Analysis of Antidepressant Quality Markers of Bupleuri Radix Before and After Vinegar-processing Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the antidepressant quality markers（Q-Marker） of Bupleuri Radix（BP） before and after vinegar-processing by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS）， multivariate statistical analysis and network pharmacology. MethodUPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to analyze the chemical basis of raw and vinegar-processed products of BP， and principal component analysis（PCA） orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were used to identify the differential components in BP that changed significantly before and after vinegar-processing， which were regarded as candidate quality markers（Q-Marker）. Then the disease-drug-component-target network related to antidepressant effect of BP was constructed by network pharmacology， and the antidepressant Q-Marker of raw and vinegar-processed products of BP was determined. Rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， fluoxetine group（2.67 mg·kg-1） and total saponin group（0.72 mg·kg-1）， except the blank group， rats in the other groups were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS）. Three weeks after the start of modeling， rats in each administration group were given the corresponding dose of drugs once a day for 4 weeks， and rats in the blank and model groups were given normal saline with dose of 10 mL·kg-1. At 1 day before modeling， 21 days and 28 days after administration， body mass weighing， sucrose preference test and open field test were performed on each group . After 28 days of administration， real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase（PI3K）， protein kinase B（Akt）， mammalian target of rapamycin（mTOR）， glycogen synthase kinase-3β（GSK-3β）， forkhead box transcription factor O3a（FoxO3a） and β-catenin in hippocampal tissues of rats in each group， while protein expression levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR and FoxO3a in hippocampal tissues of rats in each group were detected by Western blot. ResultThere were 19 components in BP showed significant changes before and after vinegar-processing， and 9 components such as saikosaponin A， saikosaponin B1， saikosaponin B2， saikosaponin C and saikosaponin D were identified as potential Q-Marker through S-plot differential marker screening. Combined with the disease-drug-component-target network， saikosaponin A， saikosaponin B1， saikosaponin B2 and saikosaponin D were identified as antidepressant Q-Marker of raw and vinegar-processed products of BP. According to the results of pharmacodynamic tests， after 28 d of administration， compared with the blank group， the body mass， sucrose preference index and open field total score of rats in model group， fluoxetine group and total saponin group decreased significantly（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the body mass， sucrose preference index and open field total score in total saponin group increased significantly（P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR and β-catenin in hippocampus of rats in the model group decreased significantly（P<0.05）， while mRNA expression levels of GSK-3β and FoxO3a increased significantly（P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR and β-catenin in hippocampus of rats in the total saponin group were increased significantly（P<0.05）， while mRNA expression levels of GSK-3β and FoxO3a decreased significantly（P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the protein expression levels of Akt and mTOR in hippocampus of the model group decreased significantly（P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of PI3K and FoxO3a increased significantly（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression level of Akt in hippocampus of the total saponin group increased significantly（P<0.01）， the mTOR expression level was increased but not statistically significant， while the protein expression levels of PI3K and FoxO3a decreased significantly（P<0.01）. ConclusionThe chemical constituents of BP changed greatly after vinegar-processing， and the antidepressant Q-Marker of raw and vinegar-processed products of BP was determined by chemical basis， pharmacodynamics， network pharmacology and signaling pathway， which provided a reference for further research on quality control， pharmacodynamic substance basis and processing mechanism of BP.

