Astragaloside IV ameliorates pulmonary vascular remodeling in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension by restraining the T follicular helper cell response and expanding T follicular regulatory cell response

Combination of oxymatrine (Om) and astragaloside IV (As) enhances the infiltration and function of TILs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype and has a poor response to treatment due to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Chinese Medicine effective constituents such as oxymatrine (Om) and astragaloside IV (As) have shown promise in cancer treatment by providing anti-fibrosis and immune-enhancing effects. However, the potential combined effect of Om and As on TNBC and its mechanism is still uncertain. This study focuses on exploring the impact of Om and As on enhancing the immunosuppressive microenvironment of TNBC and uncovering the potential mechanism behind it. In this study, a trans-Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) infiltration system of T cells was utilized to investigate the potential benefits of Om, while the impact of As on the morphology and quantity of mitochondria in T cells was examined in a co-culture system with tumor cells. Further to investigate the combined effects of Om and As on tumor suppression and immunosuppressive microenvironment improvement, this study established an in situ TNBC mouse model with 4 T1-luc. In vitro, our findings indicate that Om can effectively suppress the activation of CAFs by downregulating the expression of FAP and α-SMA, and also promoting the infiltration of T cells trans CAFs. It was discovered that the mitochondrial activity of T cells could be improved by increasing the number of mitochondria and cristae. In vivo, the optimal ratio of Om and As (2:1) was found to increase the apoptosis rate of tumor cells in a co-culture system and enhance the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as confirmed by Flow Cytometry results. Our study suggests that Om and As could enhance the immune system's ability to treat TNBC by improving the infiltration and increasing the anti-tumor function of TILs. This intervention may lead to a promising therapeutic direction for the treatment of TNBC.

Recent pharmacological advances in the treatment of cardiovascular events with Astragaloside IV

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death and disability globally. A wide range of CVDs have been reported, each of which diverges significantly, exhibiting sophisticated types of pathogenesis (e.g., inflammatory, oxidative stress, and disorders in cardiomyocyte metabolism). Compared with conventional treatments in modern medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can exhibit comparative advantages in the treatment of CVDs. TCM can be utilized to develop effective strategies for addressing the challenges of CVD, with fewer side effects and higher therapeutic efficiency. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) has been confirmed as one of the major active ingredients found in Astragalus membranaceus (a Chinese herbal medicine that has been extensively employed clinically for the treatments of CVDs). Since recent studies have shown that AS-IV in CVD treatments has achieved promising results, the substance has aroused great attention and further discussions in the field. The present review aims to summarize the recent pharmacological advances in employing AS-IV in the treatment of CVDs.

Inhibitory Effect of PPARδ Agonist GW501516 on Proliferation of Hypoxia-induced Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells by Regulating the mTOR Pathway

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) agonist GW501516 on the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) induced by hypoxia, in order to search for new drugs for the treatment and prevention of pulmonary vascular remodeling.

METHODS

PASMCs were incubated with different concentrations of GW501516 (10, 30, 100 nmol/L) under the hypoxic condition. The proliferation was determined by a CCK-8 assay. The cell cycle progression was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of PPARδ, S phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), and cell cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 was detected by Western blotting. Then PASMCs were treated with 100 nmol/ L GW501516, 100 nmol/L mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin and/or 2 µmol/L mTOR activator MHY1485 to explore the molecular mechanisms by which GW501516 reduces the proliferation of PASMCs.

RESULTS

The presented data demonstrated that hypoxia reduced the expression of PPARδ in an oxygen concentration- and time-dependent manner, and GW501516 decreased the proliferation of PASMCs induced by hypoxia by blocking the progression through the G0/G1 to S phase of the cell cycle. In accordance with these findings, GW501516 downregulated Skp2 and upregulated p27 in hypoxia-exposed PASMCs. Further experiments showed that rapamycin had similar effects as GW501516 in inhibiting cell proliferation, arresting the cell cycle, regulating the expression of Skp2 and p27, and inactivating mTOR in hypoxia-exposed PASMCs. Moreover, MHY1485 reversed all the beneficial effects of GW501516 on hypoxia-stimulated PASMCs.

CONCLUSION

GW501516 inhibited the proliferation of PASMCs induced by hypoxia through blocking the mTOR/Skp2/p27 signaling pathway.

Untapping the Potential of Astragaloside IV in the Battle Against Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases are an emerging public health concern, that pose a risk to the global community. There, it is essential to establish effective treatments to reduce the global burden of respiratory diseases. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is a natural saponin isolated from Radix astragali (Huangqi in Chinese) used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine. This compound has become increasingly popular due to its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. In the last decade, accumulated evidence has indicated the AS-IV protective effect against respiratory diseases. This article presents a current understanding of AS-IV roles and mechanisms in combatting respiratory diseases. The ability of the agent to suppress oxidative stress, cell proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), to attenuate inflammatory responses, and modulate programmed cell death (PCD) will be discussed. This review highlights the current challenges in respiratory diseases and recommendations to improve disease management.

Natural Products for the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension: Mechanism, Progress, and Future Opportunities

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a lethal disease due to the remodeling of pulmonary vessels. Its pathophysiological characteristics include increased pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, leading to right heart failure and death. The pathological mechanism of PH is complex and includes inflammation, oxidative stress, vasoconstriction/diastolic imbalance, genetic factors, and ion channel abnormalities. Currently, many clinical drugs for the treatment of PH mainly play their role by relaxing pulmonary arteries, and the treatment effect is limited. Recent studies have shown that various natural products have unique therapeutic advantages for PH with complex pathological mechanisms owing to their multitarget characteristics and low toxicity. This review summarizes the main natural products and their pharmacological mechanisms in PH treatment to provide a useful reference for future research and development of new anti-PH drugs and their mechanisms.

Deciphering the Efficacy and Mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus on High Altitude Polycythemia by Integrating Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Experiments

Hypoxic exposure makes plateau migrators susceptible to high altitude polycythemia (HAPC). Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is an edible and medicinal plant with remarkable immunomodulatory activities. The purpose of this study was to discover if AM could be a candidate for the prevention of HAPC and its mechanism. Here, network pharmacology was applied to screen active compounds, key targets, and enriched pathways of AM in the treatment of HAPC. Molecular docking evaluated the affinity between compounds and core targets. Subsequently, the mechanisms of AM were further verified using the hypoxia exposure-induced mice model of HAPC. The network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking results identified 14 core targets of AM on HAPC, which were predominantly mainly enriched in the HIF-1 pathway. In the HAPC animal models, we found that AM inhibited the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into the erythroid lineage. It also suppressed the production of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in peripheral blood by reducing the expression of HIF-1α, EPO, VEGFA, and Gata-1 mRNA. Furthermore, AM downregulated the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ mRNA, thereby alleviating organ inflammation. In conclusion, AM supplementation alleviates hypoxia-induced HAPC in mice, and TNF-α, AKT1, HIF-1α, VEGFA, IL-6, and IL-1B may be the key targets.