Paeoniflorin diminishes ConA-induced IL-8 production in primary human hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells in the involvement of ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation

Angelica Yinzi Alleviates Pruritus-Related Atopic Dermatitis through Skin Repair, Antioxidation, and Balancing Peripheral μ- and κ-opioid Receptors

Background

Angelica Yinzi (AYZ) is a Chinese traditional herbal formula reported to attenuate itches and inflammation caused by atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the underlying mechanism of AYZ in the attenuation of itchiness and inflammation remains unknown.

Objective

This study investigated the mechanism of AYZ in reducing itchiness in mice with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene- (DNCB-)-induced atopic dermatitis.

Methods

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and toluidine blue staining were used to evaluate pathological changes in skin tissue, while an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the cytokine levels in the skin. After that, qRT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of cytokines in the skin. Immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis were further used to assess µ-opioid receptor (MOR) expression and immunohistochemistry to assess the p-ERK, p-AKT, and κ-opioid receptor (KOR).

Results

The AYZ treatment alleviated the AD clinical symptoms, including decreasing the scratching frequency, the ear thickness, and the infiltration of mast cells, lymphocytes, inflammatory cells, and mononuclear cells. In addition, AYZ inhibited the expression of interleukin (IL)-13, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and reduced neuraminidase (NA), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression. Markers involved in itches, such as p-ERK and p-AKT, were significantly downregulated following AYZ treatment. Besides, AYZ significantly increased MOR expression and downregulated KOR in the epidermis and spinal cord.

Conclusion

Our findings imply that AYZ ameliorates pruritus-related AD through skin repair, antioxidation, and balancing peripheral MOR and KOR. The findings in this study lay a theoretical foundation for the control mechanism of peripheral itch.

Phytochemicals in the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases: the journey from preclinical trials to clinical practice

Advances in biomedical research have demonstrated that inflammation and its related diseases are the greatest threat to public health. Inflammatory action is the pathological response of the body towards the external stimuli such as infections, environmental factors, and autoimmune conditions to reduce tissue damage and improve patient comfort. However, when detrimental signal-transduction pathways are activated and inflammatory mediators are released over an extended period of time, the inflammatory process continues and a mild but persistent pro-inflammatory state may develop. Numerous degenerative disorders and chronic health issues including arthritis, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, among others, are associated with the emergence of a low-grade inflammatory state. Though, anti-inflammatory steroidal, as well as non-steroidal drugs, are extensively used against different inflammatory conditions, they show undesirable side effects upon long-term exposure, at times, leading to life-threatening consequences. Thus, drugs targeting chronic inflammation need to be developed to achieve better therapeutic management without or with a fewer side effects. Plants have been well known for their medicinal use for thousands of years due to their pharmacologically active phytochemicals belonging to diverse chemical classes with a number of these demonstrating potent anti-inflammatory activity. Some typical examples include colchicine (alkaloid), escin (triterpenoid saponin), capsaicin (methoxy phenol), bicyclol (lignan), borneol (monoterpene), and quercetin (flavonoid). These phytochemicals often act via regulating molecular mechanisms that synergize the anti-inflammatory pathways such as increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines or interfere with the inflammatory pathways such as to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other modulators to improve the underlying pathological condition. This review describes the anti-inflammatory properties of a number of biologically active compounds derived from medicinal plants, and their mechanisms of pharmacological intervention to alleviate inflammation-associated diseases. The emphasis is given to information on anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that have been evaluated at the preclinical and clinical levels. Recent trends and gaps in the development of phytochemical-based anti-inflammatory drugs have also been included.

Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall

The aims of this work were to obtain total glucosides of paeony (TGP) with high content of paeoniflorin and evaluate the hepo-protective properties of TGP. After optimization by response surface methodology, optimized conditions were as follows: extraction time 33.0 min, extraction temperature 48 °C, ethanol content 44%, and the yield of TGP was 47.68 mg/g. Moreover, under established macroporous resin purification, paeoniflorin content of TGP achieved 67.6% in 1.5 L scale-up verification experiment. Purified TGP (p-TGP) was further analyzed by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS, and 35 compouds including paeoniflorin were identified. The obtained p-TGP effectively reduced biochemical indexes and inflammatory cytokines in liver tissue of acute alcoholic liver injury mice model. Depending on this work, TGP with definitive compound composition exhibited great protective effect against acute alcoholic liver injury in vivo. Furthermore, the finding of this work will be helpful to understand the relationship between compound composition and functional properties of Chinese herb extracts.

Concanavalin A promotes angiogenesis and proliferation in endothelial cells through the Akt/ERK/Cyclin D1 axis

CONTEXT

Concanavalin A (Con A) exhibited multiple roles in cancer cells. However, the role of Con A in endothelial cells was not reported.

