Mitigative impact of bradykinin potentiating factor isolated from Androctonus amoreuxi scorpion venom and low doses of γ-irradiation on doxorubicin induced hepatotoxicity through ang II/AMPK crosstalk

Abstract In this study, the mitigative impact of bradykinin potentiating factor (BPF) and low doses of γ-irradiation (LDR) were evaluated against doxorubicin (DOX) hepatotoxicity through Ang II/AMPK crosstalk. Rats have received a single dose of DOX (10 mg/kg, i.p.). BPF administration at a dose of 1 μg/g (b.wt./twice a week) was started one week before the administration of DOX and followed throughout the study for another consecutive week where LDR rats were subjected to two low fractions of γ-irradiation; 0.5 Gy/fraction/week up to the cumulative dose of 1 Gy at 7 days before and after doxorubicin administration. DOX produced a remarkable disturbance in serum hepatic enzymes activities, hepatic oxidative stress indices, as well as hepatic inflammatory and fibrotic markers in response to a marked elevation in hepatic angiotensin II (Ang II) together with marked depression in hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expressions. The combination of BPF and LDR produced a significant improvement in all examined parameters as well as mitigates hepatic toxicity through inhibition of Ang II induced by DOX, which might also be mediated by AMPK activation. Furthermore, histopathological and immunohistochemical examination reinforced the previous results. In conclusion, these findings shed new light on the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis consequence of our remedy and support the potential use of it as a preventive and therapeutic candidate against hepatic toxicity through Ang II/AMPK crosstalk. Graphical Abstract