Demethylzeylasteral attenuates hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis by inhibiting AGAP2 mediated signaling

Demethylzeylasteral protects against renal interstitial fibrosis by attenuating mitochondrial complex I-mediated oxidative stress

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is a main pathological process in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Demethylzeylasteral (DML), a major component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f., has anti-renal fibrosis effects. However, its mechanism of action remains incompletely understood.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study was designed to comprehensively examine the effects of DML on RIF and the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pathological experiments were performed to determine the therapeutic effect of DML on a mouse model of UUO-induced RIF. To determine the novel mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of DML against RIF, a comprehensive transcriptomics analysis was performed on renal tissues, which was further verified by a series of experiments.

RESULTS

Pathological and immunohistochemical staining showed that DML inhibited UUO-induced renal damage and reduced the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in mice. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the partial subunits of mitochondrial complex (MC) I and II may be targets by which DML protects against RIF. Furthermore, DML treatment reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, consequently promoting ATP production and mitigating oxidative stress-induced injury in mice and cells. Notably, this protective effect was attributed to the inhibition of MC I activity, suggesting a crucial role for this specific complex in mediating the therapeutic effects of DML against RIF.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides compelling evidence that DML may be used to treat RIF by effectively suppressing mitochondrial oxidative stress injury mediated by MC I. These findings offer valuable insights into the pharmacological mechanisms of DML and its potential clinical application for patients with CKD.

Liver Fibrosis Resolution: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities

The liver is a critical system for metabolism in human beings, which plays an essential role in an abundance of physiological processes and is vulnerable to endogenous or exogenous injuries. After the damage to the liver, a type of aberrant wound healing response known as liver fibrosis may happen, which can result in an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and then cause cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), seriously endangering human health and causing a great economic burden. However, few effective anti-fibrotic medications are clinically available to treat liver fibrosis. The most efficient approach to liver fibrosis prevention and treatment currently is to eliminate its causes, but this approach's efficiency is too slow, or some causes cannot be fully eliminated, which causes liver fibrosis to worsen. In cases of advanced fibrosis, the only available treatment is liver transplantation. Therefore, new treatments or therapeutic agents need to be explored to stop the further development of early liver fibrosis or to reverse the fibrosis process to achieve liver fibrosis resolution. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to the development of liver fibrosis is necessary to find new therapeutic targets and drugs. The complex process of liver fibrosis is regulated by a variety of cells and cytokines, among which hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the essential cells, and their continued activation will lead to further progression of liver fibrosis. It has been found that inhibiting HSC activation, or inducing apoptosis, and inactivating activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) can reverse fibrosis and thus achieve liver fibrosis regression. Hence, this review will concentrate on how HSCs become activated during liver fibrosis, including intercellular interactions and related signaling pathways, as well as targeting HSCs or liver fibrosis signaling pathways to achieve the resolution of liver fibrosis. Finally, new therapeutic compounds targeting liver fibrosis are summarized to provide more options for the therapy of liver fibrosis.

Exploration of the potential mechanism of Baicalin for hepatic fibrosis based on network pharmacology, gut microbiota, and experimental validation

Baicalin (BA) is among the most effective and abundant flavonoids extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis that may be utilized to treat diseases associated with hepatic fibrosis (HF). Through network pharmacology, gut microbiota, and experimental validation, this research intends to elucidate the multi-target mechanism of BA on HF. BA targets were screened using databases and literature. As a result, In the anti-HF mechanism, the BA and 191 HF-associated targets interact, with 9 specific targets indicating that the BA's anti-HF mechanism is closely linked to gut microbiota. Consequently, rat intestinal content samples were obtained and examined using 16S rRNA sequencing. In the BA-treated group, the gut microbiota was positively regulated at the phylum,and genus levels, with Lactobacillus performing significantly. The study concluded that BA has a multi-targeted anti-HF effect and has changed the gut microbial ecosystem.

A critical review on anti-fibrotic phytochemicals targeting activated hepatic stellate cells

Liver fibrosis is a major health concern occurring worldwide. It arises due to prolonged wound healing response of various insults like viral, autoimmune, cholestatic, drug-induced, and metabolic diseases. Currently, there is no clinically approved drug for liver fibrosis treatment. Hepatic stellate cells are the principal liver cells that are activated during liver fibrosis, and targeting these activated cells is an ideal therapeutic strategy. Numerous phytochemicals have been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo treating experimental liver fibrosis; however, none of them have been clinically approved for therapeutic use. This review mainly focuses on such hepatoprotective phytochemicals reported inhibiting major signaling pathways that are dysregulated in activated hepatic stellate cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Liver fibrosis is a global health concern and there is no FDA approved drug to treat liver fibrosis. Although notable pharmacological agents like pentoxifylline, gliotoxin, imatinibmesylate, Gleevec, and so on are reported to exhibit anti-fibrotic effect, the major concern is their side effect. Hence, phytochemicals are promising candidates that could be employed against liver fibrosis. In this review, the anti-fibrotic potential of phytochemicals targeting activated HSCs are summarized. Understanding these phytochemicals will further help in the development of agents that are more effective against liver fibrosis.