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Cheng X, Cao L, Sun X, Zhou S, Zhu T, Zheng J, Liu S, Liu H. Metabolomic profile of plasma approach to investigate the mechanism of Poria cocos oligosaccharides attenuated LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 247:116262. [PMID: 38820835 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116262] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (PCW) are the dried sclerotia of Poaceae fungus Poria cocos that contain many biological activity ingredients such as polysaccharides and triterpenoids. The carbohydrates from Poria cocos have been proven to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact and mechanism of Poria cocos oligosaccharides (PCO) protecting mice against acute lung injury (ALI). We examined the histopathological analysis of lung injury, inflammatory, and edema levels to evaluate the benefits of PCO during ALI. As a result, PCO improved the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced lung injury and decreased the inflammatory cytokines of lung tissue. Simultaneously, PCO alleviated lung edema by regulating the expression of aquaporin5 (AQP5) and epithelial Na+ channel protein (ENaC-α). Additionally, untargeted metabolomics was performed on the plasma of ALI mice via HUPLC-Triple-TOF/MS. The results indicated that linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, carnosine, glutamic acid, and 1-methylhistamine were the biomarkers in ALI mice. Besides, metabolic pathway analysis suggested PCO affected the histidine and fatty acid metabolism, which were closely associated with inflammation and oxidative reaction of the host. Consequently, the effects of PCO inhibiting inflammation and edema might relate to the reducing pro-inflammatory mediators and the reverse of abnormal metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China
| | - Lu Cao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China
| | - Xiongjie Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China
| | - Shuhan Zhou
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Tianxiang Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China
| | - Junping Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China
| | - Songlin Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuchang District Huayuanshan 4, Wuhan 430061, PR China; Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource and Chinese Herbal Compound of the Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China.
| | - Hongtao Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuchang District Huayuanshan 4, Wuhan 430061, PR China; Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource and Chinese Herbal Compound of the Ministry of Education, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan 430065, PR China.
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2
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Zhang F, Wu J, Zhang L, Zhang J, Yang R. Alterations in serum metabolic profiles of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients after radiofrequency ablation therapy. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 243:116073. [PMID: 38484637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116073] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the alterations in serum metabolic profiles and early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient characteristics after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy. This evaluation aimed to assess treatment effectiveness and identify potential novel approaches and targets for HCC treatment and prognosis monitoring. METHODS Untargeted metabolomics technology was employed to analyze serum metabolic profiles in healthy volunteer controls (NCs) and early stage HCC patients before and after RFA therapy. Additionally, Human Metabolome Database and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database were used to identify the differential metabolites (DMs) and metabolic pathways. Cystoscape was utilized to construct DM gene networks. Amino acid analyses were performed to validate our findings. RESULTS We identified 11, 14, and six DMs between the NC and HCC groups, HCC patients before and after RFA therapy, and post-RFA HCC and NC groups, respectively. The expression levels of these DMs, particularly those of amino acids and lipids, significantly changed. Compared with the NC group, higher levels of L-tyrosine, aspartate, and 18-oxo-oleate were observed in HCC patients, which were significantly reduced in patients after RFA therapy. Meanwhile, HCC patients after RFA therapy had increased levels of L-arginine, phosphatidic acid (20:3), and lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC) (20:4) compared to those before therapy, while their levels before therapy were lower than those of NC. Moreover, most metabolites in the post-RFA and NC groups showed no significant changes in expression, except for L-tyrosine and LPC (16:0). These metabolites could potentially serve as characteristic factors of early-stage HCC patients after RFA therapy. Joint pathway analysis revealed striking changes, mainly in phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; and arginine and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Bioinformatics analysis of publicly available data preliminarily identified 187 DM-related metabolic enzymes. CONCLUSION Our study proposed novel targets for early-stage HCC treatment, laying the groundwork for improving treatment efficacy and prognosis of early-stage HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengmei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin 300170, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin 300170, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin 300170, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300000, China.