Hedysari Radix Polysaccharide Regulates Apoptosis of Smooth Muscle Cells in Gastric Antrum of Rat Model of Diabetic Gastroparesis via IGF-1/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Hedysari Radix polysaccharide on the apoptosis of gastric sinus smooth muscle cells and explore the underlying mechanism via the insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1）/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/serine-threonine kinase （Akt） pathway in the rat model of diabetic gastroparesis （DGP）. MethodSixty-two Wistar male rats were randomized into a blank group （n=12） and a modelling group （n=50）. The rat model of DGP was established by small-dose multiple intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin combined with an irregular high-fat and high-sugar diet for 4 weeks. The modeled rats were randomized into model group， mosapride citrate （1.35 mg·kg-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose （200， 100， and 50 mg·kg-1， respectively） Hedysari Radix polysaccharide groups. The rats were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage， and those in the blank and model groups with equal volumes of pure water by gavage once a day for 8 consecutive weeks. The random blood glucose and body mass were measured every 2 weeks， and gastric emptying rate was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of smooth muscle in gastric antrum， and terminal deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was employed to detect the apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in the gastric antrum. The expression of IGF-1， phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， and p-Akt in the smooth muscle of gastric sinus tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of IGF-1， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） in the smooth muscle of the gastric antrum. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed elevated random blood glucose at all time points （P<0.01）， decreased body mass and gastric emptying rate （P<0.01）， increased apoptotic index of smooth muscle cells in the gastric antrum （P<0.01）， down-regulated protein levels of IGF-1， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and Bcl-2， and up-regulated protein level of Bax （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the 8 weeks of drug administration lowered the random blood glucose， increased the body mass and gastric emptying rate （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased the apoptotic index of smooth muscle cells in the gastric antrum （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the protein levels of IGF-1， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and Bcl-2， and down-regulated the protein level of Bax （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the mosapride citrate group，the administration of low-dose Hedysari Radix polysaccharide for 6 and 8 weeks lowered the random blood glucose and decreased the body mass （P<0.05， P<0.01），low and medium-dose Hedysari Radix polysaccharide decreased the gastric emptying rate and the apoptotic index of smooth muscle cells in the astragaloside low-dose group decreased （P<0.05）. The protein levels of IGF-1，p-PI3K/PI3K，p-Akt/Akt and Bcl-2（low dose）were down-regulated and the protein level of Bax was up-regulated by low doses of Hedysari Radix polysaccharide （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with high-dose Hedysari Radix polysaccharide， low-dose Hedysari Radix polysaccharide elevated random blood glucose and reduced body mass after 6 and 8 weeks of administration （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the low and medium doses decreased the gastric emptying rate， increased the apoptotic index of smooth muscle cells in the gastric antrum （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated the protein levels of IGF-1， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and Bcl-2， and up-regulated the protein level of Bax （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the medium-dose group，the low-dose group of Hedysari Radix polysaccharide had lower body mass，lower gastric emptying rate in rats，higher apoptotic index of smooth muscle cells in gastric sinus tissue after 6 and 8 weeks of administration （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower protein expression of IGF-1，p-PI3K/PI3K，p-Akt/Akt. ConclusionHedysari Radix polysaccharide protects the smooth muscle cells in gastric antrum against apoptotic injury and promotes gastric motility by activating the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， as manifested by the up-regulated expression of IGF-1， p-PI3K， p-Akt， and Bcl-2 and down-regulated expression of Bax.

