Amelioration of concanavalin A-induced autoimmune hepatitis by magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate through inhibition of CD4(+)CD25(-)CD69(+) subset proliferation

NLRP3 inflammasome activation in response to metals

Implant surgery is followed by a series of inflammatory reactions that directly affect its postoperative results. The inflammasome plays a vital role in the inflammatory response by inducing pyroptosis and producing interleukin-1β, which plays a critical role in inflammation and tissue damage. Therefore, it is essential to study the activation of the inflammasome in the bone healing process after implant surgery. As metals are the primary implant materials, metal-induced local inflammatory reactions have received significant attention, and there has been more and more research on the activation of the NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor protein-3) inflammasome caused by these metals. In this review, we consolidate the basic knowledge on the NLRP3 inflammasome structures, the present knowledge on the mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and the studies of metal-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate attenuates acute alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis in a zebrafish model by regulating lipid metabolism and ER stress

Background

Alcoholism is a well-known risk factor for liver injury and is one of the major causes of hepatic steatosis worldwide. Although many drugs have been reported to have protective effects against acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity, there is limited available treatment for alcoholic liver disease (ALD), indicating an urgent need for effective therapeutic options. Herein, we first reported the protective effects of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) on acute alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis and its related mechanisms in a zebrafish model.

Methods

Alcohol was administered directly to embryo medium at 5 days post-fertilization (dpf) for up to 32 h. MgIG was given to the larvae 2 h before the administration of alcohol and then cotreated with alcohol starting at 5 dpf. Oil red O staining was used to determine the incidence of steatosis, and pathological features of the liver were assessed by hematoxylin–eosin staining. Biological indexes, total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TG) were detected in the livers of zebrafish larvae. Morphological changes in the livers of zebrafish larvae were observed using liver-specific EGFP transgenic zebrafish (Tg(lfabp10a:eGFP)). The expression levels of critical molecules related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and lipid metabolism were detected by qRT–PCR, whole-mount in situ hybridization and western blotting.

Results

Alcohol-treated larvae developed hepatomegaly and steatosis after 32 h of exposure. We found that MgIG improved hepatomegaly and reduced the incidence of steatosis in a dose-dependent manner by oil red O staining and diminished deposits of alcohol-induced fat droplets by histologic analysis. Moreover, MgIG significantly decreased the levels of TC and TG in the livers of zebrafish larvae. Furthermore, the expression levels of critical genes involved in ER stress (atf6, irela, bip, chop) and the key enzymes regulating lipid metabolism (acc1, fasn, hmgcs1 and hmgcra) were significantly higher in the alcohol-treated group than in the control group. However, in the MgIG plus alcohol-treated group, the expression of these genes was markedly decreased compared with that in the alcohol-treated group. Whole-mount in situ hybridization and western blotting also showed that MgIG had an effect on the expression levels of critical genes and proteins involved in lipid metabolism and ER stress. Our results revealed that MgIG could markedly regulate these genes and protect the liver from ER stress and lipid metabolism disorders.

Conclusions

Our study is the first to demonstrate that MgIG could protect the liver from acute alcohol stimulation by ameliorating the disorder of lipid metabolism and regulating ER stress in zebrafish larvae.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12986-022-00655-7.

Jiegeng Decoction Potentiates the Anticancer Efficacy of Paclitaxel in vivo and in vitro

Paclitaxel (PTX) has been the first-line treatment for lung cancer; however, its clinical use is limited due to multidrug resistance (MDR) and adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore agents that can enhance the anticancer efficacy of PTX by reducing drug resistance and adverse reactions. Jiegeng decoction (JG) was used as the meridian guide drug and adjuvant drug in treatment of lung cancer. However, the mechanism of adjuvant effect was unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether JG could potentiate the anticancer effect of PTX. Tissue distribution of PTX was detected using HPLC-MS/MS. The anti-lung cancer effect of the combination of PTX and JG in Lewis lung cancer C57BL/6J mice was evaluated based on the body weight and tumor-inhibition rate. PTX concentration in tumors was determined using HPLC-MS and in vivo imaging. Biochemical indices were detected using biochemical analyzer and ELISA. The anticancer mechanism of the PTX-JG combination in A549/PTX cells was elucidated based on cell proliferation, annexin V-FITC apoptosis assay, and western blotting. Tissue distribution analysis showed that the distribution of PTX increased in the lungs, liver, and heart upon administering the combination of PTX and JG. JG remarkably enhanced the anticancer effect of PTX by increasing the red blood cell and platelet counts; increasing hemoglobin, interleukin (IL)-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels; increasing CD4+T cells and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio; and decreasing IL-10 levels. JG administration led to the increased distribution of PTX at the tumor lesion sites and also potentiated the anticancer effect of PTX by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Moreover, JG reversed PTX resistance by inhibiting the expression of lung resistance-related proteins, multiresistance protein 1, P-glycoprotein, and breast cancer-resistant protein. Furthermore, the combination of JG and PTX decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and did not affect creatine kinase-MB levels. Therefore, our discovery suggests that JG increased the anticancer effect of PTX by downregulating the MDR-related protein and demonstrated a synergistic enhancement of immunity. Thus, the combination of PTX with JG shows potential in the management of lung cancer owing to its synergistic and detoxifying effects.

