Protective effect of the glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue liraglutide on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice

Acute liver injury seriously endangers human health. Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, has antioxidative effects in addition to being widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and was reported to ameliorate liver diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of liraglutide on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury in mice and to investigate the mechanisms involved in this protective effect. Male BALB/c mice were pre-treated with liraglutide (200 μg/kg/day) by hypodermic injection for 3 days before a 0.1% (v/v) CCl4 (10 ml/kg, dissolved in olive oil) intraperitoneal injection, or post-treated with liraglutide once immediately after a CCl4 intraperitoneal injection. The experimental data showed that liraglutide treatment significantly decreased the serum ALT and AST levels and ameliorated the liver histopathological changes induced by CCl4. In addition, liraglutide pre-treatment dramatically increased the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive hepatocytes and significantly reduced hepatocyte apoptosis after CCl4 treatment. As a consequence, liraglutide pre-treatment significantly prevented CCl4-induced malondialdehyde (MDA) production and increased the activity of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme. In addition, liraglutide pre-treatment significantly ameliorated mitochondrial respiratory functions and ultrastructural features. Furthermore, liraglutide pre-treatment enhances the activation of the NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway. In summary, liraglutide protects against CCl4-induced acute liver injury by protecting mitochondrial functions and inhibiting oxidative stress, which may partly involve the activation of NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway. •Liraglutide ameliorates changes in liver malformation and injury induced by CCl4.•Liraglutide promotes hepatocyte proliferation and inhibits hepatocyte apoptotic induced by CCl4 in livers.•Liraglutide enhances respiratory function of hepatocyte mitochondria.•Liraglutide alleviates oxidative stress induced by CCl4 in livers possibly via activating the NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway.