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Jia R, Zheng H, Li S, Chen W, Yang Y, Wu H, Chen H, Qin S, Huang S. QingChang-XiaoPi decoction ameliorates intestinal inflammation of ulcerative colitis by regulating the pathogenicity of Th17 cells. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 132:155779. [PMID: 38876011 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155779] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND QingChang-XiaoPi Decoction (QCXPY), a Chinese herbal prescription, has been employed in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) in China. However, its molecular mechanism of action in UC remains unclear. PURPOSE To elucidate the therapeutic effects of QCXPY against UC and reveal its mechanism of action. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a single-arm observation to evaluate the clinical efficacy of QCXPY in patients with mild-to-moderate UC. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established to ensure the eligibility of participants, with a focus on excluding patients with specific conditions or complications that could confound the results. METHODS The expression of inflammatory factors in patients' serum was detected using a Luminex assay. The main components of QCXPY were identified using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Network pharmacology was employed to predict potential therapeutic targets and their mechanisms of action. The efficacy of QCXPY was evaluated using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model. Disease activity index (DAI), histopathological score, cytokine detection by ELISA, T-helper 17 (Th17) cell proportion by flow cytometry, expression of the IL-23/IL-17 axis, and changes in the levels of its downstream effectors were detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting. RESULTS QCXPY could alleviate the symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and purulent stool in patients with mild-to-moderate UC. Moreover, it reduced the expression of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 in serum; alleviated DSS-induced experimental colitis in mice; reduced DAI, pathological scores, and the expressions of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 in colon tissue; and decreased the proportion of pathogenic Th17 cells and the expression of STAT3 and phospho-STAT3. CONCLUSION This study confirmed for the first time that QCXPY could alleviate intestinal symptoms, reduce the levels of serum inflammatory factors, and improve the quality of life of patients with mild-to-moderate UC. Its mechanism of action may involve reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, moderating the pathogenicity of Th17 cells, and inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation in UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Jia
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Huan Zheng
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Siya Li
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Weihuan Chen
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Yuanming Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Haomeng Wu
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Haiming Chen
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou 510120, PR China
| | - Shumin Qin
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou 510120, PR China.
| | - Shaogang Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou 510120, PR China; Yang Chunbo academic experience inheritance studio of Guangdong provincial hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, PR China.
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Gao C, Song XD, Chen FH, Wei GL, Guo CY. The protective effect of natural medicines in rheumatoid arthritis via inhibit angiogenesis. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1380098. [PMID: 38881875 PMCID: PMC11176484 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1380098] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic immunological disease leading to the progressive bone and joint destruction. Angiogenesis, accompanied by synovial hyperplasia and inflammation underlies joint destruction. Delaying or even blocking synovial angiogenesis has emerged as an important target of RA treatment. Natural medicines has a long history of treating RA, and numerous reports have suggested that natural medicines have a strong inhibitory activity on synovial angiogenesis, thereby improving the progression of RA. Natural medicines could regulate the following signaling pathways: HIF/VEGF/ANG, PI3K/Akt pathway, MAPKs pathway, NF-ÎşB pathway, PPARÎł pathway, JAK2/STAT3 pathway, etc., thereby inhibiting angiogenesis. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (TwHF), sinomenine, and total glucoside of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Are currently the most representative of all natural products worthy of development and utilization. In this paper, the main factors affecting angiogenesis were discussed and different types of natural medicines that inhibit angiogenesis were systematically summarized. Their specific anti-angiogenesis mechanisms are also reviewed which aiming to provide new perspective and options for the management of RA by targeting angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, Ganzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Di Song
- Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, Ganzhou, China
| | - Fang-Hui Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, Ganzhou, China
| | - Gui-Lin Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, Ganzhou, China
| | - Chun-Yu Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Jiangxi, Ganzhou, China
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Zhou G, Xu R, Groth T, Wang Y, Yuan X, Ye H, Dou X. The Combination of Bioactive Herbal Compounds with Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2024. [PMID: 38481114 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2024.0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Regenerative medicine aims to restore the function of diseased or damaged tissues and organs by cell therapy, gene therapy, and tissue engineering, along with the adjunctive application of bioactive molecules. Traditional bioactive molecules, such as growth factors and cytokines, have shown great potential in the regulation of cellular and tissue behavior, but have the disadvantages of limited source, high cost, short half-life, and side effects. In recent years, herbal compounds extracted from natural plants/herbs have gained increasing attention. This is not only because herbal compounds are easily obtained, inexpensive, mostly safe, and reliable, but also owing to their excellent effects, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidative, proangiogenic behavior and ability to promote stem cell differentiation. Such effects also play important roles in the processes related to tissue regeneration. Furthermore, the moieties of the herbal compounds can form physical or chemical bonds with the scaffolds, which contributes to improved mechanical strength and stability of the scaffolds. Thus, the incorporation of herbal compounds as bioactive molecules in biomaterials is a promising direction for future regenerative medicine applications. Herein, an overview on the use of bioactive herbal compounds combined with different biomaterial scaffolds for regenerative medicine application is presented. We first introduce the classification, structures, and properties of different herbal bioactive components and then provide a comprehensive survey on the use of bioactive herbal compounds to engineer scaffolds for tissue repair/regeneration of skin, cartilage, bone, neural, and heart tissues. Finally, we highlight the challenges and prospects for the future development of herbal scaffolds toward clinical translation. Overall, it is believed that the combination of bioactive herbal compounds with biomaterials could be a promising perspective for the next generation of regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoying Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruojiao Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Thomas Groth