Novel Therapies for the Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury: A Systematic Review

Many drugs with different mechanisms of action and indications available on the market today are capable of inducing hepatotoxicity. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has been a treatment challenge nowadays as it was in the past. We searched Medline (via PubMed), CENTRAL, Science Citation Index Expanded, clinical trials registries and databases of DILI and hepatotoxicity up to 2021 for novel therapies for the management of adult patients with DILI based on the combination of three main search terms: 1) treatment, 2) novel, and 3) drug-induced liver injury. The mechanism of action of novel therapies, the potential of their benefit in clinical settings, and adverse drug reactions related to novel therapies were extracted. Cochrane Risk of bias tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment approach was involved in the assessment of the certainty of the evidence for primary outcomes of included studies. One thousand three hundred seventy-two articles were identified. Twenty-eight articles were included in the final analysis. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were detected and for six the available data were sufficient for analysis. In abstract form only we found six studies which were also anaylzed. Investigated agents included: bicyclol, calmangafodipir, cytisin amidophospate, fomepizole, livina-polyherbal preparation, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), picroliv, plasma exchange, radix Paeoniae Rubra, and S-adenosylmethionine. The primary outcomes of included trials mainly included laboratory markers improvement. Based on the moderate-certainty evidence, more patients treated with MgIG experienced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization compared to placebo. Low-certainty evidence suggests that bicyclol treatment leads to a reduction of ALT levels compared to phosphatidylcholine. For the remaining eight interventions, the certainty of the evidence for primary outcomes was assessed as very low and we are very uncertain in any estimate of effect. More effort should be involved to investigate the novel treatment of DILI. Well-designed RCTs with appropriate sample sizes, comparable groups and precise, not only surrogate outcomes are urgently welcome.

Summary of Natural Products Ameliorate Concanavalin A-Induced Liver Injury: Structures, Sources, Pharmacological Effects, and Mechanisms of Action

Liver diseases represent a threat to human health and are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a progressive and chronic hepatic inflammatory disease, which may lead to severe complications. Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatic injury is regarded as an appropriate experimental model for investigating the pathology and mechanisms involved in liver injury mediated by immune cells as well as T cell-related liver disease. Despite the advances in modern medicine, the only available strategies to treat AIH, include the use of steroids either solely or with immunosuppressant drugs. Unfortunately, this currently available treatment is associated with significant side-effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for safe and effective drugs to replace and/or supplement those in current use. Natural products have been utilized for treating liver disorders and have become a promising therapy for various liver disorders. In this review, the natural compounds and herbal formulations as well as extracts and/or fractions with protection against liver injury caused by Con A and the underlying possible mechanism(s) of action are reviewed. A total of 53 compounds from different structural classes are discussed and over 97 references are cited. The goal of this review is to attract the interest of pharmacologists, natural product researchers, and synthetic chemists for discovering novel drug candidates for treating immune-mediated liver injury.

Protective Effects of Magnesium Glycyrrhizinate on Methotrexate-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Intestinal Toxicity May Be by Reducing COX-2

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), which has been widely employed to treat chronic hepatitis, is synthesized from 18-β glycyrrhizic acid, a main component of traditional Chinese medicine Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Although the protective effects of MgIG on methotrexate (MTX)-induced liver toxicity have been well-documented, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. MTX was initially used to treat pediatric acute leukemia, and has been widely applied to psoriasis therapy. However, its clinical applications are limited due to hepatotoxicity and intestinal toxicity. Herein, prophylactic administration of MgIG (9 and 18 mg/kg/day) significantly reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in the serum of rats receiving intravenous injection of MTX (20 mg/kg body weight). MgIG also attenuated MTX-induced hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, it better protected against MTX-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and decreased the serum level of malondialdehyde than reduced glutathione (80 mg/kg/day) did. Interestingly, MTX-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, intestinal permeability and inflammation were attenuated after MgIG administration. In addition, MgIG (9 and 18 mg/kg) reduced MTX-induced colocalization of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and connexin 43 (Cx43) in intestinal villi. In conclusion, MgIG exerted beneficial effects on MTX-induced hepatotoxicity and intestinal damage, as a potentially eligible drug for alleviating the hepatic and intestinal side effects of MTX during chemotherapy.

