Unstable social situation and food inequality can promote accumulation of lipofuscin and induced apoptosis in hepatocytes

Based on both animal and human studies, inequality and social injustice have adverse effects on individual and community health. However, it is not yet known whether social instability and food inequality can cause the premature aging hepatocytes death in young people. To address this question, the effects of food intake inequality with or without unstable social status were evaluated and histopathological changes in hepatocytes and aging process investigated as well. Forty eight Newzeland white male rabbits were divided into six groups and different social situations were applied to some groups during eight weeks. After the end of the period of the experiment, lipofuscin accumulation and apoptosis as two main markers of aging were studied by long Zeihl Nelseen staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nike end labeling (TUNEL reaction) of the hepatocytes respectively. Serum cortisol level was also measured. The simultaneous application of the mentioned situations (i.e. food restriction, social inequality and changed cage-mate), caused significant change in lipofuscin accumulation in the hepatocytes in comparison with the control group (p<0.001). In addition, application of instability and isolation environment produced significant changes in hepatocytes apoptosis (p<0.05). Accumulation of two main markers of aging increased in hepatocytes and was accelerated in the groups with unstable social status