[Buzhong Yiqi Decoction ameliorates spleen deficiency syndrome by regulating gut microbiota].

This study aims to decipher the mechanism of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction(BZYQD) in the treatment of spleen deficiency syndrome via gut microbiota. The mouse models of spleen deficiency syndrome were established by fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT, from patients with spleen deficiency syndrome) and administration of Sennae Folium(SF, 10 g·kg~(-1)), respectively, and treated with BZYQD for 5 d. The pseudosterile mice(administrated with large doses of antibiotics) and the mice transplanted with fecal bacteria from healthy human were taken as the controls. The levels of IgA, interleukin(IL)-2, IL-1ß, interferon(IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) in the intestinal tissue of two models were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the CD8~+/CD3~+ ratio was determined by flow cytometry. The composition and changes of the gut microbiota were determined by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and qPCR. Furthermore, the correlation analysis was performed to study the mediating role of gut microbiota in the treatment. The results showed that BZYQD elevated the IgA level, lowered the IL-1ß, TNF-α, and 5-HT levels, and decreased the CD8~+/CD3~+ ratio in the intestinal tissue of the two models. Moreover, BZYQD had two-way regulatory effects on the levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ. BZYQD inhibited the overgrowth and reduced the richness of gut microbiota in the SF model, and improved the gut microbiota structure in the two models. Algoriphagus, Mycobacterium, and CL500＿29＿marine＿group were the common differential genera in the two models compared with the control. Acinetobacter, Parabacteroides, and Ruminococcus were the differential genera unique to the FMT model, and Sphingorhabdus, Lactobacillus, and Anaeroplasma were the unique differential genera in the SF model. BZYQD was capable of regulating all these genera. The qPCR results showed that BZYQD increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and decreased that of Bacteroides uniformis in the two models. The correlation analysis revealed that the levels of above intestinal cytokines were significantly correlated with characteristic gut microorganisms in different mo-dels. The IL-1ß level had a significantly positive correlation with Acinetobacter and CL500＿29＿marine＿group in the two models, while the different levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the two models may be related to its different gut microbiota structures. In conclusion, BZYQD could regulate the disordered gut microbiota structure in different animal models of spleen deficiency syndrome to improve the intestinal immune status, which might be one of the mechanisms of BZYQD in treating spleen deficiency syndrome.

Effects of initiating time and dosage of Panax notoginseng on mucosal microvascular injury in experimental colitis.

AIM: To investigate the effects of Panax notoginseng (PN) on microvascular injury in colitis, its mechanisms, initial administration time and dosage. METHODS: Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)- or iodoacetamide (IA)-induced rat colitis models were used to evaluate and investigate the effects of ethanol extract of PN on microvascular injuries and their related mechanisms. PN administration was initiated at 3 and 7 d after the model was established at doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg for 7 d. The severity of colitis was evaluated by disease activity index (DAI). The pathological lesions were observed under a microscope. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Vascular permeability was evaluated using the Evans blue method. The serum concentrations of cytokines, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)A121, VEGFA165, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured to evaluate the level of oxidative stress. Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein was detected by western blotting. RESULTS: Obvious colonic inflammation and injuries of mucosa and microvessels were observed in DSS- and IA-induced colitis groups. DAI scores, serum concentrations of VEGFA121, VEGFA165, VEGFA165/VEGFA121, IL-6 and TNF-α, and concentrations of MPO and HIF-1α in the colon were significantly higher while serum concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 and MVD in colon were significantly lower in the colitis model groups than in the normal control group. PN promoted repair of injuries of colonic mucosa and microvessels, attenuated inflammation, and decreased DAI scores in rats with colitis. PN also decreased the serum concentrations of VEGFA121, VEGFA165, VEGFA165/VEGFA121, IL-6 and TNF-α, and concentrations of MPO and HIF-1α in the colon, and increased the serum concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 as well as the concentration of SOD in the colon. The efficacy of PN was dosage dependent. In addition, DAI scores in the group administered PN on day 3 were significantly lower than in the group administered PN on day 7. CONCLUSION: PN repairs vascular injury in experimental colitis via attenuating inflammation and oxidative stress in the colonic mucosa. Efficacy is related to initial administration time and dose.

Alterations in serotonin, transient receptor potential channels and protease-activated receptors in rats with irritable bowel syndrome attenuated by Shugan decoction.

AIM: To determine the molecular mechanisms of Shugan decoction (SGD) in the regulation of colonic motility and visceral hyperalgesia (VHL) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: The chemical compounds contained in SGD were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. A rat model of IBS was induced by chronic water avoidance stress (WAS). The number of fecal pellets was counted after WAS and the pain pressure threshold was measured by colorectal distension. Morphological changes in colonic mucosa were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in colonic tissue and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) in serum were measured by ELISA. The protein expression of serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamide (5-HT)], serotonin transporter (SERT), chromogranin A (CgA) and CGRP in colon tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: SGD inhibited colonic motility dysfunction and VHL in rats with IBS. Blockers of transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) (Ruthenium Red) and TRP ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) (HC-030031) and activator of protease-activated receptor (PAR)4 increased the pain pressure threshold, whereas activators of PAR2 and TRPV4 decreased the pain pressure threshold in rats with IBS. The effect of SGD on pain pressure threshold in these rats was abolished by activators of TRPV1 (capsaicin), TRPV4 (RN1747), TRPA1 (Polygodial) and PAR2 (AC55541). In addition, CGRP levels in serum and colonic tissue were both increased in these rats. TNF-α level in colonic tissue was also significantly upregulated. However, the levels of 5-HT, SERT and CgA in colonic tissue were decreased. All these pathological changes in rats with IBS were attenuated by SGD. CONCLUSION: SGD alleviated VHL and attenuated colon motility in IBS, partly by regulating TRPV1, TRPV4, TRPA1, PAR2, 5-HT, CgA and SERT, and reducing CGRP and TNF-α level.

Berberine hydrochloride IL-8 dependently inhibits invasion and IL-8-independently promotes cell apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Breast cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide in females, has high metastastic and recurrence rates. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-metastatic and anticancer in situ effect of berberine hydrochloride (BER) in MDA-MB-231 cells. BER dose-dependently inhibited proliferation and the IL-8 secretion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Additional experiments revealed that the inactivation of PI3K, JAK2, NF-κB and AP-1 by BER contributed to the decreased IL-8 secretion. BER abrogated cell invasion induced by IL-8 accompanied with the downregulation of the gene expression of MMP-2, EGF, E-cadherin, bFGF and fibronectin. In addition, BER reduced cell motility but induced G2/M arrest and cell apoptosis in an IL-8­independent manner. BER modulated multiple signaling pathway molecules involved in the regulation of cell apoptosis, including activation of p38 MAPK and JNK and deactivation of JAK2, p85 PI3K, Akt and NF-κB. The enhanced cell apoptosis induced by BER was eliminated by inhibitors of p38 MAPK and JNK but was strengthened by activator of p38 MAPK. Thus, BER inhibited cell metastasis partly through the IL-8 mediated pathway while it induced G2/M arrest and promoted cell apoptosis through the IL-8 independent pathway. Apoptosis induced by BER was mediated by crosstalks of various pathways including activation of p38 MAPK and JNK pathways and inactivation of Jak2/PI3K/NF-κB/AP-1 pathways. The results suggested that BER may be an efficient and safe drug candidate for treating highly metastatic breast cancer.