Human liver stem cells attenuate concanavalin A-induced acute liver injury by modulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells and CD4+ T cells in mice

BACKGROUND

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a serious threat to the life of people all over the world. Finding an effective way to manage ALF is important. Human liver stem cells (HLSCs) are early undifferentiated cells that have been implicated in the regeneration and functional reconstruction of the liver. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective effects of the HLSC line HYX1 against concanavalin A (ConA)-induced acute liver injury.

METHODS

HYX1 cells were characterized by microscopy, functional assays, gene expression, and western blot analyses. We showed that HYX1 cells can differentiate into hepatocytes. We intraperitoneally injected HYX1 cells in mice and administered ConA via caudal vein injection 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h later. The effects of HYX1 cell transplantation were evaluated through blood tests, histology, and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

HYX1 cells reduced the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBIL) in serum and dramatically decreased the severity of liver injuries. Mechanistically, HYX1 cells promoted myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) migration into the spleen and liver, while reducing CD4⁺ T cell levels in both tissues. In addition, HYX1 cells suppressed the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), but led to increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) production.

CONCLUSIONS

These results confirm the efficacy of HLSCs in the prevention of the ConA-induced acute liver injury through modulation of MDSCs and CD4⁺ T cell migration and cytokine secretion.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate ameliorates doxorubicin-induced acute cardiac and hepatic toxicity via anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms in mice

The present study investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of action of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) in doxorubicin (DOX)-treated mice. Histopathological analysis and western blot analysis were conducted in the liver and heart tissues and biochemical analysis of the serum was performed. The results revealed that MgIG (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/day) could protect the structure and functions of the liver and heart by inhibiting the activities of the myocardial enzymes creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB and lactate dehydrogenase and the hepatic-specific enzymes aspirate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, increasing the activities of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and inhibiting cellular apoptosis induced by DOX (30 mg/kg). These results demonstrate that inhibiting lipid peroxidation and reducing myocardial and hepatocyte apoptosis may be one of the mechanisms by which MgIG exhibits hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects in DOX-treated mice.

Amelioration of Ethanol-Induced Hepatitis by Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate through Inhibition of Neutrophil Cell Infiltration and Oxidative Damage

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is no effective treatment to prevent the disease progression. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) showed potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities and was used for treating liver diseases in Asia. In this study, we examined whether MgIG could protect mice against alcohol-induced liver injury. The newly developed chronic plus binge ethanol feeding model was used to study the role of MgIG in ALD. Serum liver enzyme levels, H&E staining, immunohistochemical staining, flow cytometric analysis, and real-time PCR were used to evaluate the liver injury and inflammation. We showed that MgIG markedly ameliorated chronic plus binge ethanol feeding liver injury, as shown by decreased serum alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and reduced neutrophil infiltration. The reason may be attributed to the reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines with the treatment of MgIG. The hepatoprotective effect of MgIG was associated with suppression of neutrophil ROS production as well as hepatocellular oxidative stress. MgIG may play a critical role in protecting against chronic plus binge ethanol feeding-induced liver injury by regulating neutrophil activity and hepatic oxidative stress.

miR-20b Inhibits T Cell Proliferation and Activation via NFAT Signaling Pathway in Thymoma-Associated Myasthenia Gravis

Purpose. We examined the role of miR-20b in development of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis, especially in T cell proliferation and activation. Materials and Methods. Using qRT-PCR, we assessed expression levels of miR-20b and its target genes in cultured cells and patient samples and examined the proliferation of cultured cells, using MTT cell proliferation assays and flow cytometry based cell cycle analysis. Activation of T cells was determined by both flow cytometry and qRT-PCR of activation-specific marker genes. Results. Expression of miR-20b was downregulated in samples of thymoma tissues and serum from patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. In addition, T cell proliferation and activation were inhibited by ectopic overexpression of miR-20b, which led to increased T cell proliferation and activation. NFAT5 and CAMTA1 were identified as targets of miR-20b. Expression levels of NFAT5 and CAMTA1 were inhibited by miR-20b expression in cultured cells, and the expression levels of miR-20b and NFAT5/CAMTA1 were inversely correlated in patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. Conclusion. miR-20b acts as a tumor suppressor in the development of thymoma and thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. The tumor suppressive function of miR-20b in thymoma could be due to its inhibition of NFAT signaling by repression of NFAT5 and CAMTA1 expression.