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Sedum sarmentosum Total Flavonoids Alleviate Schistosomiasis-Induced Liver Fibrosis by Altering TGF- β1 and Smad7 Expression. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:2083697. [PMID: 33293986 PMCID: PMC7714578 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2083697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects over 142 million people worldwide. The main causes of death of schistosomiasis include liver granuloma and secondary hepatic cirrhosis resulting from severe fibrosis. Despite intensive research, controlling liver fibrosis associated with schistosomiasis remains challenging. Sedum sarmentosum total flavonoid (SSTF) is a promising agent to reduce liver fibrosis with an unknown mechanism. Thus, the objectives of this study are to validate its effect on the liver fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: one group of normal control and five groups of liver fibrosis induced by schistosomiasis japonica with or without SSTF or colchicine treatment, the latter serving as the positive control. Liver tissues from each animal were harvested to observe the degree and grade of hepatic fibrosis. We also measured the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and Smad7 using RT-qPCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the untreated model group, groups treated with SSTF at all three tested doses had significantly reduced hepatic fibrosis (P < 0.05). Each dose of SSTF also significantly reduced TGF-β1 protein expression and mRNA levels in the liver tissues (P < 0.05). In contrast, the middle and high doses of SSTF significantly increased Smad7 protein expression and mRNA levels (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that each dose of SSTF reduced TGF-β1 protein expression (P < 0.05). Conclusion Our results demonstrated that SSTF alleviated schistosomiasis japonica-induced hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad7 pathway.
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Guo W, Zheng LY, Li YD, Wu RM, Chen Q, Yang DQ, Fan XL. Discovery of molluscicidal and cercaricidal activities of 3-substituted quinazolinone derivatives by a scaffold hopping approach using a pseudo-ring based on the intramolecular hydrogen bond formation. Eur J Med Chem 2016; 115:291-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Revised: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Parasitic diseases affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide and represent major health problems. Treatment is becoming extremely difficult due to the emergence of drug resistance, the absence of effective vaccines, and the spread of insecticide-resistant vectors. Thus, identification of affordable and readily available drugs against resistant parasites is of global demand. RECENT ADVANCES Susceptibility of many parasites to oxidative stress is a well-known phenomenon. Therefore, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or inhibition of endogenous antioxidant enzymes would be a novel therapeutic approach to develop antiparasitic drugs. This article highlights the unique metabolic pathways along with redox enzymes of unicellular (Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania donovani, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis) and multicellular parasites (Schistosoma mansoni), which could be utilized to promote ROS-mediated toxicity. CRITICAL ISSUES Enzymes involved in various vital redox reactions could be potential targets for drug development. FUTURE DIRECTIONS The identification of redox-active antiparasitic drugs along with their mode of action will help researchers around the world in designing novel drugs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay Pal
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
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Liang YJ, Luo J, Yuan Q, Zheng D, Liu YP, Shi L, Zhou Y, Chen AL, Ren YY, Sun KY, Sun Y, Wang Y, Zhang ZS. New insight into the antifibrotic effects of praziquantel on mice in infection with Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20247. [PMID: 21629648 PMCID: PMC3101229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/28/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease infecting more than 200 million people in the world. Although chemotherapy targeting on killing schistosomes is one of the main strategies in the disease control, there are few effective ways of dealing with liver fibrosis caused by the parasite infection in the chronic and advanced stages of schistosomiasis. For this reason, new strategies and prospective drugs, which exert antifibrotic effects, are urgently required. METHODS AND FINDINGS The antifibrotic effects of praziquantel were assessed in the murine models of schistosomiasis japonica. Murine fibrosis models were established by cutaneous infection with 14 ± 2 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae. Then, the mice of both chronic (8 weeks post-infection) and advanced (15 weeks post-infection) schistosomiasis were treated by gavage of praziquantel (250 mg/kg, once daily for 3 days) to eliminate worms, and followed by praziquantel anti-fibrosis treatment (300 mg/kg, twice daily for 30 days). The fibrosis-related parameters assessed were areas of collagen deposition, content of hydroxyproline and mRNA expressions of Col1α1, Col3α1, α-SMA, TGF-β, MMP9, TIMP1, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and IFN-γ of liver. Spleen weight index, alanine aminotransferase activity and liver portal venous pressure were also measured. The results showed that anti-fibrosis treatment improved liver fibrosis, splenomegaly, hepatic function, as well as liver portal hypertension. In order to confirm the anti-fibrotic properties of praziquantel, we established a CCL(4)-induced model and revealed that CCL(4)-induced liver fibrosis was inhibited by PZQ treatment for 30 days. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of praziquantel on mouse primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). It is indicated that mRNA expressions of Col1α1, Col3α1, α-SMA, TGF-β, MMP9 and TIMP1 of HSCs were all inhibited after praziquantel anti-parasite treatments. CONCLUSIONS The significant amelioration of hepatic fibrosis by praziquantel treatment validates it as a promising drug of anti-fibrosis and offers potential of a new chemotherapy for hepatic fibrosis resulting from schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Jin Liang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Luo
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ya-Ping Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ai-Ling Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong-Ya Ren
- Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ke-Yi Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhao-Song Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Abstract
Praziquantel (PZQ) is the safest of all anti-helminthics and now forms the backbone for all national control programs against schistosomiasis (Med. Res. Rev. 3 (1983) 147-200; Bull. WHO 57 (1979) 767-771; Wegner, D.H.G, Therapeutic Drugs (1991), Churchill Livingstone; Adv. Intern. Med. 32 (1987) 193-206; Drugs 42 (1991) 379-405; Pharmac. Ther. 68 (1995) 35-85; Ann. Intern. Med. 110 (1989) 290-296). Despite its lack of known toxicity, the drug was not tested on pregnant or lactating women prior to release. It is currently listed as Pregnancy Category B by the US FDA, which is a drug presumed safe based in animal studies. Unfortunately, this has been interpreted by most national control programs and WHO (1998) to exclude lactating and pregnant women from treatment. In fact, some experts advocate excluding adolescent girls from mass treatment campaigns over this issue. As a result, a large number of women living in endemic countries are currently left untreated or have treatment significantly delayed. A review of the current known toxicology of PZQ, combined with over two decades of clinical experience with this drug, suggest very low potential for adverse effects on either the mother or her unborn child. In contrast, significant animal and human data are presented in this review that suggest both the pregnant woman and her unborn fetus suffer morbid sequella from schistosomiasis. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial that could resolve this issue would require a very large and expensive study and in light of the above facts might not now be ethically appropriate. The author concludes that pregnant women should be treated with PZQ, that women of childbearing age should be included in all mass treatment programs and that lactating women are not systematically excluded from treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Richard Olds
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 W Wisconsin Ave, Suite 4100, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
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