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Zhang WQ, Sun JX, Lan ST, Sun XM, Guo YJ, Wen BC, Chen J, Liu G. Regulation of Fuzheng Huayu capsule on inhibiting the fibrosis-associated hepatocellular carcinogenesis. JOURNAL OF ASIAN NATURAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH 2024; 26:1219-1238. [PMID: 38780602 DOI: 10.1080/10286020.2024.2355132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, bioinformatics analysis of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) dataset was conducted with the hepatoprotective effect of the Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) capsule against the diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC progression analyzed. Eight cell clusters were defined and tanshinone IIA, arachidonic acid, and quercetin, compounds of the FZHY capsule, inhibit HCC progression-related fibrosis by regulating the expression of PLAU and IGFBP3. Combined with the ameliorative effect of the FZHY capsule against liver dysfunctions and expression of PLAU and IGFBP3, our study confirmed the effect of the FZHY capsule on inhibiting the fibrosis-associated HCC progression via regulating the expression of PLAU and IGFBP3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Jia-Xin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Shu-Ting Lan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Yi-Jing Guo
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Bi-Chao Wen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Department of Achievement Transformation, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China
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Zhao Y, Wang YH, Tu WC, Wang DW, Lu MJ, Shao Y. Costunolide Inhibits Chronic Kidney Disease Development by Attenuating IKKβ/NF-κB Pathway. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:2693-2712. [PMID: 38974121 PMCID: PMC11227330 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s466092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant worldwide health concern that leads to high mortality rates. The bioactive substance costunolide (CTD) has demonstrated several pharmacological effects and holds promise as a CKD treatment. This study aims to investigate the impact of CTD on CKD and delve into its mechanisms of action. Methods Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) methods and renal fibrosis mice models were created. Various concentrations of CTD were injected into UUO mice models to investigate the therapeutic effects of CTD on renal fibrosis of mice. Then, renal morphology, pathological changes, and the expression of genes related to fibrosis, inflammation and ferroptosis were analysed. RNA sequencing was utilized to identify the main biological processes and pathways involved in renal injury. Finally, both overexpression and inhibition of IKKβ were studied to examine their respective effects on fibrosis and inflammation in both in vitro and in vivo models. Results CTD treatment was found to significantly alleviate fibrosis, inflammation and ferroptosis in UUO-induced renal fibrosis mice models. The results of RNA sequencing suggested that the IKKβ acted as key regulatory factor in renal injury and the expression of IKKβ was increased in vitro and in vivo renal fibrosis model. Functionally, down-regulated IKKβ expression inhibits ferroptosis, inflammatory cytokine production and collagen deposition. Conversely, IKKβ overexpression exacerbates progressive renal fibrosis. Mechanistically, CTD alleviated renal fibrosis and inflammation by inhibiting the expression of IKKβ and attenuating IKKβ/NF-κB pathway. Conclusion This study demonstrates that CTD could mitigate renal fibrosis, ferroptosis and inflammation in CKD by modulating the IKKβ/NF-κB pathway, which indicates targeting IKKβ has an enormous potential for treating CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi-Han Wang
- Department of Urology, Sixth People’s Hospital South Campus Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei-Chao Tu
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Da-Wei Wang
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mu-Jun Lu
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Shao
- Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, 201800, People’s Republic of China
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Wang F, Wang S, Wang J, Huang K, Chen G, Peng Y, Liu C, Tao Y. Pharmacological mechanisms of Fuzheng Huayu formula for Aristolochic acid I-induced kidney fibrosis through network pharmacology. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1056865. [PMID: 36569327 PMCID: PMC9779930 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1056865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Renal fibrosis, characterized by the destruction of renal tubules and interstitial capillaries and the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, is a common outcome of chronic renal diseases and has a wide spectrum of etiologies. Fibrosis can affect any organ and has similar pathological mechanisms. Fuzheng Huayu formula (FZHY), as the approved anti-liver fibrosis medicine in China, also can inhibit the kidney fibrosis induced by HgCl2 or unilateral ureteral obstruction. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of FZHY on renal fibrosis. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms of FZHY acts on renal fibrosis through network pharmacological analysis and in vivo experiments. Data from online databases were mined and screened to predict the target related genes of FZHY acts on renal fibrosis. The STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks for FZHY and CKD target proteins. Mouse models with CKD induced by Aristolochic Acid I (AAI) were used to validate the effects of FZHY on renal fibrosis and their underlying mechanisms by detecting kidney function, renal fibrosis, and related intersection genes. A total of 129 FZHY-CKD crossover proteins were filtered and constructed into a protein-protein interaction network complex and designated as the potential targets of FZHY. One of the highest-scoring genes, FOS, and its related signaling pathways were more activated in CKD. The results demonstrated that FZHY can exert an anti-renal fibrosis effect by improving the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and alleviating excessive collagen deposition in kidney tissue, FZHY also could reduce the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and inhibit the expression of MAPK/FOS signal molecules. Our study findings provide insights into predicting the effects of FZHY on CKD through network pharmacology. FZHY can protect the kidney from inflammatory injury caused by AAI and can antagonize inflammatory factor-stimulated MAPK/FOS activation in fibrotic kidneys. These effects constitute the mechanisms of FZHY for renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaofeng Chen
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Peng
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenghai Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, China,Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Chenghai Liu, ; Yanyan Tao,
| | - Yanyan Tao
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, China,Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Chenghai Liu, ; Yanyan Tao,
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Qingda granule alleviate angiotensin ⅱ-induced hypertensive renal injury by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation through NOX1 and NF-κB pathways. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 153:113407. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Liu XY, Zhang XB, Zhao YF, Qu K, Yu XY. Research Progress of Chinese Herbal Medicine Intervention in Renal Interstitial Fibrosis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:900491. [PMID: 35770077 PMCID: PMC9235922 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.900491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney diseases usually cause renal interstitial fibrosis, the prevention, delay, and treatment of which is a global research hotspot. However, no definite treatment options are available in modern medicine. Chinese herbal medicine has a long history, rich varieties, and accurate treatment effects. Hitherto, many Chinese herbal medicine studies have emerged to improve renal interstitial fibrosis. This paper reviews the mechanisms of renal interstitial fibrosis and recent studies on the disease intervention with Chinese herbal medicine through literature search, intend to reveal the importance of Chinese herbal medicine in renal interstitial fibrosis. The results show that Chinese herbal medicine can improve renal interstitial fibrosis, and the effects of Chinese herbal medicine on specific pathological mechanisms underlying renal interstitial fibrosis have been explored. Additionally, the limitations and advantages of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis, possible research directions, and new targets of Chinese herbal medicine are discussed to provide a basis for studies of renal interstitial fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yuan Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Xu-Bin Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic, Xi’an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Ya-Feng Zhao
- Department of Nephrology, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Kai Qu
- Department of Nephrology, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiao-Yong Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao-Yong Yu,
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Wang Q, Tao Y, Xie H, Liu C, Liu P. MicroRNA‑101 inhibits renal tubular epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition by targeting TGF‑β1 type I receptor. Int J Mol Med 2021; 47:119. [PMID: 33955520 PMCID: PMC8099196 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.4952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are key regulators of renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). The present study was designed to identify miRNAs associated with the development of RIF, and to explore the ability of these identified miRNAs to modulate the renal tubular epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. To this end, miRNAs that were differentially expressed between normal and fibrotic kidneys in a rat model of mercury chloride (HgCl2)‑induced RIF were detected via an array‑based approach. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that miR‑101 was the miRNA that was most significantly downregulated in the fibrotic renal tissue samples, and this was confirmed by RT‑qPCR, which also demonstrated that this miRNA was downregulated in transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1‑treated human proximal tubular epithelial (HK‑2) cells. When miR‑101 was overexpressed, this was sufficient to reverse TGF‑β1‑induced EMT in HK‑2 cells, leading to the upregulation of the epithelial marker, E‑cadherin, and the downregulation of the mesenchymal marker, α‑smooth muscle actin. By contrast, the downregulation of miR‑101 using an inhibitor exerted the opposite effect. The overexpression of miR‑101 also suppressed the expression of the miR‑101 target gene, TGF‑β1 type I receptor (TβR‑I), and thereby impaired TGF‑β1/Smad3 signaling, while the opposite was observed upon miR‑101 inhibition. To further confirm the ability of miR‑101 to modulate EMT, the HK‑2 cells were treated with the TβR‑I inhibitor, SB‑431542, which significantly suppressed TGF‑β1‑induced EMT in these cells. Notably, miR‑101 inhibition exerted a less pronounced effect upon EMT‑related phenotypes in these TβR‑I inhibitor‑treated HK‑2 cells, supporting a model wherein miR‑101 inhibits TGF‑β1‑induced EMT by suppressing TβR‑I expression. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that miR‑101 is capable of inhibiting TGF‑β1‑induced tubular EMT by targeting TβR‑I, suggesting that it may be an important regulator of RIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglan Wang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Yanyan Tao
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Hongdong Xie
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Chenghai Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Ping Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
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Fuzheng Huayu recipe, a traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine, attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis via targeting the miR-21/PTEN/AKT axis. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2020; 18:505-513. [PMID: 32912827 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may be viable targets for treating renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). Fuzheng Huayu recipe (FZHY), a traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine, is often used in China to treat fibrosis. This study sought to assess the mechanisms through which FZHY influences miRNAs to treat RIF. METHODS RIF was induced in rats by mercury chloride and treated with FZHY. Hydroxyproline content, Masson's staining and type I collagen expression were used to evaluate renal collagen deposition. Renal miRNA profiles were evaluated using a miRNA microarray. Those miRNAs that were differentially expressed following FZHY treatment were identified and subjected to bioinformatic analyses. The miR-21 target gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression and AKT phosphorylation in kidney tissues were assessed via Western blotting. In addition, HK-2 human proximal tubule epithelial cells were treated using angiotensin II (Ang-II) to induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), followed by FZHY exposure. miR-21 and PTEN expressions were evaluated via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while E-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expressions were assessed by immunofluorescent staining and qRT-PCR. Western blotting was used to assess PTEN and AKT phosphorylation. RESULTS FZHY significantly decreased kidney collagen deposition, hydroxyproline content and type I collagen level. The miRNA microarray identified 20 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in response to FZHY treatment. Subsequent bioinformatic analyses found that miR-21 was the key fibrosis-related miRNA regulated by FZHY. FZHY also decreased PTEN expression and AKT phosphorylation in fibrotic kidneys. Results from in vitro tests also suggested that FZHY promoted E-cadherin upregulation and inhibited α-SMA expression in Ang-II-treated HK-2 cells, effectively reversing Ang-II-mediated EMT. We also determined that FZHY reduced miR-21 expression, increased PTEN expression and decreased AKT phosphorylation in these cells. CONCLUSION miR-21 is the key fibrosis-related miRNA regulated by FZHY. The ability of FZHY to modulate miR-21/PTEN/AKT signaling may be a viable approach for treating RIF.
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Protective Effect of DPPD on Mercury Chloride-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats. J Toxicol 2020; 2020:4127284. [PMID: 32733552 PMCID: PMC7378606 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4127284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mercury is a global environmental pollutant, accumulating mainly in the kidney and liver inducing hepatorenal toxicity, oxidative stress, and tissue damage. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between free radicals' production and cellular antioxidant defense systems. In the present study, we investigated the effect of N N′-diphenyl-1, 4-phenylenediamine (DPPD) antioxidant activity against mercury chloride- (HgCl2-) induced renal and hepatic toxicity. Thirty adult female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three equal groups: the first group was injected with saline only and served as a control, the second group was injected with HgCl2, and the third group received DPPD + HgCl2 rats injected with HgCl2 without treatment showing a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, creatinine, and uric acids compared to control. Moreover, the second group showed a significant reduction in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH)) in addition to a marked increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, histopathological alterations, collagen deposition, CD8%, CD4%, and TGF-β% in kidney and liver tissues compared with the control group. Treatment with DPPD showed significant recovery (p ≤ 0.001) in all previous parameters and histopathological examination. In conclusion, we suggested that DPPD may have a promising antioxidant capacity, gives it the applicability to be used as a prophylactic agent against mercury-induced hepatorenal cytotoxicity in the future.