- Department of Biomedical Materials, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Yanying Wang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xingyu Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hua Ye
- Department of Engineering Science, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research, University of Oxford, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaobing Dou
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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Zhang Y, Qu Q, Lei X, Zhao X, Zhang X, Wei X, Tang Y, Duan X, Song X. Quality markers of Guchang Zhixie pills based on multicomponent qualitative and quantitative analysis combined with network pharmacology and chemometric analysis. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 240:115934. [PMID: 38157739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine Guchang Zhixie pills(GCZX) is one of the famous varieties of "Qin medicine" that has been extensively applied to treating irritable bowel syndrome(IBS). However, despite the acknowledged clinical advantages of GCZX there are significant constraints on its quality control and evaluation. The present study utilized UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS to analyze the chemical composition of GCZX. Additionally, network pharmacology approaches were utilized to explore the underlying mechanism by which blood components exert therapeutic effects in the treatment of IBS. Furthermore, the GCZX samples were evaluated for their quality on the basis of the qualitative results obtained from 25 batches of GCZX samples using fingerprinting; subsequently, multivariate statistical analysis methods were employed for further analysis. The results indicated the presence of 198 individual components. Among them, 17 prototype compounds were detected in the serum of rats that were administered with GCZX. The potential therapeutic mechanism of GCZX in the treatment of IBS may be associated with the modulation of the neurological system, the immunological system, and the inflammatory response. Moreover, a total of seven prominent peaks were identified after fingerprint analysis. The range of fingerprint similarity among the 25 batches of samples varied from 0.843 to 1.000. The application of chemometrics analysis successfully facilitated the categorical classification of 25 batches of GCZX into three distinct groups. Seven components hold significant importance and should be duly considered during the quality control process of GCZX. The present study can establish the Q-Markers of GCZX for IBS, thereby providing a foundation for investigating the theoretical underpinnings and elucidating the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of GCZX in the treatment of IBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Qiong Qu
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xuan Lei
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xinbo Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xuan Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Yingying Tang
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xi Duan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712000, China
| | - Xiao Song
- School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China; Engineering Research Center for Pharmaceutics of Chinese Materia Medica and New Drug Development, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100029, China.
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Wang H, Chen S, Tang Y, Nie K, Gao Y, Wang Z, Su H, Wu F, Gong J, Fang K, Dong H, Hu M. Berberine promotes lacteal junction zippering and ameliorates diet-induced obesity through the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 124:155268. [PMID: 38176265 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155268] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity has emerged as a global epidemic. Recent research has indicated that diet-induced obesity can be prevented by promoting lacteal junction zippering. Berberine, which is derived from natural plants, is found to be promising in weight reduction, but the underlying mechanism remains unspecified. PURPOSE To determine whether berberine protects against obesity by regulating the lacteal junction and to explore potential molecular mechanisms. METHODS Following the induction of the diet-induced obese (DIO) model, mice were administered low and high doses of berberine for 4 weeks. Indicators associated with insulin resistance and lipid metabolism were examined. Various methods, such as Oil Red O staining, transmission electron microscopy imaging, confocal imaging and others were used to observe the effects of berberine on lipid absorption and the lacteal junction. In vitro, human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs) were used to investigate the effect of berberine on LEC junctions. Western Blot and immunostaining were applied to determine the expression levels of relevant molecules. RESULTS Both low and high doses of berberine reduced body weight in DIO mice without appetite suppression and ameliorated glucolipid metabolism disorders. We also found that the weight loss effect of berberine might contribute to the inhibition of small intestinal lipid absorption. The possible mechanism was related to the promotion of lacteal junction zippering via suppressing the ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway. In vitro, berberine also promoted the formation of stable mature junctions in HDLECs, involving the same signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Berberine could promote lacteal junction zippering and ameliorate diet-induced obesity through the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhan Wang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shen Chen
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yueheng Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kexin Nie
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hao Su