Effect of down-regulation of FABP5 on radiation damage of human keratinocytes / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of down-regulation of FABP5 (fatty acid binding protein 5) on radiation damage of skin cells, and explore underlying mechanism.Methods:A lentiviral vector with down-regulated FABP5 was constructed to infect human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells, and the transfection efficiency was examined. The HaCaT cells were divided into blank control group, FABP5 down-regulation group (FABP5), radiation group (IR), and FABP5 down-regulation combined with radiation group (FABP5+ IR). After 6 MV X-ray radiation, cell proliferation viability was measured by CCK-8 assay, cell migration was detected by scratch assay, apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, radiosensitivity was evaluated by cloning formation assay, and the cellular protein expressions of PARP1, γ-H2AX, AKT and p-AKT were detected by Western blot.Results:FABP5 was successfully knocked-down in both RNA level ( t=25.14, P<0.05) and protein level ( t=20.06, P<0.05). The down-regulation of FABP5 decreased the abilities of cells proliferation ( t=3.55, 5.88, 3.18, P<0.05) and migration ( t=15.44, P<0.05), but increased cell resistance to irradiation with a radiosensitization ratio of 0.782. The apoptosis rate of FABP5+ IR group was significantly lower than IR group (22.05±6.71)% vs. (9.82±1.45)%, t=3.08, P<0.05. The protein levels of PARP1 and γ-H2AX in FABP5+ IR group were also lower than those in the IR group 0.04±0.04, 0.11±0.06, 0.26±0.11, 0.22±0.07, 0.21±0.10, 0.52±0.22, 0.57±0.06, 0.43±0.02( t=2.83, 3.07, 4.50, 5.33, P<0.05), while the protein level of p-Akt in FABP5+ IR group was higher than that in IR group ( t=-16.24—3.02, P<0.05). Conclusions:Down-regulation of FABP5 inhibited cell proliferation and migration, increased radioresistance, and reduced radiation-induced apoptosis and DNA damage of skin cells probably through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Protective effect of gastrodin on A β 25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by improving glycolytic function through activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether gas-trodin(GAS)plays a neuroprotective role by activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis to improve glycolytic func-tion.METHODS HT22 cells were treated with Aβ25-35 for 24 h to establish cell damage model.GAS pretreated HT22 cells for 2 h,and Akt agonist SC79,Akt inhibitor MK2206,PI3K inhibitor LY294002 were added 0.5 h before GAS treatment to detect their protective mecha-nisms.Pharmacodynamic research of GAS in this model were divided into six groups:control group,GAS group(GAS 10 μmol·L-1),model group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1),model +GAS 2.5,5 and 10 μ mol·L-1 group).Mecha-nism research of GAS in this model was divided into 6 groups:control group,Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 + GAS 10 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35 + SC79 group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 +SC79 10 μmol·L-1),Aβ25-35+MK2206+GAS group(A β 25-35 20 μ mol·L-1 +MK2206 10 μmol·L-1+GAS 10 μmol·L-1),Aβ25-35+LY294002+GAS group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1+LY294002 10 μmol·L-1+GAS 10 μmol·L-1).Cell viability was detected by MTT,mor-phological changes of cells were observed by micro-scope,ATP content was detected by chemilumines-cence,and pyruvate(PA)content was detected by colo-rimetry.Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of transcription factor BACH1,key glycolysis enzyme hexokinase(HK1)and PI3K/Akt signaling path-way related proteins PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt and p-Akt.RESULTS The results showed that compared with the control group,the cell morphology of HT22 cells damaged by Aβ25-35 was damaged,the number of cells decreased,the cell body became smaller,the number of dead cells increased,the cell survival rate,ATP and PA contents decreased significantly,and the protein expressions of p-PI3K,p-Akt,BACH1 and HK1 were significantly down-regulated.GAS treatmentcansignificantlyimprovethemor-phology of HT22 cells damaged by Aβ25-35,increase cell survival rate,ATP and PA contents,and up-regulate the expression of p-PI3K,p-Akt,BACH1 and HK1 proteins.SC79 also significantly increased cell survival rate,ATP content,protein expression of BACH1 and HK1.However,the above ameliorative effect of GAS on HT22 cell dam-age induced by Aβ25-35 was antagonized by LY294002 and MK2206.CONCLUSION GAS exerts a neuroprotec-tive effect on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by improv-ing glycolytic function through activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis.

Inhibitory effect of chikusetsusaponin IVa on proliferation of triple negative breast cancer cells / 药学学报

Chikusetsusaponin IVa (CsIVa) is a natural active monomer of triterpene saponins in the Chinese herbal medicine of Panax japonicus, which has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and other effects. However, its function and mechanism in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remain unclear. This study investigated the inhibitory effect and mechanisms of CsIVa on the proliferation of triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. In this study, we found that CsIVa could significantly inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells and eliminate its potential toxic effect on normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The transcriptome sequencing results showed that the inhibition of proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells by CsIVa was closely related to cell cycle and the pathway regulating cell cycle. Further studies confirmed that CsIVa blocked the cell cycle in G2/M phase by down-regulating the expression of cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), cyclin B1 and up-regulating the expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21). Moreover, CsIVa can block cell cycle through inhibiting PI3K/AKT signal pathway. In conclusion, CsIVa regulates the expression of cell cycle related proteins (p21, CDK1, cyclin B1) via inhibiting the activity of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, blocks TNBC cell cycle, and thus exerts its anti-tumor activity.

