Preventive effect of salmon sperm DNA on acute carbon tetrachloride‐induced liver injury in mice through Nrf2/ARE and mitochondrial apoptosis pathway

Liver injury refers to the damage of liver function, which will seriously harm the body’s health if it is not prevented and treated in time. Sporadic researches have reported that ingestion of DNA has a hepatoprotective effect, but its effect and mechanism were not clarified. The purpose of this study was to explore the preventive effect and mechanism of salmon sperm DNA on acute liver injury in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). Six‐week‐old ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) male mice were used to establish a liver injury model by injecting with 4% CCl(4), silymarin, and three different concentrations of DNA solutions were given to mice by gavage for 14 days. The histological and pathological changes in the liver were observed. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum and the levels of oxidative and antioxidant markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), and glutathione (GSH) in liver tissue were determined. The levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis‐related markers were determined by western blotting. The results showed that compared with the model group, the DNA test group significantly improved the liver pathological changes and the level of liver function, regulated liver oxidative stress, reduced hepatocyte apoptosis, and decreased the levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF‐α and IL‐6. Compared with the silymarin group, the high dose of DNA was even more effective in preventing liver injury. In conclusion, salmon sperm DNA has a potential protective effect against acute liver injury induced by CCl(4), which is achieved by regulating the Nrf2/ARE (nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NF‐E2)‐related factor 2/antioxidant responsive element) oxidative stress pathway and mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.