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3
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Li Y, Lu Y, Nian M, Sheng Q, Zhang C, Han C, Dou X, Ding Y. Therapeutic potential and mechanism of Chinese herbal medicines in treating fibrotic liver disease. Chin J Nat Med 2023; 21:643-657. [PMID: 37777315 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(23)60443-1] [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: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a pathological condition characterized by replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue, and also the leading cause of liver-related death worldwide. During the treatment of liver fibrosis, in addition to antiviral therapy or removal of inducers, there remains a lack of specific and effective treatment strategies. For thousands of years, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) have been widely used to treat liver fibrosis in clinical setting. CHMs are effective for liver fibrosis, though its mechanisms of action are unclear. In recent years, many studies have attempted to determine the possible mechanisms of action of CHMs in treating liver fibrosis. There have been substantial improvements in the experimental investigation of CHMs which have greatly promoted the understanding of anti-liver fibrosis mechanisms. In this review, the role of CHMs in the treatment of liver fibrosis is described, based on studies over the past decade, which has addressed the various mechanisms and signaling pathways that mediate therapeutic efficacy. Among them, inhibition of stellate cell activation is identified as the most common mechanism. This article provides insights into the research direction of CHMs, in order to expand its clinical application range and improve its effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwei Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Yunrui Lu
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Mozuo Nian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Qiuju Sheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Chong Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Chao Han
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Xiaoguang Dou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Yang Ding
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110000, China.
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4
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Ren C, Liu K, Zhao X, Guo H, Luo Y, Chang J, Gao X, Lv X, Zhi X, Wu X, Jiang H, Chen Q, Li Y. Research Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Myocardial fibrosis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:853289. [PMID: 35754495 PMCID: PMC9213783 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.853289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective drugs for the treatment of myocardial fibrosis (MF) are lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered increasing attention in recent years for the prevention and treatment of myocardial fibrosis. This Article describes the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis from the modern medicine, along with the research progress. Reports suggest that Chinese medicine may play a role in ameliorating myocardial fibrosis through different regulatory mechanisms such as reduction of inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress, inhibition of cardiac fibroblast activation, reduction in extracellular matrix, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system regulation, transforming growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression downregulation, TGF-β1/Smad signalling pathway regulation, and microRNA expression regulation. Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine serves as a valuable source of candidate drugs for exploration of the mechanism of occurrence and development, along with clinical prevention and treatment of MF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunzhen Ren
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Kai Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinke Zhao
- Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huan Guo
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yali Luo
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Juan Chang
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.,Gansu Provincial People's Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinfang Lv
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhi
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xue Wu
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hugang Jiang
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qilin Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yingdong Li
- School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
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5
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Cao X, Liang Y, Liu R, Zao X, Zhang J, Chen G, Liu R, Chen H, He Y, Zhang J, Ye Y. Uncovering the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Gexia-Zhuyu Formula (GXZY) in Treating Liver Cirrhosis by an Integrative Pharmacology Strategy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:793888. [PMID: 35330838 PMCID: PMC8940433 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.793888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a fibrotic lesion of liver tissue caused by the repeated progression of chronic hepatitis. The traditional Chinese medicine Gexia-Zhuyu formula (GXZY) has a therapeutic effect on LC. However, its pharmacological mechanisms on LC remain elucidated. Here, we used the network pharmacology approach to explore the action mechanisms of GXZY on LC. The compounds of GXZY were from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and their potential targets were from SwissTargetPrediction and STITCH databases. The disease targets of LC came from GeneCards, DisGeNET, NCBI gene, and OMIM databases. Then we constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to obtain the key target genes. And the gene ontology (GO), pathway enrichment, and expression analysis of the key genes were also performed. Subsequently, the potential action mechanisms of GXZY on LC predicted by the network pharmacology analyses were experimentally validated in LC rats and LX2 cells. A total of 150 components in GXZY were obtained, among which 111 were chosen as key compounds. The PPI network included 525 targets, and the key targets were obtained by network topological parameters analysis, whereas the predicted key genes of GXZY on LC were AR, JUN, MYC, CASP3, MMP9, GAPDH, and RELA. Furthermore, these key genes were related to pathways in cancer, hepatitis B, TNF signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. The in vitro and in vivo experiments validated that GXZY inhibited the process of LC mainly via the regulation of cells proliferation and migration through reducing the expression of MMP9. In conclusion, through the combination of network pharmacology and experimental verification, this study offered more insight molecular mechanisms of GXZY on LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Cao