OBJECTIVE

Our present study investigated the potential angiogenic role of Con A in endothelial cells and ischaemic hind-limb mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells and Ea.hy926 cells were employed to determine the effect of Con A (0.3, 1, and 3 μg/mL) or vehicle on angiogenesis and cell proliferation with tube formation, ELISA, flow cytometry, EdU, and western blot. Hind-limb ischaemic mice were conducted to determine the pro-angiogenic effect of Con A (10 mg/kg) for 7 days.

RESULTS

Con A promoted tube formation to about three-fold higher than the control group and increased the secretion of VEGFa, PDGFaa, and bFGF in the medium. The cell viability was promoted to 1.3-fold by Con A 3 μg/mL, and cell cycle progression of G0G1 phase was decreased from 77% in the vehicle group to 70% in Con A 3 μg/mL, G2M was promoted from 15 to 19%, and S-phase was from 7 to 10%. Con A significantly stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 and expression of cyclin D1 and decreased the expression of p27. These effects of Con A were antagonised by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (10 μM) and MEK pathway antagonist PD98059 (10 μM). Moreover, Con A (10 mg/kg) exhibited a repair effect in ischaemic hind-limb mice.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

This study will provide a new option for treating ischaemic disease by local injection with Con A.

Effect of Dietary Paeoniae Radix Alba Extract on the Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Metabolism, Serum Biochemistry, and Small Intestine Histomorphology of Raccoon Dog During the Growing Period

Paeoniae radix alba extract (PRA extract) has the functions of regulating immunity, resisting inflammation, and has antioxidant properties. However, current recommendations of dietary PRA extract levels for raccoon dogs were inadequate. The purpose of this experimental study was to gain information allowing for better estimating the effects of PRA extract on raccoon dogs, and their PRA requirements. Fifty healthy male raccoon dogs of (120 ± 5) days old were randomly divided into 5 groups (group PRA0, PRA1, PRA2, PRA4, PRA8) with 10 animals in each group and 1 in each replicate. Five kinds of experimental diets were prepared with five levels of Paeoniae radix alba extract (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 g/kg) in the basic diet. The prefeeding period was 7 days and the experimental period was 40 days. The results showed that the average daily feed intake in group PRA1 and PRA2 was significantly higher than that in other groups (P < 0.01). The dry matter excretion in group PRA8 was significantly higher than that in other groups (P < 0.01), while the dry matter digestibility and protein digestibility in group PRA8 were significantly lower than those in other groups (P < 0.01). Nitrogen retention in group PRA1 and PRA2 was significantly higher than that in group PRA8 (P < 0.05). With the increase of the content of Paeoniae radix alba extract in diet, the activity of alkaline phosphatase in group PRA2 was significantly higher than that in group PRA0 (P < 0.05); The activity of serum SOD in group PRA4 was significantly higher than that in other groups (P < 0.01). The content of serum IgA in group PRA2 was significantly higher than that in other groups (P < 0.05). The content of TNF-α in intestinal mucosa in group PRA1 and group PRA2 was significantly lower than that in group PRA0 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we found that dietary Paeoniae radix alba extract intake significantly improved the feed intake and nitrogen deposition of Ussuri raccoon dog, increased the content of serum IgA and reduced the content of TNF-α in the small intestinal mucosa. We suggest that an estimated dietary Paeoniae radix alba extract level of 1 to 2 g/kg could be used as a guide to achieve the optimal performance of raccoon dogs.

Combination of ShuangDan Capsule and Sorafenib Inhibits Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Via PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 Pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a high mortality liver cancer. The existing treatments (transplantation, chemotherapy, and individualized treatment) with limitations. However, drug combination provides a viable option for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. A Chinese patent medicine, ShuangDan Capsules (SDC), has been clinically prescribed to hepatocellular carcinoma patients as adjuvant therapy and has shown good antitumor activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether SDC could improve the anti-cancer effect and mitigate adverse reactions of sorafenib on HCC in vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), immunohistochemistry, and western blot were executed to reveal the potential mechanisms of the combination of SDC and sorafenib on HCC. Tumors appeared hyperintense on T2 sequence images relative to the adjacent normal liver in MRI. Combination of SDC and sorafenib inhibited the progression of DEN (Diethylnitrosamine)-induced HCC. In the HepG2 xenografts model, sorafenib plus SDC exhibited greater suppression on tumor growth than individual treatment accompanied with decreased expression of VEGF, VEGFA, Ki67, CD31 and increased expression of caspase-3. Furthermore, PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 pathway was inhibited by co-administration. Sorafenib monotherapy elicited hepatotoxicity for specific expression in the up-regulated level of aspartate transaminase (AST) and AST/glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) ratio, but the co-administration could remedy this adverse effect. These dates indicated that the combination of SDC and sorafenib might offer a potential therapy for HCC.

