Genistein ameliorated experimentally induced gastric ulcer in rats via inhibiting gastric tissues fibrosis by modulating Wnt/β-catenin/TGF-β/PKB pathway

• Published in: Redox report : communications in free radical research Vol. 28; no. 1; p. 2218679
• Main Authors: Hassan, Hanan M., Alatawi, Nouf M., Bagalagel, Alaa, Diri, Reem, Noor, Ahmad, Almasri, Deina, Bakhsh, Hussain T., Kutbi, Hussam I., Ashy, Noha, Al-Gayyar, Mohammed M. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 31-12-2023; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Animals; beta Catenin - metabolism; catalase; Catenins; Fibrosis; gastric ulcer; Genistein - therapeutic use; hydrogen peroxide; malondialdehyde (MDA); protein kinase B (PKB); Rats; SMAD4; Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced; Stomach Ulcer - drug therapy; superoxide dismutase (SOD); transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Wnt; β-catenin; β-catenin; SMAD4; transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; malondialdehyde (MDA); hydrogen peroxide; protein kinase B (PKB); Wnt; gastric ulcer; superoxide dismutase (SOD); catalase
• ISSN: 1351-0002; 1743-2928
• DOI: 10.1080/13510002.2023.2218679

Gastric ulcer (GU) is a prevalent chronic digestive disease affecting about 10% of the world's population leading to gastrointestinal perforation and bleeding. Genistein is a legume flavonoid with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the ability of genistein to reduce experimentally induced GU in rats by affecting gastric tissue fibrosis Wnt/β-catenin/TGF-β/SMAD4 pathway.
Thirty rats were used. Ten rats served as control, and GU was induced in twenty rats using a single dose of indomethacin (80 mg/kg) orally. Following induction of GU, ten were treated with genistein 25 mg/kg orally. The gastric tissues were isolated to investigate markers of gastric fibrosis, Wnt, β-catenin, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, SMAD4, and Protein kinase B (PKB). In addition, gastric sections were stained with PAS and anti-TGF-β antibodies.
Investigation GU micro-images revealed degeneration in both surface cells and glandular epithelial cells, which was improved by genistein. In addition, treatment with genistein significantly reduced the expression of Wnt, β-catenin, TGF-β, SMAD4, and PKB.
Besides antioxidant activity, genistein improves experimentally induced GU in rats, at least in part, via reduction of gastric tissue fibrosis as indicated by reduction in expression of Wnt, β-catenin, TGF-β, SMAD4, and PKB.