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Institute of Liver Diseases, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yijun Liang
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ruijia Liu
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaobin Zao
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaying Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Guang Chen
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Institute of Liver Diseases, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ruijie Liu
- Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hening Chen
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yannan He
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxin Zhang
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Institute of Liver Diseases, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yong'an Ye
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Institute of Liver Diseases, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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6
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An L, Lin L, Wang S, Xie T, Yang Y, Zhai W, Du L, Li W, Shen C, Zhang Y, Shan J. Plasma characteristic metabolites of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia in traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2579-2591. [PMID: 34549900 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. Heat syndrome (HS) and cold syndrome (CS) are two main syndrome types of pediatric CAP in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study aimed to identify plasma metabolic profiles in pediatric CAP and to further select potential biomarkers to distinguish between HS and CS. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry method was applied to plasma samples of 296 patients and 55 healthy controls (HC). The samples were divided into the discovery group (n = 213, HS = 160, CS = 23, HC = 30) and the validation group (n = 138, HS = 93, CS = 20, HC = 25). The orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis, the value of fold change, and Kruskal-Wallis test with false discovery rate correction (q-value <0.05) were applied to identify differential plasma metabolites. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the screened metabolites. The results showed that the plasma levels of aspartic acid, phenylalanine, arginine, lysoPC20:1, lysoPE16:0, lysoPE18:0, and PE (16:0_22:6) were increased in CS compared with HC. The plasma levels of PC (18:1_18:1), PC (20:4_20:4), PE (16:0_18:2), lysoPE20:4, lysoPE18:2, and lysoPE22:6 were decreased, whereas, the plasma level of ceramide (d18:1_24:1) was increased in HS compared with HC. There were 13 differential metabolites in CS (AUC = 0.995) and 15 differential metabolites in HS (AUC = 0.954), compared with HC. A panel of seven biomarkers, including LysoPC20:1, lysoPE16:0, lysoPE18:2, lysoPE20:4, lysoPE22:6, PC (18:1_18:1), and PC (20:4_20:4) showed good discrimination between HS and CS with an AUC of 0.982. Altered plasma amino acids and lipids may provide an objective basis for TCM syndrome differentiation in pediatric CAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li An
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lili Lin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shouchuan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Tong Xie
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wensheng Zhai
- Department of Pediatrics of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lina Du
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Cunsi Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Genome Center of UC Davis, NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jinjun Shan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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7
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Zhao W, Zhang X, Hou M, Zhang Y, Tang Y, Li L, Dong S, Liu L, Zhao D, Li W, Nan Y. Traditional Chinese medicine Yiqi Huoxue recipe attenuates hepatic fibrosis via YAP/TAZ signaling. Histol Histopathol 2021; 36:967-979. [PMID: 34490599 DOI: 10.14670/hh-18-373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS The Yiqi Huoxue (YQHX) recipe has been shown to attenuate liver fibrosis, but precise mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Recently, Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling has been implicated in liver fibrogenesis. This study investigated whether the YAP/TAZ signaling is involved in the therapeutic effect of YQHX on hepatic fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Wistar rats were used to generate a model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with liver fibrosis were enrolled and assigned to receive either nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) or NAs plus YQHX. Histology, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were conducted to mechanistically assess the therapeutic effects of YQHX on liver fibrosis. RESULTS YQHX markedly alleviated morphological alterations in CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis and decreased markers of hepatic fibrosis in rats. Furthermore, YQHX significantly suppressed CCl₄-meidated activation of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway. Notably, CCl₄ induced up-regulation of YAP, TAZ, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), which were significantly abrogated by YQHX. Consistent with the above major findings in rats, CHB patients treated with NAs plus YQHX had greater improvement in liver fibrosis than those given NAs alone (71.4% vs. 28.6%; P = 0.057). In addition, hepatic and plasma levels of YAP were significantly decreased after YQHX treatment in CHB patients with liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION YAP/TAZ signaling plays a role, at least in part, in the anti-fibrotic activity of YQHX. The findings may help to better understand the mechanisms of YQHX in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Zhao
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhang
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Mengmeng Hou
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuguo Zhang
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuhui Tang
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shiming Dong
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lingdi Liu
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dandan Zhao
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Wencong Li
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuemin Nan
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, Shijiazhuang, China.