Neutrophil-Induced Liver Injury and Interactions Between Neutrophils and Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells

Neutrophils are the most abundant type of leukocytes with diverse functions in immune defense including production of reactive oxygen species, bacteriocidal proteins, neutrophil extracellular traps, and pro-inflammatory mediators. However, aberrant accumulation of neutrophils in host tissues and excessive release of bacteriocidal compounds can lead to unexpected injury to host organs. Neutrophil-mediated liver injury has been reported in various types of liver diseases including liver ischemia/reperfusion injury, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, endotoxin-induced liver injury, alcoholic liver disease, and drug-induced liver injury. Yet the mechanisms of neutrophil-induced hepatotoxicity in different liver diseases are complicated. Current knowledge of these mechanisms are summarized in this review. In addition, a substantial body of evidence has emerged showing that liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) participate in several key steps of neutrophil-mediated liver injury including neutrophil recruitment, adhesion, transmigration, and activation. This review also highlights the current understanding of the interactions between LSECs and neutrophils in liver injury. The future challenge is to explore new targets for selectively interfering neutrophil-induced liver injury without impairing host defense function against microbial infection. Further understanding the role of LSECs in neutrophil-induced hepatotoxicity would aid in developing more selective therapeutic approaches for liver disease.

Inducing Apoptosis and Suppressing Inflammatory Reactions in Synovial Fibroblasts are Two Important Ways for Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu Decoction Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background and Objectives

Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction (GSZD) is often applied to control rheumatoid arthritis (RA), gout, osteoarthritis, etc. In this study, bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification were used to uncover the integral mechanism profile of GSZD against RA.

Materials and Methods

The chemical compositions of GSZD were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. MH7A cell model was established to screen active compounds in GSZD, and potential targets of these compounds were predicted through online database retrieval. The differential expression genes (DEGs) in synovial tissue of RA patients and normal controls were retrieved from the GEO database. DEGs and the predicated compounds targets were overlapped, and the overlapped genes were subsequently enriched by GO and KEGG analysis. The pathways with significant enrichments were further experimentally verified.

Results

A total of 19 constituents were identified from GSZD, and 11 compounds showed obviously antiproliferative effects on MH7A cells with IC₅₀ < 100 μg/mL. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that IL-1β, IL-6, MAPK8, JAK2, CXCL8, and CASP3 were the main targets of GSZD, and the integral pharmacological mechanisms profile of GSZD might be related to anti-inflammation and proapoptosis. GSZD can promote the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MOMP) and induce apoptosis in MH7A cells. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed GSZD can not only downregulate mRNA expressions of IL-1β (p<0.05), IL-6 (p<0.05), MMPs (p<0.05) and CCL5 (p<0.05) but also inhibit the nuclear transcription of NF-κB. GSZD also reduced the expressions of Bcl-2 (p<0.05), JAK2 (p<0.05), STAT-3 (p<0.05), whereas increase Bax (p<0.05), Caspase-3 (p<0.05) and caspase-9 (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Collectively, inducing synovial fibroblast apoptosis and inhibiting inflammatory response are two important ways for GSZD to RA, and our study proved bioinformatic analysis combined with experimental verification is a feasible method to explore the drug targets and mechanism of actions of TCMs.

Paeoniflorin attenuates gestational diabetes via Akt/mTOR pathway in a rat model

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a type of diabetes associated with pregnancy and may impose risks on both mother and fetus. Akt paeoniflorin was shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycemia properties and has a potential ability to suppress mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. The current study aimed to study the effect of paeoniflorin on GDM maternal, fetal, and placental characteristics in vivo.

Methods

Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced gestational diabetes rat model was used in our study. The expression levels of phosphorylation (p-) and total protein expression levels of protein kinase B (Akt), mTOR, serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1), and eIF4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in the placenta were determined by Western blot assay. The blood glucose, insulin, and leptin levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

We found that placental Akt/mTOR signaling was substantially upregulated in GDM patients compared with healthy donors. Paeoniflorin administration alleviates the dysregulation of blood glucose, leptin, and insulin levels in both maternal and fetal GDM rats. Paeoniflorin treatment suppressed the overactivation of Akt/mTOR signaling in placental tissues. More importantly, administration of paeoniflorin was beneficial for normalization of fetal size and body weight in the GDM rats.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that application of paeoniflorin may serve as a potential therapeutical strategy for patients with GDM.

