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Chen M, Gao M, Wang H, Chen Q, Liu X, Mo Q, Huang X, Ye X, Zhang D. Jingangteng capsules ameliorate liver lipid disorders in diabetic rats by regulating microflora imbalances, metabolic disorders, and farnesoid X receptor. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 132:155806. [PMID: 38876009 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155806] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The plant Smilax china L., also known as Jingangteng, is suspected of regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. Jingangteng capsules (JGTCs) are commonly used to treat gynecological inflammation in clinical practice. However, it is not clear whether JGTCs can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, and the mechanism is unclear. PURPOSE To investigate the impact and mechanism of action of JGTCs on diabetes and liver lipid disorders in rats. METHODS The chemical constituents of JGTCs were examined using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetes model was used to evaluate anti-diabetic effects by assessing blood glucose and lipid levels and liver function. The mechanism was explored using fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics profiling, reverse transcription-quantiative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western blot analysis. RESULTS Thirty-three components were identified in JGTCs. The serological and histomorphological assays revealed that JGTC treatment reduced levels of blood glucose and lipids, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lipid accumulation in the liver of diabetic rats. According to 16S rDNA sequencing, JGTCs improved species richness and diversity in diabetic rats' intestinal flora and restored 22 dysregulated bacteria to control levels. Fecal metabolomics analysis showed that the altered fecal metabolites were rich in metabolites, such as histidine, taurine, low taurine, tryptophan, glycerophospholipid, and arginine. Serum metabolomics analysis indicated that serum metabolites were enriched in the metabolism of glycerophospholipids, fructose and mannose, galactose, linoleic acid, sphingolipids, histidine, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, and tryptophan metabolism. Heatmaps revealed a strong correlation between metabolic parameters and gut microbial phylotypes. Molecular biology assays showed that JGTC treatment reversed the decreased expression of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the liver of diabetic rats and inhibited the expression of lipogenic genes (Srebp1c and FAS) as well as inflammation-related genes (interleukin (IL)-β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-6). Liver metabolomics analysis indicated that JGTC could significantly regulate a significant number of bile acid metabolites associated with FXR, such as glyco-beta-muricholic acid, glycocholic acid, tauro-beta-muricholic acid, and tauro-gamma-muricholic acid. CONCLUSIONS This was the first study to investigate the mechanisms of JGTCs' effects on liver lipid disorders in diabetic rats. JGTCs inhibited liver lipid accumulation and inflammatory responses in diabetic rats by affecting intestinal flora and metabolic disorders and regulating FXR-fat synthesis-related pathways to alleviate diabetic lipid disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Manjun Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Hao Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Resources and Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, No. 16 West Huangjiahu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430065, PR China
| | - Qingjie Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Xiufen Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Qigui Mo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Xingqiong Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China
| | - Xiaochuan Ye
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Resources and Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, No. 16 West Huangjiahu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430065, PR China.
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning, Hubei Province 437100, PR China.
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Li L, Kong L, Xu S, Wang C, Gu J, Luo H, Meng Q. FXR overexpression prevents hepatic steatosis through inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome activation in alcoholic liver disease. Hepatol Int 2024; 18:188-205. [PMID: 38183609 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-023-10621-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), a metabolic liver disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption, has attracted increasing attention due to its high prevalence and mortality. Up to date, there is no effective and feasible treatment method for ALD. This study was to investigate whether Farnesoid X receptor (FXR, NR1H4) can alleviate ALD and whether this effect is mediated by inhibiting absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome activation. METHODS The difference in FXR expression between normal subjects and ALD patients was analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet with 5% ethanol (v/v) (EtOH) was adopted to establish the mouse ALD model. Liver histopathological changes and the accumulation of lipid droplets were assessed by H&E and Oil Red O staining. Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence staining were utilized to evaluate the expression levels of related genes and proteins. DCFH-DA staining was adopted to visualize reactive oxidative species (ROS). RESULTS FXR was distinctly downregulated in liver tissues of patients with steatosis compared to normal livers using the GEO database, and in ethanol-induced AML-12 cellular steatosis model. FXR overexpression ameliorated hepatic lipid metabolism disorder and steatosis induced by ethanol by inhibiting the expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis and inducing the expression of genes responsible for lipid metabolism. Besides, FXR overexpression inhibited ethanol-induced AIM2 inflammasome activation and alleviated oxidative stress and ROS production during ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis. However, when FXR was knocked down, the results were completely opposite. CONCLUSIONS FXR attenuated lipid metabolism disorders and lipid degeneration in alcohol-caused liver injury and alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation by inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Lina Kong
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Shuai Xu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Changyuan Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Jiangning Gu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Haifeng Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Qiang Meng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, 116044, China.
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