
-   In model of aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced hepatorenal injury in rats, AlCl3 increased oxidative stress and induced a slight increase in liver apoptosis. Crat mRNA expression also increased in both liver and kidney tissues within the treated AlCl3 rats. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and the levels of caspase-3 were elevated with severe hepatic and renal pathological changes. Treatment with febuxostat could avert Alcl3-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity due to its activity to scavenge ROS, triggering the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and inhibiting the inflammatory cascade and apoptosis [PMID: 37340161].
-   A 3-year 8-month-old girl died after 14 months of illness characterized by episodes of intermittent ataxia associated with oculomotor palsy, hypotonia, mental confusion, and disturbances of consciousness. In the last 4 months of life, there were signs of liver dysfunction. Pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activities were normal in autopsy brain specimens and in cultured fibroblasts from the patient. Carnitine acetyltransferase was deficient in liver, brain, kidney, and cultured fibroblasts. Medium- and long-chain carnitine acyltransferase activities were normal. It is proposed that a functional defect of acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) utilization in brain mitochondria accompanies the carnitine acetyltransferase deficiency [PMID: 574220].