Disruption of FGF Signaling Ameliorates Inflammatory Response in Hepatic Stellate Cells

It is a well-documented event that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) regulate liver development and homeostasis in autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine manners via binding and activating FGF receptors (FGFRs) tyrosine kinase in hepatocytes. Recent research reveals that hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a fundamental role in liver immunology. However, how FGF signaling in HSCs regulates liver inflammation remains unclear. Here, we report that FGF promoted NF-κB signaling, an inflammatory pathway, in human HSCs, which was associated with FGFR1 expression. Both FGF and NF-κB signaling in HSCs were compromised by FGFR1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor. After stimulating HSCs with proinflammatory cytokines, expression of multiple FGF ligands was significantly increased. However, disruption of FGF signaling with FGFR inhibitors prominently reduced the apoptosis, inflammatory response, NF-κB nuclear translocation, and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) induced by TNFα in HSCs. Interestingly, FGF21 significantly alleviated the inflammation responses in the concanavalin A (Con A)-induced acutely injured liver. Unlike canonic FGFs that elicit signals through activating the FGFR–heparan sulfate complex, FGF21 activates the FGFR–KLB complex and elicits a different set of signals. Therefore, the finding here indicates the urgency of developing pathway-specific inhibitors that only suppress canonical FGF, but not non-canonical FGF21, signaling for alleviating inflammation in the liver, which is presented in all stages of diseased liver.

IL-33/ST2 axis promotes the inflammatory response of nasal mucosal epithelial cells through inducing the ERK1/2 pathway

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a nasal mucosal inflammatory disease mediated by environmental allergens. At present, the relationship between the IL-33/ST2 axis, ERK1/2 pathway and AR progression needs further exploration. In our study, an AR model was constructed in vitro by treating HNEpC cells with Der p1. qRT-PCR was applied to assess the mRNA levels of IL-33, ST2, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8. Western blotting was used to measure the protein levels of IL-33, ST2, and the downstream proteins p-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, p-RSK, and RSK. IL-6, IL-8, IL-33, and TNF-α protein levels in cell supernatants were evaluated by ELISA. Flow cytometry was performed to check cell apoptosis of HNEpC in the presence or absence of Der p1. Our results indicate that the relative levels of IL-33, ST2, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 were increased significantly in the AR model group. The above effects were notably reversed after transfection with shIL-33 or shST2. IL-33 stimulation further resulted in the increase in both ST2 and inflammation-associated cytokines, and these effects were restored after shST2 treatment. Also, the levels of inflammatory factors induced by IL-33 stimulation or ST2 overexpression were reversed after applying an ERK1/2 pathway blocker. In conclusion, IL-33/ST2 mediated inflammation of nasal mucosal epithelial cells by inducing the ERK1/2 pathway.

Transcriptomics- and metabolomics-based integration analyses revealed the potential pharmacological effects and functional pattern of in vivo Radix Paeoniae Alba administration

Background

Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) and other natural medicines have remarkable curative effects and are widely used in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). However, due to their multi-component and multi-target characteristics, it is difficult to study the detailed pharmacological mechanisms for those natural medicines in vivo. Therefore, their real effects on organisms is still uncertain.

Methods

RPA was selected as research object, the present study was designed to study the complex mechanisms of RPA in vivo by integrating and interpreting the transcriptomic based RNA-seq and metabolomic based NMR spectrum after RPA administration in mice. A variety of dimension-reduction algorithms and classifier models were applied to the processing of high-throughput data.

Results

Among serum metabolites, the contents of PC and glucose were significantly increased, while the contents of various amino acids, lipids and their metabolites were significantly decreased in mice after RPA administration. Based on the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases, differential analysis showed that the liver was the site where RPA exerted a significant effect, which confirmed the rationality of “meridian tropism” in the theory in TCM. In addition, RPA played a role in lipid metabolism by regulating genes encoding enzymes of the glycerolipid metabolism pathway, such as 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (Agpat), phosphatidate phosphatase (Lpin), phospholipid phosphatase (Plpp) and endothelial lipase (Lipg). We also found that RPA regulates several substance addiction pathways in the brain, such as the cocaine addiction pathway, and the related targets were predicted based on the sequencing data from pathological model in the GEO database. The overall effective pattern of RPA was intuitively presented with a multidimensional radar map through a self-designed model which found that liver and brain were mainly regulated by RPA compared with the traditional meridian tropism theory.

Conclusions

Overall this study expanded the potential application of RPA and provided possible targets and directions for further mechanism study, meanwhile, it also established a multi-dimensional evaluation model to represent the overall effective pattern of TCM for the first time. In the future, such study based on the high-throughput data sets can be used to interpret the theory of TCM and to provide a valuable research model and clinical medication reference for the TCM researchers and doctors.

