Baixiangdan capsule and Shuyu capsule regulate anger-out and anger-in, respectively: GB1–mediated GABA can regulate 5-HT levels in multiple brain regions

The identity of the mechanism by which the Baixiangdan capsule (BXD) and the Shuyu capsule (SY) control anger-out (AO) and anger-in (AI) in rodents is unclear. The current study clarified the intervention role of BXD and SY on AO and AI male rats. We further explored the differences between BXD and SY in the treatment of AO and AI rats. Social isolation combined with the resident-intruder paradigm was used to establish the anger-out and AI rats models. On this basis, GABA content in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and serotonin (5-HT) contents in these brain regions were detected using ELISA after various time courses (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days) treated with BXD and SY. Co-expression of 5-HT and GB1 in the DRN was detected. GB1-specific agonist baclofen and GB1-specific inhibitor CGP35348 were injected into the DRN. Changes in 5-HT levels in these brain regions were then detected. After treatment, rats in the BXD group exhibited lower aggressive behavior scores, longer latencies of aggression, lower total distances in the open field test, and a higher sucrose preference coefficient. Meanwhile, rats in the SY group exhibited higher aggressive behavior scores, shorter latencies of aggression, higher total distances in the open field test, and higher sucrose preference coefficients. With increasing medication duration, 5-HT levels in these brain regions were increased gradually, whereas GABA levels in the DRN were decreased gradually, and all recovered to normal levels by the 7th day. A large number of 5-HT-positive cells could be found in the immunofluorescence section in the DRN containing GABABR1 (GB1)-positive cells, indicating that 5-HT neurons in the DRN co-expressed with GB1. Furthermore, after the drug intervention, the 5-HT level in the DRN was elevated to a normal level, and the GB1 level in the DRN was decreased to a normal level. After the microinjection of baclofen into the DRN, the 5-HT contents in these brain regions were decreased. By contrast, the 5-HT contents were increased after injection with CGP35348. BXD and SY could effectively improve the abnormal behavior changes of AO and AI rats, and the optimal duration of action was 7 days. The improvement way is as follows: Decreased abnormal increase of GABA and GB1 in the DRN further mediated synaptic inhibition and increased 5-HT level in the DRN, leading to increased 5-HT levels in the PFC, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. Therefore, GB1-mediated GABA in the DRN could regulate 5-HT levels in these brain regions, which may be one of the ways by which BXD and SY treat AO and AI, respectively.

Gene Expression in the Hippocampus in a Rat Model of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder After Treatment With Baixiangdan Capsules

Objective: To explore the targets, signal regulatory networks and mechanisms involved in Baixiangdan (BXD) capsule regulation of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) at the gene transcription level, since the etiology and pathogenesis of PMDD are not well understood.

Methods: The PMDD rat model was prepared using the resident-intruder paradigm. The rats were tested for aggressive behavior, and those with scores in the lowest 30% were used as controls, while rats with scores in the highest 30% were divided into a PMDD model group, BXD administration group and fluoxetine administration group, which were evaluated with open-field tests and aggressive behavior tests. We also analyzed gene expression profiles in the hippocampus for each group, and verified differential expression of genes by real-time PCR.

Results: Before and after BXD or fluoxetine administration, scores in the open-field test exhibited no significant differences. The aggressive behavior of the PMDD model rats was improved to a degree after administration of both substances. Gene chip data indicated that 715 genes were differentially expressed in the control and BXD groups. Other group-to-group comparisons exhibited smaller numbers of differentially expressed genes. The effective targets of both drugs included the Htr2c, Cdh3, Serpinb1a, Ace, Trpv4, Cacna1a, Mapk13, Mapk8, Cyp2c13, and Htr1a genes. The results of real-time PCR tests were in accordance with the gene chip data. Based on the target genes and signaling pathway network analysis, we have elaborated the impact and likely mechanism of BXD in treating PMDD and premenstrual irritability.

Conclusion: Our work contributes to the understanding of PMDD pathogenesis and the mechanisms of BXD treatment. We speculate that the differentially expressed genes could participate in neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, mitogen-activated protein kinase, calcium, and gamma-aminobutyric acid signal transduction.

Untargeted serum metabonomics study of psoriasis vulgaris based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, systemic inflammatory skin disease, the etiology and pathogenesis is unclear. An untargeted high-throughput metabonomics method based on liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was applied to study the serum metabolic changes in psoriasis vulgaris patients, and to discover serum potential biomarkers for identification, diagnosis and exploring pathogenesis of psoriasis. The serum metabolic profiles from 150 subjects (75 psoriasis patients and 75 healthy controls) were acquired, the raw spectrometric data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis, and 44 potential biomarkers were screened out and identified. The potential biomarkers were mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, indicated the pathogenesis of psoriasis may be related to the disturbed metabolic pathways.

Profiling Proteins in the Hypothalamus and Hippocampus of a Rat Model of Premenstrual Syndrome Irritability

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to several physical and mental symptoms (such as irritability) commonly encountered in clinical gynaecology. The incidence of PMS has been increasing, attracting greater attention from medical fields. However, PMS pathogenesis remains unclear. This study employed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) for proteomic map analysis of the hypothalamus and hippocampus of rat models of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) irritability. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS) was used to identify proteins possibly related with PMS irritability. Baixiangdan, a traditional Chinese medicine effective against PMS irritability, was used in the rat model to study putative target proteins of this medicine. The hypothalamus and hippocampus of each group modelling PMS displayed the following features: decreased expression of Ulip2, tubulin beta chain 15, α actin, and interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein; increased expression of kappa-B motif-binding phosphoprotein; decreased expression of hydrolase at the end of ubiquitin carboxy, albumin, and aldolase protein; and increased expression of M2 pyruvate kinase, panthenol-cytochrome C reductase core protein I, and calcium-binding protein. Contrasting with previous studies, the current study identified new proteins related to PMS irritability. Our findings contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of PMS irritability and could provide a reference point for further studies.