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Li MY, Wu YZ, Qiu JG, Lei JX, Li MX, Xu N, Liu YH, Jin Z, Su ZR, Lee SMY, Zheng XB, Xiao-Qi H. Huangqin Decoction ameliorates ulcerative colitis by regulating fatty acid metabolism to mediate macrophage polarization via activating FFAR4-AMPK-PPARα pathway. J Ethnopharmacol 2023; 311:116430. [PMID: 36997133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Huangqin Decoction (HQD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula chronicled in Shang Han Lun, is safe and effective for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the effect of HQD against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mice by regulating gut microbiota and metabolites, and further explore the mechanism of fatty acid metabolism on macrophage polarization. MATERIALS AND METHODS Based on 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mice model, clinical symptoms observation (body weight, DAI, and colon length) and histological inspection were used to evaluate the efficacy of HQD and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from HQD-treated mice. The gut microbiota and metabolites were detected by 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics analysis. The parameters of fatty acid metabolism, macrophage polarization, and FFAR1/FFAR4-AMPK-PPARα pathway were analyzed by immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting, and real-time PCR. Then, the effects of FFAR1 and FFAR4 on macrophage polarization were examined by agonists based on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell model. RESULTS The results showed that FMT, like HQD, ameliorated UC by improving weight loss, restoring colon length, and reducing DAI scores and histopathological scores. Besides, HQD and FMT both enhanced the richness of gut microbiota, and modulated intestinal bacteria and metabolites to achieve a new balance. Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed that fatty acids, especially long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), dominated in HQD against DSS-induced UC by regulating the gut microenvironment. Further, FMT and HQD recovered the expression of fatty acid metabolism-related enzymes, and simultaneously activated FFAR1/FFAR4-AMPK-PPARα pathway but suppressed NF-κB pathway. Combined with cell experiment, HQD and FMT promoted macrophage polarization from M1 toward M2, which were well associated with anti-inflammatory cytokines and combined with the activated FFAR4. CONCLUSIONS The mechanism of HQD against UC was related to regulating fatty acid metabolism to mediate M2 macrophage polarization by activating the FFAR4-AMPK-PPARα pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Yao Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Yu-Zhu Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Jian-Guo Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Jun-Xuan Lei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Mu-Xia Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Hospital Chinese Medicine Preparation, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Yu-Hong Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Jin
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ren Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao
| | - Xue-Bao Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China.
| | - Huang Xiao-Qi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Dongguan Institute of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China.
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Li MX, Li MY, Lei JX, Wu YZ, Li ZH, Chen LM, Zhou CL, Su JY, Huang GX, Huang XQ, Zheng XB. Huangqin decoction ameliorates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis: Role of gut microbiota and amino acid metabolism, mTOR pathway and intestinal epithelial barrier. Phytomedicine 2022; 100:154052. [PMID: 35344714 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) is limited. A traditional Chinese medicinal formula, Huangqin decoction (HQD), is chronicled in Shang Han Lun and is widely used to ameliorate gastrointestinal disorders, such as UC; however, its mechanism is yet to be clarified. PURPOSE The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HQD on 7-day colitis induced by 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice and further explore the inhibitory effect of metabolites on DSS-damaged FHC cells. METHODS The therapeutic efficacy of HQD was evaluated in a well-established DSS-induced colitis mice model. The clinical symptoms were analyzed, and biological samples were collected for microscopic examination, metabolomics, metagenomics, and the evaluation of the epithelial barrier function. The mechanism of metabolites regulated by HQD was evaluated in the DSS-induced FHC cell damage model. The samples were collected to detect the physiological functions of the cells. RESULTS HQD suppressed the inflammation of DSS-induced colitis in vivo, attenuated DSS-induced clinical manifestations, reversed colon length reduction, and reduced histological injury. After HQD treatment, the DSS-induced gut dysbiosis was modulated, and the gut microbiota achieved a new equilibrium state. In addition, HQD activated the mTOR signaling pathway by upregulating amino acid metabolism. Significant phosphorylation of S6 and 4E-BP1 ameliorated intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction. Moreover, HQD-regulated metabolites protected the epithelial barrier integrity by inhibiting DSS-induced apoptosis of FHC cells and regulating the proteins affecting apoptosis and cell-cell junction. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicated that the mechanism of HQD was related to regulating the gut microbiota and amino acid metabolism, activating the mTOR signaling pathway, and protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Xia Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Min-Yao Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Xuan Lei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Zhu Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Ze-Hao Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Lin-Ming Chen
- Guangzhou Huibiao Testing Technology Center, Guangzhou 510700, P.R. China
| | | | - Ji-Yan Su
- Affiliated Foshan Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Guo-Xin Huang
- Clinical research center, Shantou central hospital, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Xiao-Qi Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.
| | - Xue-Bao Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.
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Lei JX, Liu QY, Sodja C, LeBlanc J, Ribecco-Lutkiewicz M, Smith B, Charlebois C, Walker PR, Sikorska M. S/MAR-binding properties of Sox2 and its involvement in apoptosis of human NT2 neural precursors. Cell Death Differ 2005; 12:1368-77. [PMID: 15920534 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4401671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA fragmentation in apoptosis, especially in lymphocytic cells, is initiated at scaffold/matrix attachment regions (S/MARs) and is preceded by the degradation of nuclear proteins. The present study was performed to establish whether the same mechanism occurred in human NT2 cells subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). We analyzed the integrity of c-myc S/MAR containing a base-unpairing region (BUR)-like element, which we established to be a binding site of the transcription factor Sox2. An accumulation of DNA breaks in close proximity to this element and a degradation of Sox2 were observed early in the OGD-induced apoptotic response. Identification of Sox2 as a novel c-myc BUR-binding protein was achieved through yeast one-hybrid screening and the Sox2/DNA interaction was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and immunoprecipitation with Sox2 antibody. Our data support the notion that early proteolysis of unique BUR-binding proteins might represent a universal mechanism that renders these DNA sites vulnerable to endonucleolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J X Lei
- Neurobiology Program, Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
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Liu QY, Lei JX, LeBlanc J, Sodja C, Ly D, Charlebois C, Walker PR, Yamada T, Hirohashi S, Sikorska M. Regulation of DNaseY activity by actinin-α4 during apoptosis. Cell Death Differ 2004; 11:645-54. [PMID: 15002038 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4401401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
DNaseY, a Ca(2+)- and Mg(2+)-dependent endonuclease, has been implicated in apoptotic DNA degradation; however, the molecular mechanisms controlling its involvement in this process have not been fully elucidated. We have obtained evidence from yeast two-hybrid screening and coimmunoprecipitation experiments that DNaseY interacted physically with actinin-alpha4 and this interaction significantly enhanced its endonuclease activity. Accordingly, simultaneous overexpression of both proteins in PC12 cells dramatically increased the rate of apoptosis in response to teniposide' VM26. However, overexpression of DNaseY alone neither triggered apoptosis nor facilitated cell death in response to VM26 or serum deprivation. Instead, the overexpression of DNaseY increased the production of single-strand DNA breaks and evoked a profound upregulation of DNA repair pathways. Taken together, our results point to a novel regulatory mechanism of DNaseY activity and offer an explanation for why cells must first cleave key DNA repair and replication proteins before the successful execution of apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Y Liu
- Apoptosis Research Group, Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6.
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