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8
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Chen Y, Liao W, Zhu Z, Chen J, Yang Q, Zheng Y, Zhang X, Limsila B, Lu M, Fu S, Li R. Essential oil from the raw and vinegar-processed Rhizoma Curcumae ameliorate CCl 4-induced liver fibrosis: integrating network pharmacology and molecular mechanism evaluation. Food Funct 2021; 12:4199-4220. [PMID: 33870974 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo03052j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, caused by multiple chronic liver injuries, is a known contributor to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. As a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Rhizoma curcumae has been extensively used in the treatment of liver fibrosis with satisfying therapeutic effects; however, its mechanism is unclear. The essential oil is the main bioactive component. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chemical profile and the pharmacological mechanisms of the essential oil of Rhizoma curcumae (EORC) against liver fibrosis by combining network pharmacology and transcriptomic technologies. A total of 37 active compounds were identified using the GC/MS system and literature mining, and the corresponding putative targets were predicted. Then, network pharmacology method was applied to identify the 168 candidate targets of EORC-alleviated liver fibrosis. String database and Cytoscape software were used to build the herb-compound-target network and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that EORC significantly influenced TGF-β1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. Experimentally, we verified that EORC attenuated the severity and pathological changes during liver fibrosis progression based on the CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rat model. Transcriptomic technologies demonstrated that EORC ameliorated liver fibrosis partially by regulating the TGF-β1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. In addition, the effect of vinegar-processed EORC was more significant than that of the raw one. Therefore, EORC can alleviate the severity of liver fibrosis through mechanisms predicted by network pharmacology and provide a basis for the further understanding of the application of EORC in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Wan Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zongping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qingsong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yongfeng Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xinjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Boonjai Limsila
- Institute of Thai-Chinese Medicine Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok 11000, Thailand
| | - Meigui Lu
- Huachiew TCM Hospital, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Shu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
| | - Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China.
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9
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Feng QS. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment of liver cirrhosis: Current status and future prospects. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2021; 29:159-164. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v29.i4.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has unique advantages in the treatment of liver cirrhosis based on its particular theory and the experience with prevention and treatment. In order to promote the wide application of TCM in liver cirrhosis, it is necessary to strengthen the research of TCM in liver cirrhosis. This paper reviews the present treatment of liver cirrhosis by TCM, and discusses the existing problems and prospects, aiming to provide some scientific clues for the treatment of this refractory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan-Sheng Feng
- Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu 610075, Sichuan Province, China
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Meyer F, Bannert K, Wiese M, Esau S, Sautter LF, Ehlers L, Aghdassi AA, Metges CC, Garbe LA, Jaster R, Lerch MM, Lamprecht G, Valentini L. Molecular Mechanism Contributing to Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5357. [PMID: 32731496 PMCID: PMC7432938 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cirrhosis is frequently accompanied by disease-related malnutrition (DRM) and sarcopenia, defined as loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. DRM and sarcopenia often coexist in cirrhotic patients and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The clinical manifestation of both comorbidities are triggered by multifactorial mechanisms including reduced nutrient and energy intake caused by dietary restrictions, anorexia, neuroendocrine deregulation, olfactory and gustatory deficits. Maldigestion and malabsorption due to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, pancreatic insufficiency or cholestasis may also contribute to DRM and sarcopenia. Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation is the cornerstone mechanism to muscle loss, among others mediated by disease- and inflammation-mediated metabolic changes, hyperammonemia, increased myostatin and reduced human growth hormone. The concise pathophysiological mechanisms and interactions of DRM and sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis are not completely understood. Furthermore, most knowledge in this field are based on experimental models, but only few data in humans exist. This review summarizes known and proposed molecular mechanisms contributing to malnutrition and sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis and highlights remaining knowledge gaps. Since, in the prevention and treatment of DRM and sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients, more research is needed to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis and development of targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatuma Meyer
- Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg Institute for Evidence-Based Dietetics (NIED), University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany; (F.M.); (S.E.); (L.F.S.)
