Targeting of miR-96-5p by catalpol ameliorates oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis in LDLr-/- mice via p66shc/cytochrome C cascade

Hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress are considered to be the sequential steps in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We previously found that catalpol, an iridoid glucoside extracted from the root of Romania glutinosa L, protected against diabetes-induced hepatic oxidative stress. Here, we found that the increased expression of p66shc was observed in NAFLD models and catalpol could inhibit p66shc expression to ameliorate NAFLD effectively. However, the underlying mechanisms remained unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the p66shc-targeting miRNAs in regulating oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis, also the mechanisms of catalpol inhibiting NAFLD. We found that the effects of catalpol inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress and steasis are dependent on inhibiting P66Shc expression. In addition, miR-96-5p was able to suppress p66shc/cytochrome C cascade via targeting p66shc mRNA 3’UTR, and catalpol could lead to suppression of NAFLD via upregulating miR-96-5p level. Thus, catalpol was effective in ameliorating NAFLD, and miR-96-5p/p66shc/cytochrome C cascade might be a potential target.