Paeoniflorin, a Natural Product With Multiple Targets in Liver Diseases-A Mini Review

Paeoniflorin is derived from Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., Paeonia lactiflora Pall., or Paeonia veitchii Lynch and has been used in traditional medical applications for more than 2,000 years. Paeoniflorin is a monoterpenoid glycoside with various effects on liver diseases. Recent studies have revealed that paeoniflorin demonstrates a wide range of activities, including hepatic protection, cholestasis alleviation, liver fibrosis attenuation, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease prevention, and hepatocellular carcinoma inhibition involved in multiple pathways. Moreover, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and immune regulation with the regulation of TLR4-NF-κB, ROCK/NF-κB, HO-1, mitochondria-dependent as well as HMGB1‐TLR4 signaling pathways are correlated with hepatic protection in liver injury and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Antioxidative mechanisms, anti-inflammation, and hepatic transporter regulation involved in NOX4, PI3K/Akt/Nrf2, NF‐κB, NTCP, BSEP, as well as MRP2 signals are mainly relevant to the anticholestatic effect of paeoniflorin. The inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation and alleviation of extracellular matrix deposition via vast signals such as mTOR/HIF-1α, TGF-β1/Smads, and JAK2/STAT6 are primarily involved in the antifibrotic effect of paeoniflorin. The regulation of macrophages also contributes to the alleviation effect on liver fibrosis. In addition, the reduction of invasion, metastasis, and adhesion and the induction of apoptosis-related targets, including Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3, are related to its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma. The literature indicates that paeoniflorin might have potent efficacy in complex liver diseases and demonstrates the profound medicinal value of paeoniflorin.

An Integrated Approach Exploring the Synergistic Mechanism of Herbal Pairs in a Botanical Dietary Supplement: A Case Study of a Liver Protection Health Food

Herbal pairs are used as a bridge between single herb and polyherbal formulas in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to provide rationale for complicated TCM formulas. The effectiveness and rationality of TCM herbal pairs have been widely applied as a strategy for dietary supplements. However, due to the complexity of the phytochemistry of individual and combinations of herbal materials, it is difficult to reveal their effective and synergistic mechanisms from a molecular or systematic point of view. In order to address this question, UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis and System Pharmacology tools were applied to explore the mechanism of action, using a White Peony (Paeoniae Radix Alba) and Licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma)-based dietary supplement. A total of sixteen chemical constituents of White Peony and Licorice were isolated and identified, which interact with 73 liver protection-related targets. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were then performed along with network analysis. Results showed that the synergistic mechanism of the White Peony and Licorice herbal pair was associated with their coregulation of bile secretion and ABC transporter pathways. In addition, Licorice exhibits a specific response to drug and xenobiotic metabolism pathways, whereas White Peony responds to Toll-like receptor signaling, C-type lectin receptor signaling, IL-17 signaling, and TNF signaling pathways, resulting in the prevention of hepatocyte apoptosis and the reduction of immune and inflammation-mediated liver damage. These findings suggest that a White Peony and Licorice herbal pair supplement would have a liver-protecting benefit through complimentary and synergistic mechanisms. This approach provides a new path to explore herbal compatibility in dietary supplements derived from TCM theory.

Asparaginyl endopeptidase may promote liver sinusoidal endothelial cell angiogenesis via PI3K/Akt pathway

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

pathological angiogenesis plays an important role in the progression of chronic liver diseases. Asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP) participates in tumor angiogenesis and was recently shown to be associated with liver fibrosis. This study aimed to explore the effect of AEP on liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSECs) angiogenesis and determine the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

cultured LSECs were infected with lentiviruses in order to suppress AEP expression (AEP-KD1, AEP-KD2). The effect of AEP on LSECs proliferation, apoptosis and migration were subsequently determined by a CCK8 assay, flow cytometry and wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively, in AEP knocked-down and control LSECs. The expression of the endothelial cell surface markers CD31, CD34 and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were detected by immunofluorescence assay and western blot. The angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and interleukin 8 (IL 8) were detected by real-time PCR and western blot. The effect of AEP on vessel tube formation by LSECs was examined by Matrigel™ tube-formation assay. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt expression and phosphorylation were detected by western blot.

RESULTS

AEP was effectively knocked down by lentivirus infection in LSECs. Down-regulation of AEP expression significantly decreased proliferation and migration and increased apoptosis of LSECs. Moreover, expression levels of the endothelial cell surface markers CD31, CD34 and vWF, as well as angiogenic factors VEGFR2 and IL 8, were also reduced after AEP was knocked-down. The vessel tube formation abilities of AEP-KD1 and AEP-KD2 LSECs were significantly inhibited compared with LSECs without AEP knocked-down. Down-regulation of AEP also inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt.

CONCLUSION

AEP promotes LSECs angiogenesis in vitro, possibly via the PI3K/Akt pathway. AEP may therefore be a potential therapeutic target for preventing the progression of liver fibrosis.

