Estrogen Deficiency Aggravates Fluoride-Induced Liver Damage and Lipid Metabolism Disorder in Rats

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Endocrinology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Estrogen plays a crucial role in liver metabolism.
• Estrogen deficiency is linked to metabolic disorders.
• Fluoride exposure can induce liver injury.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of estrogen deficiency in fluoride-induced liver injury.
• To examine the impact of estrogen deficiency on liver function and lipid metabolism under fluoride exposure.
• To evaluate the combined effects of ovariectomy and fluoride on rat liver health.

Main Methods:

• Ovariectomy (OVX) rat models were established to induce estrogen deficiency.
• Rats were exposed to varying doses of fluoride (F-) in drinking water for 90 days.
• Liver morphology, hepatocyte proliferation, lipid droplet distribution, liver function, and serum lipid parameters were assessed.

Main Results:

• Fluoride exposure caused hepatocyte damage and inhibited proliferation, effects exacerbated by estrogen deficiency.
• Lipid droplet deposition in the liver increased with fluoride dose, especially in OVX rats.
• Fluoride exposure elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP, γ-GT) and bilirubin, alongside serum triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol (TC), with further increases observed in estrogen-deficient rats.

Conclusions:

• Estrogen deficiency significantly aggravates fluoride-induced liver damage.
• Estrogen deficiency exacerbates fluoride-induced disruptions in lipid metabolism.
• The findings underscore the importance of estrogen in mitigating fluoride toxicity in the liver.