect of AlCl3 by enhancing Bcl-2 protein expression in the liver and kidney and decreasing the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Histopathological findings in the liver and kidney tissues confirmed the beneficial effect of MEL against AlCl3 toxicity. These findings indicate that MEL prevents AlCl3 toxicity by enhancing the antioxidant defense system. © 2020 Mohamed S. Othman et al.
Description
Scopus
Keywords
Aluminum chloride, Amino acids, Antioxidants, Enzymes, Hormones, Toxicity, Amino Acids Antioxidants, Antioxidant enzyme, Aspartate aminotransferase, Lipid peroxidation, Pro-inflammatory cytokines, Protective effects, Protein expressions Engineering, Chlorine compounds, Variable Aluminum Chloride