| | - Karen Bannert
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany; (K.B.); (L.E.); (R.J.); (G.L.)
| | - Mats Wiese
- Division of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.W.); (A.A.A.); (M.M.L.)
| | - Susanne Esau
- Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg Institute for Evidence-Based Dietetics (NIED), University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany; (F.M.); (S.E.); (L.F.S.)
| | - Lea F. Sautter
- Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg Institute for Evidence-Based Dietetics (NIED), University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany; (F.M.); (S.E.); (L.F.S.)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany; (K.B.); (L.E.); (R.J.); (G.L.)
| | - Luise Ehlers
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany; (K.B.); (L.E.); (R.J.); (G.L.)
| | - Ali A. Aghdassi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.W.); (A.A.A.); (M.M.L.)
| | - Cornelia C. Metges
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology ‘Oskar Kellner’, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany;
| | - Leif-A. Garbe
- Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany;
| | - Robert Jaster
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany; (K.B.); (L.E.); (R.J.); (G.L.)
| | - Markus M. Lerch
- Division of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.W.); (A.A.A.); (M.M.L.)
| | - Georg Lamprecht
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany; (K.B.); (L.E.); (R.J.); (G.L.)
| | - Luzia Valentini
- Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg Institute for Evidence-Based Dietetics (NIED), University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany; (F.M.); (S.E.); (L.F.S.)
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Analysis of plasma metabolic profile, characteristics and enzymes in the progression from chronic hepatitis B to hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:14949-14965. [PMID: 32701483 PMCID: PMC7425494 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important factor causing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic characteristics and related metabolic enzyme changes during the progression from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) to liver cirrhosis (LC) and, ultimately, to HCC. An untargeted metabolomics assay was performed in plasma from 50 healthy volunteers, 43 CHB patients, 67 LC patients, and 39 HCC patients. A total of 24 differential metabolites (DMs) were identified. Joint pathway analysis suggested striking changes in amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism from CHB to HCC. The panel of L-serine, creatine and glycine distinguished LC from CHB, and L-serine, cystathionine, creatine and linoleic acid distinguished HCC from LC. Bioinformatic analysis of publicly available data showed that differential metabolite profile-associated enzyme genes, including alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase-2 (AGXT2), D-amino-acid oxidase (DAO), and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CTH), were downregulated, while bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM), cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), phosphoserine phosphatase (PSPH) and acyl-CoA thioesterase 7 (ACOT7) were upregulated, in HCC, all of which correlated with a poor prognosis for HCC patients. Our results indicated that serum metabolites and related enzymes are of considerable significance for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC and can provide a theoretical basis and therapeutic index for future diagnosis and treatment.
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Xie Z, Qiang J, Pi X, Wang J, Chen Y, Yu Q, Zhang Q. Favorable outcome of adjunctive traditional Chinese medicine therapy in liver cirrhosis: A large cohort study in Southwest China. Complement Ther Med 2020; 51:102446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Li H. Advances in anti hepatic fibrotic therapy with Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formula. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 251:112442. [PMID: 31891799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The process of liver fibrogenesis includes a number of common and etiology-dependent or independent mechanisms and events. Up to now, there are still insufficient approved biological or chemical therapies directly targeting and reversing advanced fibrosis. The key is that once liver fibrosis is triggered, it presents a complex network control model with the activation of HSCs as the core, resulting in poor efficacy of treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has unique advantages in treating hepatic fibrosis because of its syndrome differentiation and treatment and comprehensive pharmacological effects of multi-channel, multi-level and multi-target. However, TCM's advantages were rarely discussed as previous reviews focused on the active ingredients of TCM and single Chinese Medicine. Therefore, this paper focuses on TCM herbal formulae's pharmacological role, target and related mechanisms in the treatment of liver fibrosis. AIM OF THE STUDY This paper will focus on the pharmacological role, target and related mechanisms of TCM herbal formulae in the treatment of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collect English literatures or Chinese literatures with English Abstract on the treatment of liver fibrosis with TCM herbal formulae from databases including PubMed, Wiley InterScience, Science Direct OnSite/Elsevier, Ovid, Excerpta Medica Database, SpringLink, CNKI and China Biomedical Literature Database. Based on previous literatures, we summarize the TCM herbal formulae with definite anti-hepatic fibrosis effects. RESULTS To some extent, classical