Aim: Doxorubicin is a highly effective anticancer agent that causes hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in patients. Fibroblast growth factor 21, a well-known regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism, exerts cardioprotective effects. Gemigliptin and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. The protective effects of gemigliptin on hepatotoxicity via the increase in fibroblast growth factor 21 expression has not yet been elucidated. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of gemigliptin against doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity via the upregulation of fibroblast growth factor 21 expression in the cultured murine hepatocyte cell line, AML12.
Methods: Murine hepatocyte AML12 cells were treated with doxorubicin, fibroblast growth factor 21 and gemigliptin in 0.5% fetal bovine serum medium for 24 h at the indicated doses. Cells were transfected with the fibroblast growth factor 21 small interfering RNA for 24 h, followed by protein isolation.
Results: Fibroblast growth factor 21 expression levels were increased during doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity in the murine hepatocyte AML12 cells. Fibroblast growth factor 21 treatment prevented doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity by attenuating apoptosis. Gemigliptin prevented doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity by upregulating fibroblast growth factor 21 expression. However, the protective effects of gemigliptin were blocked by fibroblast growth factor 21 inhibition in doxorubicin-treated AML12 cells.
Conclusion: These results indicate that gemigliptin exhibits protective effects against doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity by upregulating the fibroblast growth factor 21 expression levels in the cultured murine hepatocyte AML12 cells.
Keywords: Apoptosis; Doxorubicin; FGF21; Gemigliptin; Hepatotoxicity.
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