Xuebijing Injection Alleviates Pam3CSK4-Induced Inflammatory Response and Protects Mice From Sepsis Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

A leading cause of death worldwide is sepsis that develops as a dysregulated immune response to infection. Serious infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) increases the difficulty of treatment in septic patients. Host-directed therapy (HDT) is an emerging approach to bacterial infections. Xuebijing injection (XBJ), a commercialized injectable prescription from traditional Chinese medicine, has been used as adjuvant therapy for sepsis with a history of 15 years. Whether it plays a protective role in severe infection caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria is still unknown. In this study, XBJ significantly improved the survival of MRSA-induced sepsis mice. In MRSA-infected mouse model, XBJ down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, MCP-1, MIP-2, and IL-10 in sera. Besides that, it decreased the bacterial load in spleens, livers, and alleviated tissue damage of lung, liver, and kidney. The combination of XBJ with vancomycin or dexamethasone exhibited a better down-regulatory role of the inflammatory response. Then, the protective mechanism of XBJ was further investigated. XBJ inhibited heat-killed MRSA-induced IL-6 and TNF-α production in mouse macrophages. XBJ also decreased Pam3CSK4 (a synthetic tripalmitoylated lipopeptide mimicking bacterial lipoproteins)-stimulated expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12, etc. in mouse macrophages. Furthermore, XBJ down-regulated the activation of NF-κB, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt pathways in Pam3CSK4-stimulated mouse macrophages. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that XBJ played a protective role in MRSA-challenged mice and down-regulated the inflammatory response and the activation of signaling pathways initiated by Pam3CSK4. It enlarged the clinical application of XBJ in the treatment of severe bacterial infection, e.g. caused by MRSA.

Ovicidal lectins from Moringa oleifera and Myracrodruon urundeuva cause alterations in chorionic surface and penetrate the embryos of Aedes aegypti eggs

BACKGROUND

Lectins from Moringa oleifera seeds (WSMoL), Myracrodruon urundeuva bark (MuBL), and heartwood (MuHL) are larvicidal agents against Aedes aegypti; in addition, WSMoL is an ovicidal agent against this mosquito. In this work, we evaluated the ovicidal activity of MuBL and MuHL by determining the concentrations that reduce the hatching rates by 50% in 72 h (EC₅₀ ). The effects of WSMoL, MuBL, and MuHL on the ultrastructure of the eggs' surface were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the ability of these lectins to penetrate the eggs was investigated by using conjugates of the lectins with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC).

RESULTS

MuBL and MuHL were ovicidal agents with EC₅₀ of 0.26 and 0.80 mg/mL (260 and 800 ppm), respectively. SEM images of eggs treated with WSMoL for 24 h revealed discontinuity of the exochorionic network and the absence of the exochorionic cells and their tubercles. After 48 and 72 h of incubation, strong deformation and degeneration of egg surfaces were observed. In MuBL and MuHL-treated eggs, the presence of lumps on the surface of the eggs, disappearance of the exochorionic network and the decrease and deformation of tubercles were observed. Lastly, fluorescence microscopy revealed that the three lectins were able to enter the eggs and reach the digestive tract of the embryos.

CONCLUSION

WSMoL, MuBL, and MuHL are ovicidal agents on A. aegypti that have differing efficiencies in terms of how they cause alterations in the chorionic surface and in terms of their ability to penetrate the eggs. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects of paeoniflorin and total glucosides of paeony

As a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Paeonia lactiflora Pallas has been used to treat pain, inflammation and immune disorders for more than 1000 years in China. Total glycoside of paeony (TGP) is extracted from the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas. Paeoniflorin (Pae) is the major active component of TGP. Our research group has done a lot of work in the pharmacological mechanisms of Pae and found that Pae possessed extensive anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects. Pae could inhibit inflammation in the animal models of autoimmune diseases, such as experimental arthritis, psoriatic mice and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and so on. Pae modulates the functions and activation of immune cells, decreases inflammatory medium production, and restores abnormal signal pathway. Pae could balance the subsets of immune cells through inhibiting abnormal activated cell subsets and restoring regulatory cell subsets. Pae could regulate signaling pathways (GPCR pathway, MAPKs /NF-κB patway, PI3K /Akt /mTOR pathway, JAK2 /STAT3 pathway, TGFβ /Smads, and etc.). TGP is composed of Pae, hydroxyl-paeoniflorin, paeonin, albiflorin and benzoylpaeoniflorin etc. Pae accounts for more than 40% of TGP. Like Pae, TGP has anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects. TGP has been widely used to treat autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis, and etc. in China. Furthermore, TGP has some superior features with immune regulation, gentle effect, many indications and few adverse drug reactions. These findings suggest that TGP may be a promising anti-inflammatory and immune drug with soft regulation and has more superiority in the treatment of AIDs. Currently, TGP is used for the treatment of RA, SLE and other AIDs in more than 1000 hospitals in China, which obtained great social and economic benefits.

