Low‑dose ionizing radiation attenuates high glucose‑induced hepatic apoptosis and immune factor release via modulation of a miR‑155‑SOCS1 axis

Diabetic liver injury (DLI) can result in several diseases of the liver, including steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) has hormetic effects in normal/disease conditions. However, whether LDIR has a beneficial effect on DLI has not been assessed previously. MicroRNA (miR)-155 and its target gene suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) play critical roles in modulating hepatic proliferation, apoptosis, and immunity. However, whether a miR-155-SOCS1 axis is involved in high glucose (HG) induced hepatic damage remains to be determined. In the present study, mouse hepatocyte AML12 cells were treated with 30 mM glucose (HG), 75 mGy X-ray (LDIR), or HG plus LDIR. The expression levels of miR-155 and SOCS1 were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Additionally, apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry. The release of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ, after HG and/or LDIR treatment was detected by ELISA. The results showed that HG may induce hepatic apoptosis by upregulating the levels of miR-155 and downregulating the levels of SOCS1. HG also stimulated the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10. However, LDIR blocked the HG-induced activation of a miR-155-SOCS1 axis and suppressed the release of inflammatory factors. These results indicated that a miR-155-SOCS1 axis plays a role in HG-induced liver injury, and LDIR may exert a hepatoprotective effect by regulating the miR-155-SOCS1 axis.