1
|
Rao J, Gao Q, Li N, Wang Y, Wang T, Wang K, Qiu F. Unraveling the enigma: Molecular mechanisms of berberrubine-induced nephrotoxicity reversed by its parent form berberine. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 129:155648. [PMID: 38669970 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that is extensively applied in the clinic due to its potential therapeutic effects on dysentery and infectious diarrhoea. Its main metabolite, berberrubine, a promising candidate for ameliorating hyperlipidaemia, has garnered more attention than berberine. However, our study revealed that berberrubine induces severe kidney damage, while berberine was proven to be safe. PURPOSE Herein, we explored the opposite biological effects of these two compounds on the kidney and elucidated their underlying mechanisms. METHODS First, integrated metabolomic and proteomic analyses were conducted to identify relevant signalling pathways. Second, a click chemistry method combined with a cellular thermal shiftassay, a drug affinity responsive target stability assay, and microscale thermophoresis were used to identify the direct target proteins. Moreover, a mutation experiment was performed to study the specific binding sites. RESULTS Animal studies showed that berberrubine, but not berberine, induced severe chronic, subchronic, and acute nephrotoxicity. More importantly, berberine reversed the berberrubine-reduced nephrotoxicity. The results indicated that the cPLA2 signalling pathway was highly involved in the nephrotoxicity induced by berberrubine. We further confirmed that the direct target of berberrubine is the BASP1 protein (an upstream factor of cPLA2 signalling). Moreover, berberine alleviated nephrotoxicity by binding cPLA2 and inhibiting cPLA2 activation. CONCLUSION This study is the first to revel the opposite biological effects of berberine and its metabolite berberrubine in inducing kidney injury. Berberrubine, but not berberine, shows strong nephrotoxicity. The cPLA2 signalling pathway can be activated by berberrubine through targeting of BASP1, while berberine inhibits this pathway by directly binding with cPLA2. Our study paves the way for studies on the exact molecular targets of herbal ingredients. We also demonstrated that natural small molecules and their active metabolites can have opposite regulatory roles in vivo through the same signalling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinqiu Rao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Qing Gao
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Na Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Yuan Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Tianwang Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China.
| | - Feng Qiu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xiang ZD, Guan HD, Zhao X, Xie Q, Cai FJ, Xie ZJ, Dang R, Li ML, Wang CH. Protoberberine alkaloids: A review of the gastroprotective effects, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155444. [PMID: 38367423 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stomach diseases have become global health concerns. Protoberberine alkaloids (PBAs) are a group of quaternary isoquinoline alkaloids from abundant natural sources and have been shown to improve gastric disorders in preclinical and clinical studies. The finding that PBAs exhibit low oral bioavailability but potent pharmacological activity has attracted great interest. PURPOSE This review aims to provide a systematic review of the molecular mechanisms of PBAs in the treatment of gastric disorders and to discuss the current understanding of the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of PBAs. METHODS The articles related to PBAs were collected from the Web of Science, Pubmed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases using relevant keywords. The collected articles were screened and categorized according to their research content to focus on the gastroprotective effects, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of PBAs. RESULTS Based on the results of preclinical studies, PBAs have demonstrated therapeutic effects on chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer by activating interleukin-4 (IL-4)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) pathway and suppressing transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Janus kinase-2 (JAK2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. The major PBAs exhibit similar pharmacokinetic properties, including rapid absorption, slow elimination, and low bioavailability. Notably, the natural organ-targeting property of PBAs may account for the finding of their low blood levels and high pharmacological activity. PBAs interact with other compounds, including conventional drugs and natural products, by modulation of metabolic enzymes and transporters. The potential tissue toxicity of PBAs should be emphasized due to their high tissue accumulation. CONCLUSION This review highlights the gastroprotective effects, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of PBAs and will contribute to the evaluation of drug properties and clinical translational studies of PBAs, accelerating their transfer from the laboratory to the bedside.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Dong Xiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hui-Da Guan
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qi Xie
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Fu-Jie Cai
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhe-Jun Xie
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Rui Dang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Man-Lin Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Chang-Hong Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sun H, Chen M, He X, Sun Y, Feng J, Guo X, Li L, Zhu J, Xia G, Zang H. Phytochemical analysis and in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties of Plagiorhegma dubia Maxim as a medicinal crop for diabetes treatment. ARAB J CHEM 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2023.104788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
