Vildagliptin attenuates doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity via activating Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRT1 and suppressing NF-κB signals in rats

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anticancer commonly employed in cancer treatment. However, the clinical application of DOX is associated with hepatotoxicity. Vildagliptin is an anti-hyperglycemic agent that inhibits the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 enzyme. Besides being used in managing type-2 diabetes, vildagliptin showed potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other activities. Our investigation targeted the hepatoprotective effects of vildagliptin against DOX-induced hepatotoxicity. Vildagliptin was given in a dose of 30 mg/kg, once daily; p.o. for 2 weeks while DOX was injected in a single dose of 30 mg/kg, i.p. Vildagliptin effectively decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, while it effectively elevated serum total protein (TP) level. Histologically, vildagliptin administration resulted in significant hepatoprotective efficacy with abundant figures of normal hepatocytes. Moreover, vildagliptin considerably decreased lipid peroxidation biomarker malondialdehyde (MDA), and the cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, while it remarkably boosted the antioxidative defenses of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT). Dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were mediated by upregulating nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), and heme oxygenase (HO-1) and suppressing the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signals. Finally, vildagliptin alleviated apoptosis by downregulating hepatic p53 and cytochrome (Cyt)-C. Our findings suggest that vildagliptin improved hepatocellular architecture and reduced hepatic oxidative injury, inflammation, and apoptosis associated with DOX treatment.