The Regulatory Effects of Paeoniflorin and Its Derivative Paeoniflorin-6'-O-Benzene Sulfonate CP-25 on Inflammation and Immune Diseases

The plant extract "total glucosides of peony" (TGP) constitutes a mixture of glycosides that is isolated from the roots of the well-known traditional Chinese herb Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Paeoniflorin (Pae) is the most abundant component and the main biologically active ingredient of TGP. Pharmacologically, Pae exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects in some animal models of autoimmune diseases including Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Recently, we modified Pae with an addition of benzene sulfonate to achieve better bioavailability and higher anti-inflammatory immune regulatory effects. This review summarizes the pharmacological activities of Pae and the novel anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agent Paeoniflorin-6'-O-benzenesulfonate (CP-25) in various chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. The regulatory effects of Pae and CP-25 make them promising agents for other related diseases, which require extensive investigation in the future.

Protective effects of a traditional Chinese herbal formula Jiang-Xian HuGan on Concanavalin A-induced mouse hepatitis via NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Jiang-Xian HuGan (JXHG) formulated by five natural products including Freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea), Curcuma longa L., Ligustrum lucidum, Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and Paeonia lactiflora Pall., has exhibited a great hepatoprotective effect.

AIM OF THIS STUDY

We investigated the effect of JXHG on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced acute live injury in mice, and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Jiangkanling Capsule (900 mg/kg), low-dose JXHG (LJXHG, 700 mg/kg), high-dose JXHG (HJXHG, 1400 mg/kg) were administered to mice by oral gavage daily for 20 days prior to a single intravenous injection of ConA (20 mg/kg). Liver injury was evaluated by measuring the serum levels of enzymes and cytokines as well as liver histological analysis. We also measured the hepatic expression of cytokines at mRNA levels and the proteins related to NF-κB and Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathways.

RESULT

Our results showed that JXHG pretreatment significantly alleviated ConA-induced live injury as evidenced by decreased serum levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), and reduced hepatocyte apoptosis and mortality. Furthermore, JXHG was able to significantly reduce the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, down-regulate the mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and up-regulate IL-10 as well as superoxide-dimutase-1 (SOD1), glutathione reductase (GSR) and Glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) mRNA in the liver tissues after Con A injection. In addition, JXHG pretreatment dramatically suppressed the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 (p65), increased Nrf2 expression, and decreased the expression ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 in liver tissues.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that JXHG protects against ConA-induced acute live injury through inhibiting NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathway and promoting Nrf2 mediated anti-oxidative stress signaling pathway.

Co-culture of ovarian cancer stem-like cells with macrophages induced SKOV3 cells stemness via IL-8/STAT3 signaling

Among recent concepts in the cancer biology field, the tumor microenvironment is highly associated with cancer stem cells, and plays a key role in tumor progression. This study aimed to explore the mechanism that the stemness induction of SKOV3 cell line by macrophages derived from THP-1 cells, which was co-cultured with SKOV3-derived ovarian cancer stem-like cells (OCSLCs). Sphere formation, soft agar colony formation, and expression levels of CD133 and CD44 were assessed to reflect OCSLC properties. ELISA was used to evaluate secretion profile changes in macrophages co-cultured with or without SKOV3-derived OCSLCs. For mechanistic evaluation, rhIL-8, IL-8 neutralizing antibody (IL-8 Ab), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) shRNA and STAT3 cDNA were used. The results showed that IL-10, VEGF, MMP-9, IL-8 secretion and CD163 and STAT3 expression levels in macrophages co-cultured with OCSLCs were increased compared with those from THP-1 cells, while IL-12 and NO amounts were significantly reduced, reflecting M2 macrophage polarization. Addition of rhIL-8 to THP-1 cell conditioned media promoted M2 macrophage polarization and stemness in SKOV3 cells, which were suppressed by IL-8 Ab addition to co-culture conditioned media. Consistently, overexpression of STAT3 induced M2 macrophage polarization and stemness in SKOV3 cells, which were inhibited by STAT3 knockdown in macrophages from THP-1 cells. Importantly, STAT3 overexpression rescued the effects of IL-8 Ab on M2 macrophage polarization and stemness in SKOV3 cells. These results suggested that stemness induction in SKOV3 cells by macrophages co-cultured with SKOV3-derived OCSLCs involved IL-8/STAT3 signaling.