or modern TCM herbal formulae including Yinchenhao Decoction (YCHD), Xiayuxue Decoction (XYXD), Xiaochaihutang (XCHT), Yiguanjian Decoction (YGJ), Huangqi Decoction (HQD), Dahuang Zhechong Pills (DHZC), Fuzheng Huayu Formula (FZHY), Fufang Biejia Ruangan Tablets (FFBJRG), Anluo Huaxian Pills (ALHX) and Compound 861 (Cpd861) have anti-hepatic fibrosis effect both on patients with liver fibrosis and animal models with liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION According to the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment, Liver fibrosis patients with different syndromes are treated with different herbal formula, which increases the difficulty of clinical efficacy research. YCHD and XYXD research lack randomized and controlled clinical trials. XCHT, YGJ and HQD research has small sample sizes despite randomized and controlled clinical trials. In contrast, most modern herbal formulae have randomized and controlled clinical trials. For instance, FZHY and ALHX recently published the research results of the combination of entecavir in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. Compared to anti-viral treatment with entecavir alone, this method has improved the reversion rate of liver fibrosis but still needs syndrome classification therapy of TCM. TCM Herbal formulae have a good prospect in treating liver fibrosis, but its composition of multiple drugs and a wide range of targets intensify the difficulty of studying their anti-hepatic fibrosis mechanisms. Future research needs to further study the anti-hepatic fibrosis mechanisms and select corresponding TCM herbal formula to treat patients with different syndromes of liver fibrosis or the same patient with different syndromes at different stages to achieve better curative results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Central Laboratory, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, NO. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, PR China.
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Zhang K, Zhang Y, Li N, Xing F, Zhao J, Yang T, Liu C, Feng N. An herbal-compound-based combination therapy that relieves cirrhotic ascites by affecting the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway: A metabolomics-based systematic study. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 241:112034. [PMID: 31226385 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional Chinese medicine boasts a 440-year-long history of treating refractory ascites via combinations of herbal medicines, called formulae. Xiaozhang Tie (XT) is a proprietary herbal-compound-based formula that has been proven to be very effective in the treatment of cirrhosis-associated ascites in clinical practice, but the mechanism of action of XT remains unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we used a metabolomics-based systematic method to elucidate the mechanism of XT in the treatment of cirrhotic ascites. METHODS Decompensated liver cirrhosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) combined with pattern recognition approaches were used to determine differentiating metabolites relevant to XT treatment. Biomarkers were further validated by a targeted quantitative method and by the results from serum and urine analyses. Pathway analysis and correlation network construction were used to reveal the therapeutic targets associated with XT treatment, and the potential mechanisms were verified by the results from biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical assays. RESULTS XT synergistically mediated the abnormalities of amino acid metabolic pathways in cirrhotic rats. XT significantly elevated the arginine levels, reduced the serum nitric oxide (NO) levels and alleviated the gastrointestinal motility disorder of cirrhotic rats. This effect of XT has been confirmed by the inhibition of the activities of inducible NO synthase and neuronal NO synthase in the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS These results reveal that XT promotes gastrointestinal motility by acting on multiple targets in multiple pathways, of which the L-arginine/NO pathway is most affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongtai Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Nana Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feng Xing
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jihui Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tao Yang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chenghai Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Nianping Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Gong Z, Lin J, Zheng J, Wei L, Liu L, Peng Y, Liang W, Hu G. Dahuang Zhechong pill attenuates CCl4-induced rat liver fibrosis via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. J Cell Biochem 2019; 121:1431-1440. [PMID: 31502329 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.29378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
It is well characterized that activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) exert critical functions in accelerating the progression of liver fibrosis. Previous studies have indicated that Dahuang Zhechong pill (DHZCP), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is capable of inactivating HSCs and thus attenuate the formation of liver fibrosis in rats. However, pharmacological mechanisms of DHZCP in alleviating liver fibrosis remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the antifibrotic role of DHZCP through inhibiting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. DHZCP was found to significantly suppresses extracellular matrix formation and immune cell infiltration, thus alleviating liver fibrosis symptoms in the in vivo model. Moreover, DHZCP reduced serum levels of transforming growth factor β1 and tumor necrosis factor-α in rats with liver fibrosis. DHZCP treatment remarkably downregulated protein levels of PI3K and phosphorylated Akt, as well as fibrosis markers. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that DHZCP markedly suppressed HSCs proliferation by downregulating PI3K/Akt, which exerted a synergistic effect with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. To sum up, our results confirmed that DHZCP exerted an antifibrotic effect in the animal model through inactivating the PI3K/Akt pathway, thus protecting rats from liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghua Gong
