Issue 2, 2023

Red raspberry supplementation mitigates alcohol-induced liver injury associated with gut microbiota alteration and intestinal barrier dysfunction in mice

Abstract

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is still a global health concern. Long-term alcohol intake alters the gut microbiota diversity and metabolic activity, and causes intestinal barrier dysfunction, leading to the development of ALD. This research explored the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of red raspberry (RR) on alcohol-related disorders in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a standard diet or a standard diet supplemented with 2%, 4%, and 8% weight/weight RR. Meanwhile, mice were administered 35% (v/v) ethanol (EtOH, 10 mL per kg body weight) intragastrically once daily for six weeks, except the control group mice. The results showed that RR supplementation decreased liver injury markers (alanine and aspartate transaminases) in the serum, reduced triglyceride level in the liver and downregulated hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 mRNA expression in mice administered EtOH. In addition, EtOH-mediated oxidative stress in the liver was attenuated by RR supplementation through decreased hepatic malondialdehyde content and increased antioxidant (glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) levels and activities in mice exposed to EtOH. Moreover, RR supplementation reversed EtOH-induced alteration in the cecal microbial composition at the phylum, order, genus, and species levels and improved the intestinal barrier function associated with the inhibition of the NF-κB/MLCK pathway, which was accompanied by upregulation of tight junctions (zonula occludens 1, occludin, claudin-1, and claudin-4) and E-cadherin mRNA and protein expressions. Accordingly, RR supplementation resulted in a decreased level of endotoxins in the serum and attenuation of the inflammatory response in the liver, illustrated by a significant decrease in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 levels. Overall, RR supplementation alleviated the adverse effects of chronic alcohol intake in C57BL/6J mice and could be a potential supplement for improving ALD.

Graphical abstract: Red raspberry supplementation mitigates alcohol-induced liver injury associated with gut microbiota alteration and intestinal barrier dysfunction in mice

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Oct 2022
Accepted
29 Nov 2022
First published
05 Dec 2022

Food Funct., 2023,14, 1209-1226

Red raspberry supplementation mitigates alcohol-induced liver injury associated with gut microbiota alteration and intestinal barrier dysfunction in mice

D. Zogona, A. W. Zongo, A. E. Elkhedir, M. Salah, M. Tao, R. Li, T. Wu and X. Xu, Food Funct., 2023, 14, 1209 DOI: 10.1039/D2FO03245G

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