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Zheng Y, Wei W, Wang Y, Li T, Wei Y, Gao S. Gypenosides exert cardioprotective effects by promoting mitophagy and activating PI3K/Akt/GSK-3 β/Mcl-1 signaling. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17538. [PMID: 38912051 PMCID: PMC11193969 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino, a well-known edible and medicinal plant, has anti-aging properties and is used to treataging-associated conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. Gypenosides (GYPs) are the primary constituents of G. pentaphyllum. Increasing evidence indicates that GYPs are effective at preserving mitochondrial homeostasis and preventing heart failure (HF). This study aimed to uncover the cardioprotective mechanisms of GYPs related to mitochondrial regulation. Methods The bioactive components in GYPs and the potential targets in treating HF were obtained and screened using the network pharmacology approach, followed by drug-disease target prediction and enrichment analyses. The pharmacological effects of GYPs in cardioprotection, mitochondrial function, mitochondrial quality control, and underlying mechanisms were further investigated in Doxorubicin (Dox)-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Results A total of 88 bioactive compounds of GYPs and their respective 71 drug-disease targets were identified. The hub targets covered MAPK, EGFR, PI3KCA, and Mcl-1. Enrichment analysis revealed that the pathways primarily contained PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and FoxO signalings, as well as calcium regulation, protein phosphorylation, apoptosis, and mitophagy process. In Dox-stimulated H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes, pretreatment with GYPs increased cell viability, enhanced cellular ATP content, restored basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR), and improved mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Furthermore, GYPs improved PINK1/parkin-mediated mitophagy without influencing mitochondrial fission/fusion proteins and the autophagic LC3 levels. Mechanistically, the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, GSK-3β, and the protein level of Mcl-1 was upregulated by GYP treatment. Conclusion Our findings reveal that GYPs exert cardioprotective effects by rescuing the defective mitophagy, and PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β/Mcl-1 signaling is potentially involved in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhe Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
- School of Science, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Yukun Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
- School of Science, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Yundong Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Si Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
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Zhou X, Fu Y, Chen J, Liu P. Progress in clinical and basic research of fuzheng Huayu formula for the treatment of liver fibrosis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 327:118018. [PMID: 38453100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118018] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional Chinese medicine has great potential and advantages in the treatment of liver fibrosis, with Fuzheng Huayu formula (FZHY) serving as a prime example due to its remarkable efficacy in delaying and reversing liver fibrosis while simultaneously improving clinical symptoms for patients. AIM OF THE REVIEW In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of recent studies on the therapeutic potential of FZHY and its components/ingredients in the treatment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, with the aim of providing insights for future research endeavors. MATERIALS AND METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted on FZHY, TCM319, traditional Chinese medicine 319, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis using multiple internationally recognized databases including PubMed, Embase, Springer, Web of science, SciVerse ScienceDirect, Clinical Trails. Gov, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP. RESULTS FZHY is widely used clinically for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis caused by various chronic liver diseases, with the effects of improving serum liver function, liver pathological histology, serological indices related to liver fibrosis, decreasing liver stiffness values and portal hypertension, as well as reducing the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and morbidity/mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Numerous in vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that FZHY possesses anti-fibrotic effects by inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing inflammation, protecting hepatocytes, inhibiting hepatic sinusoidal capillarization and angiogenesis, promoting extracellular matrix degradation, and facilitating liver regeneration. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on investigating the primary active components/ingredients of FZHY, and significant strides have been made in comprehending their synergistic mechanisms that enhance efficacy. CONCLUSION FZHY is a safe and effective drug for treating liver fibrosis. Future research on FZHY should focus on its active components/ingredients and their synergistic effects, as well as the development of modern cocktail drugs based on its components/ingredients. This will facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms and targets of FZHY in treating liver fibrosis, thereby further guide clinical applications and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Zhou
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yadong Fu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiamei Chen
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ping Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Shan S, Zhao X, Wood-Trageser MA, Hu D, Liu L, Qi B, Jian J, Wang P, Lv W, Hu C. Obliteration of portal venules contributes to portal hypertension in biliary cirrhosis. J Pathol 2024; 263:178-189. [PMID: 38551075 DOI: 10.1002/path.6273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The effects of the obliteration of portal venules (OPV) in cirrhotic portal hypertension are poorly understood. To investigate its contribution to portal hypertension in biliary cirrhosis and its underlying mechanism, we evaluated OPV using two-dimensional (2D) histopathology in liver explants from patients with biliary atresia (BA, n = 63), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, n = 18), and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (Hep-B-cirrhosis, n = 35). Then, three-dimensional (3D) OPV was measured by X-ray phase-contrast CT in two parallel models in rats following bile duct ligation (BDL) or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration, representing biliary cirrhosis and post-necrotic cirrhosis, respectively. The portal pressure was also measured in the two models. Finally, the effects of proliferative bile ducts on OPV were investigated. We found that OPV was significantly more frequent in patients with biliary cirrhosis, including BA (78.57 ± 16.45%) and PBC (60.00 ± 17.15%), than that in Hep-B-cirrhotic patients (29.43 ± 14.94%, p < 0.001). OPV occurred earlier, evidenced by the paired liver biopsy at a Kasai procedure (KP), and was irreversible even after a successful KP in the patients with BA. OPV was also significantly more frequent in the BDL models than in the CCl4 models, as shown by 2D and 3D quantitative analysis. Portal pressure was significantly higher in the BDL model than that in the CCl4 model. With the proliferation of bile ducts, portal venules were compressed and irreversibly occluded, contributing to the earlier and higher portal pressure in biliary cirrhosis. OPV, as a pre-sinusoidal component, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension in biliary cirrhosis. The proliferated bile ducts and ductules gradually take up the 'territory' originally attributed to portal venules and compress the portal venules, which may lead to OPV in biliary cirrhosis. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Shan