|
4
|
Chen H, Liu C, Li M, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Jiang Q, Wang J, Wang Q, Zhuo Y. Ferulic acid prevents Diosbulbin B-induced liver injury by inhibiting covalent modifications on proteins. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2023; 50:100507. [PMID: 37075616 DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2023.100507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Diosbulbin B (DIOB) has been reported to cause serious liver injury. However, in traditional medicine, DIOB-containing herbs are highly safe in combination with ferulic acid (FA)-containing herbs, suggesting potential neutralizing effect of FA on the toxicity of DIOB. DIOB can be metabolized to generate reactive metabolites (RMs), which can covalently bind to proteins and lead to hepatoxicity. In the present study, the quantitative method was firstly established for investigating the correlation between DIOB RM-protein adducts (DRPAs) and hepatotoxicity. Then, we estimated the detoxication effect of FA in combination with DIOB and revealed the underlying mechanism. Our data indicated that the content of DRPAs positively correlate with the severity of hepatotoxicity. Meanwhile, FA is able to reduce the metabolic rate of DIOB in vitro. Moreover, FA suppressed the production of DRPAs and decreased the serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) levels elevated by DIOB in vivo. Thus, FA can ameliorate DIOB-induced liver injury through reducing the production of DRPAs.
Collapse
|
5
|
Yan C, Peng T, Zhang T, Wang Y, Li N, Wang K, Jiang X. Molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity induced by compounds occurring in Evodiae Fructus. Drug Metab Rev 2023; 55:75-93. [PMID: 36803497 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2023.2180027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Evodiae Fructus (EF) is a common herbal medicine with thousands of years of medicinal history in China, which has been demonstrated with many promising pharmacological effects on cancer, cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer's disease. However, there have been increasing reports of hepatotoxicity associated with EF consumption. Unfortunately, in a long term, many implicit constituents of EF as well as their toxic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recently, metabolic activation of hepatotoxic compounds of EF to generate reactive metabolites (RMs) has been implicated. Herein, we capture metabolic reactions relevant to hepatotoxicity of these compounds. Initially, catalyzed by the hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450s), the hepatotoxic compounds of EF are oxidized to generate RMs. Subsequently, the highly electrophilic RMs could react with nucleophilic groups contained in biomolecules, such as hepatic proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids to form conjugates and/or adducts, leading to a sequence of toxicological consequences. In addition, currently proposed biological pathogenesis, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, hepatic metabolism disorder, and cell apoptosis are represented. In short, this review updates the knowledge on the pathways of metabolic activation of seven hepatotoxic compounds of EF and provides considerable insights into the relevance of proposed molecular hepatotoxicity mechanisms from a biochemical standpoint, for the purpose of providing a theoretical guideline for the rational application of EF in clinics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caiqin Yan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Ting Peng
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China.,Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China.,Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China.,Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Na Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Xijuan Jiang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang N, Yang Y, Li W, Zhou S, Li W, Peng Y, Zheng J. Asparagine and Glutamine Residues Participate in Protein Covalent Binding by Epoxide Metabolite of 8-Epidiosbulbin E Acetate In Vitro and In Vivo. Chem Res Toxicol 2022; 35:1821-1830. [PMID: 35839447 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dioscorea Bulbifera L. (DBL), an effective traditional Chinese medicine, has been restricted because of multiple reports that it can cause severe hepatotoxicity. 8-Epidiosbulbin E acetate (EEA), one of the main components of DBL, can induce severe liver injury. It has been reported that EEA can be metabolized by CYP3A to the corresponding cis-enedial intermediate which alkylates the lysine residues of proteins to form pyrroline derivatives. The present study unexpectedly found that the reactive intermediate reacted with the amide groups of asparagine (Asn) and glutamine (Gln) residues of hepatic proteins of mice treated with EEA. The amide-derived protein modification increased with the increase in the dose administered. Like the adduction of the primary amine of lysine residues, the electrophilic metabolite reacted with the amide groups of Asn and Gln residues to offer the corresponding pyrrolines. The structures of the pyrrolines were confirmed by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China
| | - Yi Yang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China
| | - Wei Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China
| | - Shenzhi Zhou
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China
| | - Weiwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, PR China
| | - Ying Peng
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China
| | - Jiang Zheng
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, PR China
| |
Collapse
|