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Shi MJ, Yan XL, Dong BS, Yang WN, Su SB, Zhang H. A network pharmacology approach to investigating the mechanism of Tanshinone IIA for the treatment of liver fibrosis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 253:112689. [PMID: 32101775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVELVANCE Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) is a major component extracted from the traditional herbal medicine salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), which activates blood circulation and treats chronic hepatitis and liver fibrosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of TIIA against hepatic fibrosis is still largely unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY The present study aimed to evaluate the antifibrotic effects of TIIA in liver fibrosis and investigate its underlying mechanism through network pharmacology-based prediction and experimental verification. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, a "TIIA-targets-liver fibrosis" network was constructed by combining the TIIA-specific and hepatic fibrosis-specific targets with protein-protein interactions (PPIS), and network pharmacology was applied to identify the potential targets and mechanisms of TIIA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. The antifibrotic effect of TIIA was investigated in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats in vivo and in the human HSC line LX2 in vitro. RESULTS We identified 75 potential targets of TIIA and 1382 targets of liver fibrosis. Subsequently, the 29 target proteins that overlapped between the potential TIIA targets and the liver fibrosis targets indicated that TIIA has potential antifibrotic effects through regulating multiple targets, including c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9 and P65. Pathway and functional enrichment analysis of these putative targets showed that TIIA could regulate the MAPK, PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways. Consistently, in vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that TIIA attenuated CCl4-induced liver injury and fibrosis and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSC) proliferation and activation; these findings were concomitant with the decreased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and human α2 (I) collagen (COL1A2). Moreover, TIIA remarkably downregulated the expression of c-Jun, c-Myc, MMP9, PI3K and P38 proteins, which were upregulated in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in vivo. TIIA significantly downregulated the expression of c-Jun, p-c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9, P65, P-P65, PI3K and P38 proteins, which were upregulated during HSC activation in vitro. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that TIIA could significantly improve liver function, decrease liver injury, alleviate ECM accumulation, and attenuate HSC proliferation and activation, thus exerting an antifibrotic effect. The possible molecular mechanism involved MAPK, Wnt and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways via inhibiting c-Jun, p-c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9, P65, P-P65, PI3K and P38. Overall, our results suggest that TIIA could alleviate liver fibrosis through multiple targets and multiple signaling pathways and provide deep insight into the pharmacological mechanisms of TIIA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Juan Shi
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiu-Li Yan
- Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ben-Sheng Dong
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wen-Na Yang
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Shi-Bing Su
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Hu XQ, Song YN, Wu R, Cai FF, Zhang Y, Peng JH, Hu YY, Su SB. Metabolic mechanisms of Fuzheng-Huayu formula against liver fibrosis in rats. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 238:111888. [PMID: 31004725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Fuzheng-Huayu formula (FZHY) is traditionally used to treat liver fibrosis in clinic. The study was conducted to investigate the metabolic mechanisms of FZHY against liver fibrosis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Rats with CCl4 -induced liver fibrosis were treated with FZHY and its components, including amygdalin, cordyceps polysaccharide and gypenoside, respecitively. Liver fibrosis and function were assesed by histopathological examination, Western blot and serum biochemical detection. Metabolic profiling of liver tissue, serum and urine in each group were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and transcriptomic changes were tested by gene chip. RT-qPCR was used to validate levels of different expressed genes (DEGs) with statistical significance. Metabolic network together with DEGs was constructed based on KEGG database. RESULTS FZHY effectively improved liver fibrosis better than the mixture or single use of gypenoside, cordyceps sinensis mycelia and amygdalin. FZHY treatment widely modulated the metabolic profiles perturbed by liver fibrosis, involving several important metabolic pathways, including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glucose-alanine cycle, citrate cycle, galactose metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, urea cycle, etc. It also increased alanine and decreased glucose levels in liver tissue and decreased both of them in serum and urine, which were dysregulated by CCl4 treatment. Additionally, FZHY also upregulated expression of metabolic enzymes including Hk2, Adh1 and Gpt increased, and downregulated Gs and Acss2. CONCLUSION FZHY improved liver fibrosis in rats via altering the metabolic pathways and regulating gene expression of involved metabolic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Qing Hu
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ya-Nan Song
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, china
| | - Rong Wu
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fei-Fei Cai
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yongyu Zhang
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and System Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jing-Hua Peng
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yi-Yang Hu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Shi-Bing Su
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Hong M, Cai Z, Song L, Liu Y, Wang Q, Feng X. Gynostemma pentaphyllum Attenuates the Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice: A Biomedical Investigation Integrated with In Silico Assay. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2018; 2018:8384631. [PMID: 29743925 PMCID: PMC5884411 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8384631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of liver disease in developed countries. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the progression of NAFLD. Modern pharmacological study and clinical trials have demonstrated the remarkable antioxidant activity of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP) in chronic liver disease. One aim of this study was to explore the potential protective effects and mechanisms of action of GP extract on NAFLD. The in vivo results showed that GP extract could alleviate fatty degeneration and haptic fibrosis in NAFLD mice. For exploring the hepatoprotective mechanisms of GP, we used network pharmacology to predict the potential active components of GP and their intracellular targets in NAFLD. Based on the network pharmacology results, we further utilized biomedical assays to validate this in silico prediction. The results showed that Gypenoside XL could upregulate the protein level of PPARα in NAFLD; the transcription level of several PPARα downstream target genes such as acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) also increased after Gypenoside XL treatment. The overexpression of ACO and CPT-1 may involve the hepatoprotective effects of GP and Gypenoside XL on NAFLD by regulating mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Hong
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Zhe Cai
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Lei Song
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Yongqiang Liu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Xiangfei Feng
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 665 Kongjiang Rd., Shanghai, China
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