Artemether Ameliorates Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis by Repressing Lipogenesis, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in Mice

Artemether Ameliorates Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis by Restraining Cross-Talk Between Lipotoxicity-Induced Hepatic Hepatocytes and Macrophages

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has no effective treatment drug. Our previous study initially found that artemether (Art) treatment significantly attenuates NSAH by regulating liver lipid metabolism. This study further elucidates new mechanisms of Art in improving liver inflammation and provides evidence for drug repurposing. Herein, we utilized HFHF diet-induced animal model and macrophage models to detect the mechanisms of Art in NASH. We confirmed that Art significantly reduced hepatic steatosis, injury, and fibrosis in a high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) diet-induced animal model. Art significantly suppressed the activation of inflammatory macrophages and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β) by reducing serum double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) levels and triggering the AIM2/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling in vivo. dsDNA-induced Caspase-1 and PI-positive cells pyroptosis, AIM2 inflammasome activation, IL-1β, and IL-18 secretion increase were inhibited by Art in vitro. Furthermore, we found Art effectively suppressed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), a typical form of dsDNA, released from free fatty acid (FFA)-stressed hepatocytes, which further inhibited AIM2 inflammasome mediated-pyroptosis through decreasing the cleavage of Caspase-1/GSDMD/IL-1β. Moreover, inhibition of the AIM2 gene partly reversed the inhibitory effect of Art on macrophage pyroptosis. Impaired mitochondrial structure and function were confirmed in FFA-stressed hepatocytes and the HFHF-diet-induced NASH mouse model, which was reversed by Art treatment. The present study provides evidence for Art as a potential anti-pyroptosis therapeutic agent for NASH treatment.

The implications of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases

Fatty acid metabolism, particularly fatty acid synthesis, is a very important cellular physiological process in which nutrients are used for energy storage and biofilm synthesis. As a key enzyme in the fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid synthase (FASN) is receiving increasing attention. Although previous studies on FASN have mainly focused on various malignancies, many studies have recently reported that FASN regulates the survival, differentiation, and function of various immune cells, and subsequently participates in the occurrence and development of immune-related diseases. However, few studies to date systematically summarized the function and molecular mechanisms of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases. In this review, we discuss the regulatory effect of FASN on immune cells, and the progress in research on the implications of FASN in immune-related diseases. Understanding the function of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases can offer insights into novel treatment strategies for clinical diseases.

Artemether Attenuates Gut Barrier Dysfunction and Intestinal Flora Imbalance in High-Fat and High-Fructose Diet-Fed Mice

Intestinal inflammation is a key determinant of intestinal and systemic health, and when our intestines are damaged, there is disruption of the intestinal barrier, which in turn induces a systemic inflammatory response. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of the intestine are still not fully understood. Artemether (ART), one of the artemisinin derivatives, has been widely used to treat malaria. Nevertheless, the effect of ART on intestinal inflammation remains unclear. The present study intended to elucidate the potential mechanism of ART in diet-induced intestinal injury. A high-fat and high-fructose (HFHF) diet-induced mouse model of intestinal injury was constructed, and the mice were treated with ART to examine their role in intestinal injury. RT-qPCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to investigate the anti-intestinal inflammation effect and mechanism of ART. The results indicated that ART intervention may significantly ameliorate the intestinal flora imbalance caused by the HFHF diet and alleviate intestinal barrier function disorders and inflammatory responses by raising the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin and decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β. Moreover, ART intervention restrained HFHF-induced activation of the TLR4/NF-κB p65 pathway in colon tissue, which may be concerned with the potential protective effect of ART on intestinal inflammation. ART might provide new insights into further explaining the mechanism of action of other metabolic diseases caused by intestinal disorders.

Exploring the potential of treating chronic liver disease targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway and polarization mechanism of macrophages

Chronic liver disease is a significant public health issue that can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality, imposing an enormous burden on healthcare resources. Understanding the mechanisms underlying chronic liver disease pathogenesis and developing effective treatment strategies are urgently needed. In this regard, the activation of liver resident macrophages, namely Kupffer cells, plays a vital role in liver inflammation and fibrosis. Macrophages display remarkable plasticity and can polarize into different phenotypes according to diverse microenvironmental stimuli. The polarization of macrophages into M1 pro-inflammatory or M2 anti-inflammatory phenotypes is regulated by complex signaling pathways such as the PI3K/Akt pathway. This review focuses on investigating the potential of using plant chemicals targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway for treating chronic liver disease while elucidating the polarization mechanism of macrophages under different microenvironments. Studies have demonstrated that inhibiting M1-type macrophage polarization or promoting M2-type polarization can effectively combat chronic liver diseases such as alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and liver fibrosis. The PI3K/Akt pathway acts as a pivotal modulator of macrophage survival, migration, proliferation, and their responses to metabolism and inflammatory signals. Activating the PI3K/Akt pathway induces anti-inflammatory cytokine expression, resulting in the promotion of M2-like phenotype to facilitate tissue repair and resolution of inflammation. Conversely, inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling could enhance the M1-like phenotype, which exacerbates liver damage. Targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway has tremendous potential as a therapeutic strategy for regulating macrophage polarization and activity to treat chronic liver diseases with plant chemicals, providing new avenues for liver disease treatment.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of artemether emulsion on localized senile pruritus: A randomized pilot study

BACKGROUND

Localized senile pruritus is a continued health problem for the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of artemether emulsion on localized senile pruritus.

METHODS

Sixty patients diagnosed with senile pruritus were randomized into the artemether emulsion (1%) group or emulsion base group in a 1:1 ratio (the artemether group vs the control group). The patients used artemether emulsion or emulsion base for pruritus twice daily for 2 weeks. The pruritus visual analog scale (VAS) and the rate of adverse events were evaluated in week 0 and week 2.

RESULTS

The VAS scores in week 2 after treatment decreased significantly compared with those before treatment in both groups (P < .05). After treatment, patients receiving the artemether emulsion had significantly lower mean VAS scores compared to those who received the emulsion base (1.21 ± 1.64 vs 3.67 ± 2.97, P < .05). When the VAS scores were compared between the 2 groups before treatment, the effective rate of the artemether group was significantly higher than that of the control group (χ2 = 55, P < .05) in week 2 after treatment. Besides, no adverse events occurred in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Both artemether emulsion and emulsion base were effective in treating localized senile pruritus, and artemether emulsion was superior to emulsion base.