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiayu Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liya Wei
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanzhong Peng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weicheng Liang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guoxin Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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Hu XQ, Song YN, Wu R, Cai FF, Zhang Y, Peng JH, Hu YY, Su SB. Metabolic mechanisms of Fuzheng-Huayu formula against liver fibrosis in rats. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 238:111888. [PMID: 31004725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Fuzheng-Huayu formula (FZHY) is traditionally used to treat liver fibrosis in clinic. The study was conducted to investigate the metabolic mechanisms of FZHY against liver fibrosis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Rats with CCl4 -induced liver fibrosis were treated with FZHY and its components, including amygdalin, cordyceps polysaccharide and gypenoside, respecitively. Liver fibrosis and function were assesed by histopathological examination, Western blot and serum biochemical detection. Metabolic profiling of liver tissue, serum and urine in each group were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and transcriptomic changes were tested by gene chip. RT-qPCR was used to validate levels of different expressed genes (DEGs) with statistical significance. Metabolic network together with DEGs was constructed based on KEGG database. RESULTS FZHY effectively improved liver fibrosis better than the mixture or single use of gypenoside, cordyceps sinensis mycelia and amygdalin. FZHY treatment widely modulated the metabolic profiles perturbed by liver fibrosis, involving several important metabolic pathways, including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glucose-alanine cycle, citrate cycle, galactose metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, urea cycle, etc. It also increased alanine and decreased glucose levels in liver tissue and decreased both of them in serum and urine, which were dysregulated by CCl4 treatment. Additionally, FZHY also upregulated expression of metabolic enzymes including Hk2, Adh1 and Gpt increased, and downregulated Gs and Acss2. CONCLUSION FZHY improved liver fibrosis in rats via altering the metabolic pathways and regulating gene expression of involved metabolic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Qing Hu
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ya-Nan Song
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China; Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, china
| | - Rong Wu
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fei-Fei Cai
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yongyu Zhang
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and System Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jing-Hua Peng
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yi-Yang Hu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Shi-Bing Su
- Research Center for Complex System of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Zhai Y, Xu J, Feng L, Liu Q, Yao W, Li H, Cao Y, Cheng F, Bao B, Zhang L. Broad range metabolomics coupled with network analysis for explaining possible mechanisms of Er-Zhi-Wan in treating liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome of Traditional Chinese medicine. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 234:57-66. [PMID: 30690072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW), a famous traditional Chinese formulation, is used to prevent, or to treat, various liver and kidney diseases for its actions of replenishing liver and kidney. However, the mechanisms of treating Liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome (LKYDS) of EZW have not been comprehensively investigated. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, a broad range metabolomics strategy coupled with network analysis was established to investigate possible mechanisms of EZW in treating LKYDS. MATERIALS AND METHOD The rat models of LKYDS were established using the mixture of thyroxine and reserpine, and the changes of biochemical indices in serum and histopathology were detected to explore the effects of EZW. Next, a broad range metabolomics strategy based on RPLC-Q-TOF/MS and HILIC-Q-TOF/MS has been developed to find the possible significant metabolites in the serum and urine of LKYDS rats. Then, network analysis was applied to visualize the relationships between identified serum and urine metabolites and in detail to find hub metabolites, which might be responsible for the effect of EZW on rats of LKYDS. Furthermore, the shortest path of "disease gene-pathway protein-metabolite" was built to investigate the possible intervention path of EZW from the systematic perspective. RESULTS Five hub metabolites, namely, arachidonic acid, L-arginine, testosterone, taurine and oxoglutaric acid, were screened out and could be adjusted to recover by EZW. After that, the shortest path starting from disease genes and ending in metabolites were identified and disclosed, and the genes of aging such as CAV1 and ACO1 were selected to explain the pathological mechanism of LKYDS. CONCLUSION Broad range metabolomics coupled with network analysis could provide another perspective on systematically investigating the molecular mechanism of EZW in treating LKYDS at metabolomics level. In addition, EZW might prevent the pathological process of LKYDS through regulating the disturbed metabolic pathway and the aging genes such as CAV1 and ACO1, which may be potential targets for EZW in the treatment of LKYDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhai
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Jia Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Li Feng
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Qinan Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Weifeng Yao
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Hui Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yudan Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Fangfang Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Beihua Bao
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Cai FF, Zhou WJ, Wu R, Su SB. Systems biology approaches in the study of Chinese herbal formulae. Chin Med 2018; 13:65. [PMID: 30619503 PMCID: PMC6311004 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-018-0221-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Systems biology is an academic field that attempts to integrate different levels of information to understand how biological systems function. It is the study of the composition of all components of a biological system and their interactions under specific conditions. The core of systems biology is holistic and systematic research, which is different from the manner of thinking and research of all other branches of biology to date. Chinese herbal formulae (CHF) are the main form of Chinese medicine and are composed of single Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) with pharmacological and pharmacodynamic compatibility. When single CHMs are combined into CHF, the result is different from the original effect of a single drug and can be better adapted to more diseases with complex symptoms. CHF represent a complex system with multiple components, targets and effects. Therefore, the use of systems biology is conducive to revealing the complex characteristics of CHF. With the rapid development of omics technologies, systems biology has been widely and increasingly applied to the study of the basis of the pharmacological substances, action targets and mechanisms of CHF. To meet the challenges of multiomics synthesis-intensive studies and system dynamics research in CHF, this paper reviews the common techniques of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics and their applications in research on CHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Fei Cai
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Wen-Jun Zhou
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Rong Wu
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Shi-Bing Su
- Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203 China
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Classification of Gan Dan Shi Re Pattern and Gan Shen Yin Xu Pattern in Patients with Hepatitis B Cirrhosis Using Metabonomics. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2018; 2018:2697468. [PMID: 30584450 PMCID: PMC6280296 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2697468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to analyze the differential metabolites and their metabolic pathways from the serum of patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis, with two typical patterns of Gan Dan Shi Re (GDSR) and Gan Shen Yin Xu (GSYX) based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It also investigated the variation in the internal material basis for the two types of patterns and provided an objective basis for classifying TCM patterns using metabolomic techniques. Methods The serum samples taken from 111 qualified patients (40 GDSR cases, 41 GSYX cases, and 30 Latent Pattern (LP) cases with no obvious pattern characters) and 60 healthy volunteers were tested to identify the differential substances relevant to hepatitis B cirrhosis and the two typical TCM patterns under the gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry platform. The relevant metabolic pathways of differential substances were analyzed using multidimensional statistical analysis. Results After excluding the influence of LP groups, six common substances were found in GDSR and GSYX patterns, which were mainly involved in the metabolic pathways of glycine, serine, threonine, and phenylalanine. Eight specific metabolites involved in the metabolic pathways of linoleic, glycine, threonine, and serine existed in the two patterns. Conclusions The data points on the metabolic spectrum were found to be well distributed among the differential substances between the two typical TCM patterns of patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis using metabolomic techniques. The differential expression of these substances between GDSR and GSYX patterns provided an important objective basis for the scientific nature of TCM pattern classification at the metabolic level.
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New omic and network paradigms for deep understanding of therapeutic mechanisms for Fangji of traditional Chinese medicine. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2018; 39:903-905. [PMID: 29863110 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2018.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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