Neuroprotective effect of paeoniflorin on okadaic acid-induced tau hyperphosphorylation via calpain/Akt/GSK-3β pathway in SH-SY5Y cells

Abnormal phosphorylation of tau, one of the most common symptoms of dementia, has become increasingly important in the study of the etiology and development of Alzheimer's disease. Paeoniflorin, the main bioactive component of herbaceous peony, is a monoterpene glycoside, which has been reported to exert beneficial effects on neurodegenerative disease. However, the effect of paeoniflorin on tauopathies remains ambiguous. SH-SY5Y cells were treated with okadaic acid (OA) for 8 h to induce tau phosphorylation and no cell death was observed. Optical microscopy results showed that paeoniflorin ameliorated okadaic acid induced morphological changes, including cell swelling and synapsis shortening. Western blotting data illustrated that paeoniflorin reversed okadaic acid induced tau hyperphosphorylation, which was enhanced by inhibiting the activities of calpain, Akt and GSK-3β. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that paeoniflorin alone can reduce the number of autophagosomes and stabilize the microtubule structure. In addition, calpastain and paeoniflorin enhance the effect of paeoniflorin on stabilizing microtubules. In addition, calpastain markedly enhanced the effect of paeoniflorin on reversing okadaic acid-lowered fluorescence intensity of both MAP-2 and β III-tubulin, two microtubule-associated proteins. This study shows that paeoniflorin protected SH-SY5Y cells against okadaic acid assault by interfering with the calpain/Akt/GSK-3β-related pathways, in which autophagy might be involved. Besides, paeoniflorin is found to relieve the stress response of the microtubule structure system caused by okadaic acid treatment. The results presented in this study suggest that paeoniflorin potentially plays an important role in tauopathies.

Paeoniflorin induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and caspase-dependent apoptosis through the upregulation of Bcl-2 X-associated protein and downregulation of B-cell lymphoma 2 in human osteosarcoma cells

Paeoniflorin (PF), extracted from the peony root, has been proved to possess antineoplastic activity in different cancer cell lines. However, it remains unclear whether PF has an antineoplastic effect against osteosarcoma cells. The present study investigated the effects and the specific mechanism of PF on various human osteosarcoma cell lines. Using the multiple methods to detect the activity of PF on HOS and Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cell lines, including an MTS assay, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and western blotting, it was demonstrated that PF induces inhibition of proliferation, G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro, and activation of cleaved-caspase-3 and cleaved-poly (ADPribose) polymerase in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic factors Bcl-2 X-associated protein and BH3 interacting domain death agonist were uregulated, while the anti-apoptotic factors B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-extra large were downregulated. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that PF has a promising therapeutic potential in for osteosarcoma.

Reduced expression of CD109 in tumor-associated endothelial cells promotes tumor progression by paracrine interleukin-8 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Tumor-associated endothelial cells (TEC) directly facilitate tumor progression, but little is known about the mechanisms. We investigated the function of CD109 in TEC and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The correlation between CD109 expressed on tumor vessels and the prognosis after surgical resection of HCC was studied. The effect of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with different CD109 expression on hepatoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was compared in co-culture assay. Associated key factors were screened by human cytokine antibody array and validated thereafter. HUVEC with different CD109 expression were co-implanted with HCCLM3 or HepG2 cells in nude mice to investigate the effect of CD109 expression on tumor growth and metastasis. Reduced expression of CD109 on tumor vessels was associated with large tumor size, microvascular invasion, and advanced tumor stage. CD109 was an independent risk factor for disease-free survival (P = 0.001) after curative resection of HCC. CD109 knockdown in HUVEC promoted hepatoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) was a key tumor-promoting factor secreted from CD109 knockdown HUVEC. CD109 knockdown upregulated IL-8 expression through activation of TGF-β/Akt/NF-κB pathway in HUVEC. Co-implantation with CD109 knockdown HUVEC accelerated tumor growth and metastasis in mice models. In conclusion, CD109 expression on tumor vessels is a potential prognostic marker for HCC, and its reduced expression on TEC promoted tumor progression by paracrine IL-8.

Shugan Xiaozhi Decoction Attenuates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis by Enhancing PPAR and L-FABP Expressions in High-Fat-Fed Rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Shugan Xiaozhi decoction (SX) on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) induced by high-fat diet in rats. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, namely, control, model, fenofibrate, and three different dosage of SX (10, 20, and 40 g/kg/day, p.o.). After establishing the NASH model, at 8 weeks of the experiment, treatments were administrated intragastrically to the fenofibrate and SX groups. All rats were killed after 4 weeks of treatment. Compared with the model group, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), free fatty acid (FFA), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) serum in the serum were significantly reduced in all SX treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner. Evidence showed that SX could protect the liver by upregulating the gene and protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) in a dose-dependent manner. Chemical constituents of SX were further analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) and 30 chemicals in the ethanolic extract were tentatively identified. To conclude, our results clearly indicated that SX could protect liver functions and relieve hepatic steatosis and inflammation.