Protective Effects of Anwulignan against HCl/Ethanol-Induced Acute Gastric Ulcer in Mice

The Gastroprotective Effect of Sicyos angulatus Against Hydrochloric Acid/Ethanol-Induced Acute Gastritis and Gastric Ulcer in Mice

Gastritis and gastric ulcers are common gastric diseases that are caused by infection, drugs, alcohol consumption, or stress. These conditions lead to increased inflammatory cytokines and recruitment of leukocytes, which damage the stomach mucosa and exacerbate disease severity. Sicyos angulatus (SA), an annual vine in the Cucurbitaceae family, is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect, but its efficacy for preventing gastritis and gastric ulcers has not yet been evaluated. In the present study, we investigated the gastroprotective effect of SA using a hydrochloric acid/ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury mouse model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated KATO III cells. Macroscopic analysis revealed a reduction in gastric ulcer area. Similarly, histopathological analysis showed a dose-dependent decrease in gastric mucosal injury, with significant improvement at 750 mg/kg of SA treatment. Gene expressions of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecule were reduced in the SA-administered group. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that SA significantly decreased neutrophil infiltration in the lamina propria and epithelium of the stomach. Kaempferol, a major bioactive flavonoid of SA, also improved gastric injury by reducing macroscopic and microscopic lesions, inflammatory mediator gene expression, and neutrophil infiltration. Furthermore, both SA and kaempferol downregulated LPS-mediated increases in inflammatory cytokines and chemokines following inhibition of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation in KATO III cells. These results suggest that SA can ameliorate gastric mucosal injury by inhibiting the recruitment of inflammatory cells, particularly neutrophils, and by suppressing p38 and JNK phosphorylation.

Gintonin Alleviates HCl/Ethanol- and Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Mice

Gintonin, newly extracted from ginseng, is a glycoprotein that acts as an exogenous lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. This study aimed to demonstrate the in vivo preventive effects of gintonin on gastric damage. ICR mice were randomly assigned to five groups: a normal group (received saline, 0.1 mL/10 g, p.o.); a control group (administered 0.3 M HCl/ethanol, 0.1 mL/10 g, p.o.) or indomethacin (30 mg/kg, p.o.); gintonin at two different doses (50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) with either 0.3 M HCl/ethanol or indomethacin; and a positive control (Ranitidine, 40 mg/kg, p.o.). After gastric ulcer induction, the gastric tissue was examined to calculate the ulcer index. The expression of gastric damage markers, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and LPA2 and LPA5 receptors, were measured by Western blotting. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1), Evans blue, and occludin levels in gastric tissues were measured using immunofluorescence analysis. Both HCl/ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers showed increased TNF-α, IL-6, Evans blue permeation, and PECAM-1, and decreased COX-2, PGE2, occludin, and LPA5 receptor expression levels. However, oral administration of gintonin alleviated the gastric ulcer index induced by HCl/ethanol and indomethacin in a dose-dependent manner. Gintonin suppressed TNF-α and IL-6 expression, but increased COX-2 expression and PGE2 levels in mouse gastric tissues. Gintonin intake also increased LPA5 receptor expression in mouse gastric tissues. These results indicate that gintonin can play a role in gastric protection against gastric damage induced by HCl/ethanol or indomethacin.

Lactoferrin mitigates ethanol-induced gastric ulcer via modulation of ROS/ICAM-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway in Wistar rats

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the gastroprotective effect of lactoferrin (LF; 100 & 300 mg/kg) in male Wistar rats versus gastric ulcers induced by 96% ethanol.

Materials and Methods

Rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups: control, ethanol, ethanol+LF100, and ethanol+LF300. LF100 & 300 were given 15 days before ulcer induction. At the end of the experiment, the gastric mucosa was examined macroscopically and microscopically.

Results

The ethanol group showed damage and degeneration of the stomach mucosa in addition to elevation of oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers. LF showed explicit healing of the gastric mucosal damage. LF reduced gastric malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). On the other hand, LF elevated the depleted reduced glutathione (GSH) and Nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2 (Nrf2).

Conclusion

Our current study is the first to study the antiulcer effect of LF via its potential modulatory effects on the ROS/ICAM-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Moreover, we concluded that pretreatment with LF100 & 300 mitigated the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer via modulation of both oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

Down-regulation of TP53 is a highlighted molecular event in gastric ulcer

AIM

The current study explored the crucial dysregulate proteins and biochemical pathways in gastric ulcer as its main aim.

BACKGROUND

Gastric ulcer as an acid-related gastrointestinal disease is known as one of the most public gastrointestinal disorders.

METHODS

A total of 100 proteins from STRING database were analyzed by Cytoscape and its applications to find the central proteins and the related biochemical pathways. Action map analysis was applied to explore regulatory relationships between the critical proteins.

RESULTS

Network analysis and gene ontology revealed that IL6, ALB, TNF, INS, IL1B, IL10, TP53, CXCL8, and PTGS2 are the highlighted proteins related to gastric ulcer. Six clusters of biochemical pathways, namely "response to external stimulus," "multicellular organismal process," "regulation of biological quality," "cellular response to stimulus," "cellular response to chemical stimulus," and "transport" were identified as the dysregulated pathway in patients.

CONCLUSION

Down-regulation of TP53 by IL2, PTGS2, and TNF seems to be a main process occurring in gastric ulcer patients.