The adaptogenic anti-ageing potential of resveratrol against heat stress-mediated liver injury in aged rats: Role of HSP70 and NF-kB signalling

Heat stress (HS) is a major international problem which has attracted a considerable attention due to its oxidative tissue effects and high morbidity and mortality rates, especially among elderly people. Discovering an effective antioxidant is pivotal for overcoming HS-induced injury. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the hepatic protective effects of orally supplemented resveratrol (RES) against HS-mediated liver injury in young and old male Wistar albino rats. Compared to control rats, RES administered orally at a dose of 20 mg/kg BW for 21 successive days efficiently ameliorated HS-induced oxidative damage by significantly increasing (P <= 0.05) the level of reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase, and decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde and TNF-alpha in hepatic tissue of both young and aged rats. However, level of NF-kappa B was down regulated significantly in aged rats rather than young rats. Moreover, RES significantly decreased (P <= 0.05) the serum levels of aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in both ages of rats compared to their corresponding HS-stressed rats. Furthermore, RES upregulated the immunohistochemical expression of caspase 3 and heat shock protein 70 in young and aged rats, however it was more pronounced in young one. In addition, RES administration moderately normalized (P <= 0.0001) the harmful effects of HS on the hepatic architecture of both young and aged rats. In conclusion, this study reveals for the first time that RES exerts promising hepatoameliorative effects against HS-induced oxidative stress in the young and aged rats via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effect, as well as via its inhibitory effect against the NE-kappa B signalling in a cellular system.