Maha A. Momenah; Hasnaa A. Ebrahim; Norah M. Alzamil; Mohammed Alfaifi; Mohammad Y. Alshahrani; Samaa S. Kamar; Mohamed A. Haidara; Bahjat Al-Ani & Amal F. Dawood

Ingestion of an overdose of paracetamol (also called acetaminophen, or APAP) induces hepatotoxicity that can lead to liver failure. The link between the pro-inflammatory microRNA-155 (miR-155) and leukocyte infiltration (CD45) in APAP- antioxidant depletion and liver toxicity with and without the natural polyphenolic compounds, quercetin (QUR) plus resveratrol (RES) has not been previously studied. Therefore, acute hepatic injury was induced in rats by 2 g/kg APAP (single dose, orally) and another group started QUR (50 mg/kg) plus RES (30 mg/kg) treatment one week prior to APAP ingestion. Animals were culled 24 hours post the paracetamol treatment. APAP overdose induced hepatic and blood levels of miR-155 expression, CD45 (leukocyte common antigen) immunostaining, degenerated hepatocytes, and hepatic injury enzymes; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which were markedly decreased by QUR+RES. Whereas, APAP intoxication ameliorated liver tissue levels of the antioxidants, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase that were augmented by QUR+RES. Moreover, a significant (p<0.05) correlation between miR-155/CD45 axis and liver tissue injury was observed. These findings show that paracetamol intoxication augments miR- 155/CD45 axis-mediated modulation of antioxidants and liver injury in rats, and is protected by QUR+RES.

KEY WORDS: Acute liver injury; Paracetamol poisoning; miR-155; CD45; Antioxidant; Quercetin; Resveratrol.

MOMENAH, M. A.; EBRAHIM, H. A.; ALZAMIL, N. M.; ALFAIFI, M.; ALSHAHRANI, M. Y.; KAMAR, S. S.; HAIDARA, M. A.; AL-ANI, B. & DAWOOD, A. F. Paracetamol poisoning induces acute liver injury in rats: inhibition of mir-155/cd45 axis- mediated antioxidant depletion and hepatotoxicity using quercetin and resveratrol. Int. J. Morphol., 40(5):1174-1180, 2022.