Protective Effect of Selenium-enriched Peptide from Cardamine violifolia on Ethanol-induced L-02 Hepatocyte Injury

In this study, we investigated the protective effect of selenium (Se)-enriched peptide isolated from Cardamine violifolia (SPE) against ethanol-induced liver injury. Cell proliferation assays show that different concentrations of SPE protect human embryonic liver L-02 cells against ethanol-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 12 μmol/L Se increases the cell survival rate (82.44%) and reduces the release of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, and apoptosis rate. SPE treatment with 12 μmol/L Se effectively reduces the concentration of intracellular reactive oxygen species and increases the contents of intracellular superoxide dismutase (51.64 U/mg), catalase (4.41 U/mg), glutathione peroxidase (1205.28 nmol/g), and glutathione (66.67 μmol/g), thereby inhibiting the effect of ethanol-induced oxidative damage. The results of the transcriptomic analysis show that the glutathione metabolism and apoptotic pathway play significant roles in the protection of L-02 hepatocytes by SPE. Real-time qPCR analysis shows that SPE increases the mRNA expression of GPX1 and NGFR. The results of this study highlight the protective effects of SPE against ethanol-induced liver injury.