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Liver Cirrhosis and National Clinical Research Center of Digestive Disease, Beijing, PR China
| | - Xinyan Zhao
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Liver Cirrhosis and National Clinical Research Center of Digestive Disease, Beijing, PR China
| | | | - Doudou Hu
- The Second Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Liwei Liu
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Beining Qi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Jianbo Jian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Ping Wang
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Wenjuan Lv
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Chunhong Hu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
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Akagi J, Cho Y, Toyoda T, Mizuta Y, Ogawa K. EpCAM and APN expression in combination with γ-H2AX as biomarkers for detecting hepatocarcinogens in rats. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:4763-4769. [PMID: 37858605 PMCID: PMC10728002 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The phosphorylated form of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) serves as a commonly utilized biomarker for DNA damage. Based on our previous findings, which demonstrated the formation of γ-H2AX foci as a reliable biomarker for detecting bladder carcinogens in repeated dose 28-day study in rats, we hypothesized that γ-H2AX could also function as a biomarker for detecting hepatocarcinogens. However, we found that γ-H2AX foci formation was not effectively induced by hepatocarcinogens that did not stimulate hepatocyte proliferation. Therefore, we explored alternative biomarkers to detect chemical hepatocarcinogenicity and discovered increased expressions of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM/CD326)- and aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) in the hepatocytes of rats administered various hepatocarcinogens. Significant increases in EpCAM- and APN-positive hepatocytes were observed for eight and five of the 10 hepatocarcinogens, respectively. Notably, five and two of them, respectively, were negative for γ-H2AX foci. These results highlight the potential of EpCAM and APN as useful biomarkers in combination with γ-H2AX for the detection of chemical hepatocarcinogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun‐ichi Akagi
- Division of PathologyNational Institute of Health SciencesKawasakiJapan
| | - Young‐Man Cho
- Division of PathologyNational Institute of Health SciencesKawasakiJapan
| | - Takeshi Toyoda
- Division of PathologyNational Institute of Health SciencesKawasakiJapan
| | - Yasuko Mizuta
- Division of PathologyNational Institute of Health SciencesKawasakiJapan
| | - Kumiko Ogawa
- Division of PathologyNational Institute of Health SciencesKawasakiJapan
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Zhang L, Wang X, He S, Zhang F, Li Y. Gypenosides suppress fibrosis of the renal NRK-49F cells by targeting miR-378a-5p through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 311:116466. [PMID: 37031821 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116466] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The incidence of renal fibrosis caused by chronic kidney disease is increasing year by year. Preventing the activation and conversion of kidney-intrinsic fibroblasts to a myofibroblast phenotype is an important target for blocking the development of renal interstitial fibrosis. Our team established a stable renal interstitial fibrosis cell model in the early stage, and the screening results showed that GPs has good anti-fibrosis potential. At this stage, only a few literatures have reported its anti-fibrosis effect, and the mechanism of action is still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY The massive synthesis and secretion of extracellular-matrix (ECM) components by activated fibroblasts in the kidneys causes irreversible renal interstitial fibrosis. Gypenosides (GPs) have been shown to decelerate this process, in which micro RNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanism underlying the suppressive effect of GPs on renal fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study used TGF-β1-stimulated NRK-49F renal cells as an in-vitro model of renal interstitial fibrosis. First, the concentration range of GPs that significantly affects the cytoactive was determined. Then, the anti-fibrotic effects of various concentrations of GPs in the in-vitro model were assessed via immunofluorescence, western blotting, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Non-coding-RNA sequencing combined with bioinformatics was used to predict the mechanistic basis of the anti-fibrotic effect of GPs, and qRT-PCR was used to verify the sequencing results and bioinformatic predictions. The identified relationships of the anti-fibrotic effect of GPs with miR-378a-5p and the PI3K/AKT signaling were evaluated using a miR-NC mimic and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 as controls, respectively. RESULTS TGF-β1 stimulation up-regulated α-SMA, COL1, and COL3 in NRK-49F cells, and this effect was suppressed by GPs. Additionally, TGF-β1 stimulation significantly changed the expression levels of 151 miRNAs, and GPs significantly suppressed the effect of TGF-β1 on the levels of 18 of these miRNAs. Among them, miR-3588 and miR-378a-5p were down-regulated, and miR-135b-5p and miR-3068-5p were up-regulated upon TGF-β1 induction. Of these miRNAs, miR-378a-5p was predicted to target the mRNAs of numerous proteins mainly enriched in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The miRNA transfection experiments with the miR-NC mimic and PI3K inhibitor as controls showed that miR-378a-5p overexpression could suppress the TGF-β1-induced up-regulation of α-SMA, COL1, PI3K, and AKT, including the phosphorylated form (p-AKT). CONCLUSION GPs inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling by up-regulating miR-378a-5p in TGF-β1-stimulated NRK-49F cells and thereby reduce their massive secretion of ECM components. Given that this in-vitro model of renal interstitial fibrosis closely mimics the in-vivo pathogenesis, our results most likely apply to the in-vivo conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Zhang
- Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No.11 East Road, North 3rd Ring Road, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Xiting Wang
- Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 55 Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Shuangshuang He
- Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No.11 East Road, North 3rd Ring Road, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Fang Zhang
- Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No.11 East Road, North 3rd Ring Road, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Yu Li
- Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No.11 East Road, North 3rd Ring Road, Beijing, 100029, China.
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