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Gong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Fang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Meilin Hu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Zhang LW, Zhu LL, Zhu XY, Fu SQ, Liu XM. Traditional Chinese Medicine formula Dai-Zong-Fang alleviating hepatic steatosis in db/db mice via gut microbiota modulation. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1337057. [PMID: 38327989 PMCID: PMC10847264 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1337057] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatic steatosis is a hepatic pathological change closely associated with metabolic disorders, commonly observed in various metabolic diseases such as metabolic syndrome (MetS), with a high global prevalence. Dai-Zong-Fang (DZF), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, is widely used in clinical treatment for MetS, exhibiting multifaceted effects in reducing obesity and regulating blood glucose and lipids. This study aims to explore the mechanism by which DZF modulates the gut microbiota and reduces hepatic steatosis based on the gut-liver axis. Methods: This study utilized db/db mice as a disease model for drug intervention. Body weight and fasting blood glucose were monitored. Serum lipid and transaminase levels were measured. Insulin tolerance test was conducted to assess insulin sensitivity. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was employed to observe morphological changes in the liver and intestine. The degree of hepatic steatosis was evaluated through Oil Red O staining and hepatic lipid determination. Changes in gut microbiota were assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels were measured by ELISA. The expression levels of intestinal tight junction proteins, intestinal lipid absorption-related proteins, and key proteins in hepatic lipid metabolism were examined through Western blot and RT-qPCR. Results: After DZF intervention, there was a decrease in body weight, alleviation of glucose and lipid metabolism disorders, reduction in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and mitigation of insulin resistance in mice. DZF significantly modulated the diversity of the gut microbiota, with a notable increase in the abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum. PICRUSt indicated that DZF influenced various functions in gut microbiota, including carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Following DZF intervention, serum LPS levels decreased, intestinal pathological damage was reduced, and the expression of intestinal tight junction protein occludin was increased, while the expression of intestinal lipid absorption-related proteins cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) and apolipoprotein B48 (ApoB48) were decreased. In the liver, DZF intervention resulted in a reduction in hepatic steatosis and lipid droplets, accompanied by a decrease fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and fatty acid transport protein 2 (FATP2). Conversely, there was an increase in the expression of the fatty acid oxidation-related enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1𝛂 (CPT-1𝛂). Conclusion: DZF can regulate the structure and function of the intestinal microbiota in db/db mice. This ameliorates intestinal barrier damage and the detrimental effects of endotoxemia on hepatic metabolism. DZF not only inhibits intestinal lipid absorption but also improves hepatic lipid metabolism from various aspects, including de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake, and fatty acid oxidation. This suggests that DZF may act on the liver and intestine as target organs, exerting its effects by improving the intestinal microbiota and related barrier and lipid absorption functions, ultimately ameliorating hepatic steatosis and enhancing overall glucose and lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Wei Zhang
- Department of Laboratory of Diabetes, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Li Zhu
- School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Yun Zhu
- Department of Laboratory of Diabetes, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shou-Qiang Fu
- Pulmonary Disease Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Ming Liu
- Department of Laboratory of Diabetes, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Suciu I, Delp J, Gutbier S, Suess J, Henschke L, Celardo I, Mayer TU, Amelio I, Leist M. Definition of the Neurotoxicity-Associated Metabolic Signature Triggered by Berberine and Other Respiratory Chain Inhibitors. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 13:49. [PMID: 38247474 PMCID: PMC10812665 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
To characterize the hits from a phenotypic neurotoxicity screen, we obtained transcriptomics data for valinomycin, diethylstilbestrol, colchicine, rotenone, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP), carbaryl and berberine (Ber). For all compounds, the concentration triggering neurite degeneration correlated with the onset of gene expression changes. The mechanistically diverse toxicants caused similar patterns of gene regulation: the responses were dominated by cell de-differentiation and a triggering of canonical stress response pathways driven by ATF4 and NRF2. To obtain more detailed and specific information on the modes-of-action, the effects on energy metabolism (respiration and glycolysis) were measured. Ber, rotenone and MPP inhibited the mitochondrial respiratory chain and they shared complex I as the target. This group of toxicants was further evaluated by metabolomics under experimental conditions that did not deplete ATP. Ber (204 changed metabolites) showed similar effects as MPP and rotenone. The overall metabolic situation was characterized by oxidative stress, an over-abundance of NADH (>1000% increase) and a re-routing of metabolism in order to dispose of the nitrogen resulting from increased amino acid turnover. This unique overall pattern led to the accumulation of metabolites known as biomarkers of neurodegeneration (saccharopine, aminoadipate and branched-chain ketoacids). These findings suggest that neurotoxicity of mitochondrial inhibitors may result from an ensemble of metabolic changes rather than from a simple ATP depletion. The combi-omics approach used here provided richer and more specific MoA data than the more common transcriptomics analysis alone. As Ber, a human drug and food supplement, mimicked closely the mode-of-action of known neurotoxicants, its potential hazard requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilinca Suciu
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Graduate School of Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Johannes Delp
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Simon Gutbier
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julian Suess
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lars Henschke
- Graduate School of Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ivana Celardo
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thomas U. Mayer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ivano Amelio
- Division for Systems Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Marcel Leist
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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