Ursolic acid attenuates cholestasis through NRF2-mediated regulation of UGT2B7 and BSEP/MRP2.

Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid, exhibits various pharmacological actions, such as anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-diabetes, heart protection, and liver protection. However, the role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated regulation of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT2B7) and bile salt export pump (BSEP)/multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) in UA against cholestatic liver injury has not been cleared. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of UA on cholestatic liver injury and its potential mechanism. The results of the liver pathology sections and blood biochemical indices demonstrated that UA significantly attenuated the cholestatic liver injury induced by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA and protein levels of UGT2B7 and BSEP/MRP2 were remarkably increased in the liver of ANIT rats and HepG2 cells pretreated with UA, but this activation was suppressed with NRF2 silenced. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that UA prevents cholestasis, which may be associated with NRF2-mediated regulation of UGT2B7, BSEP/MRP2. © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Citation

Xing Wang, Wenqiang Xiong, Xin Wang, Liying Qin, Maolian Zhong, Yan Liu, Yuqing Xiong, Xiaoyi Yi, Xiaosong Wang, Hong Zhang. Ursolic acid attenuates cholestasis through NRF2-mediated regulation of UGT2B7 and BSEP/MRP2. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology. 2024 Apr;397(4):2257-2267

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PMID: 37812240

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