Effects and Mechanism of LASP1 on Proliferation, Migration, and Apoptosis of Human Colorectal Cancer LOVO Cells / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of LASP1 gene expression on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human colorectal cancer (LOVO) cells. Methods LASP1 overexpression plasmids and LASP1 interference plasmids were constructed and transfected to LOVO cells. qRT-PCR was used to detect LASP1 mRNA expression and validate the transfection. MTT method and Tunel staining were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively, and scratch test and Transwell test were employed to determine the migration and invasion abilities of cells. Western blot was applied to analyze the expression of LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, and p-AKT/AKT protein in cells. Results The plasmids were successfully transfected. LASP1 overexpression increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells, decreased the apoptosis, and increased LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, p-AKT/AKT protein expression (P < 0.01). LASP1 knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells, increased the apoptosis, and decreased LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, and p-AKT/AKT protein expression (P < 0.01). Conclusion LASP1 positively regulates the FAK/AKT signaling pathway to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells.

Inhibitory Effect of Water Extract of Broussonetiae Fructus on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Induced by Diethylnitrosamine in Mice and Effect of PTEN/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the inhibitory effect of water extract of Broussonetiae Fructus on hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） induced by diethyl nitrosamine （DEN） in mice based on homologous phosphatase and tensin homolog/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PTEN/PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway. MethodThe primary HCC mouse model was constructed by intraperitoneal injection of DEN solution， and the HCC mice were randomly divided into model group， sorafenib group （0.01 g·kg-1·d-1）， low-dose Broussonetiae Fructus water extract group （0.9 g·kg-1·d-1）， medium-dose Broussonetiae Fructus water extract group （1.8 g·kg-1·d-1）， and high-dose Broussonetiae Fructus water extract group （3.6 g·kg-1·d-1）， with 10 mice in each group. Another 10 C57BL/6 mice were selected as a control group and intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline. Mice were treated with different concentrations of Broussonetiae Fructus water extract when liver cancer-like white nodules appeared. sorafenib group was treated with sorafenib. The control group and model group were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. The activities of alkaline phosphatase （ALP）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， and γ-glutamyl transferase （γ-GT） in the serum of mice were detected by the biochemical analyzer. The expression levels of alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） and carcinoembryonic antigen （CEA） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The degree of hepatocyte canceration and hepatocyte injury were observed by Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson staining. The proliferation of HCC cells was observed by immunohistochemical staining. The apoptosis of HCC cells in mice was observed by erminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labelling （TUNEL） staining. The expression levels of PTEN， PI3K， Akt， and p-Akt proteins related to the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the control group， the activities of ALP， AST， ALT， and γ-GT， as well as the expression levels of AFP and CEA in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Carcinogenesis and inflammatory cell infiltration were obvious in liver tissue of mice， and a large number of blue collagen fiber hyperplasia was found. The number of Ki67 positive cells was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the expression level of PTEN protein was significantly decreased， while PI3K and p-Akt protein expression was increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the activities of ALP， AST， ALT， and γ-GT， as well as the expression levels of AFP and CEA in the medium-dose and high-dose Broussonetiae Fructus water extract groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The degree of carcinogenesis and inflammatory cell infiltration in liver tissue were reduced， and the collagen fiber hyperplasia was significantly reduced. The number of Ki67 positive cells was significantly decreased， and the number of TUNEL positive apoptotic cells was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. PTEN protein expression was increased， while p-Akt protein expression was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe water extract of Broussonetiae Fructus has a significant inhibitory effect on DEN-induced primary HCC in mice， and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of key protein expressions in the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Study progress on traditional Chinese medicine monomer intervening in pancreatic cancer by regulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway / 中国药房

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most destructive malignant tumors； the pathogenesis of this disease is complex and is closely related to genetic susceptibility， chronic pancreatitis， and gene mutations in signaling pathways. The phosphoinositide 3- kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway is a classical cancer signaling pathway that is aberrantly activated in pancreatic cancer cells. In recent years， it has been found that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） monomers show special activity in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and can be potential drug for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Based on PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， this paper summarizes the mechanism of TCM monomer intervening in pancreatic cancer and finds that TCM monomer of alkaloids （sinomenine， dictamnine， dauricine， etc.）， terpenoids （saikosaponin A， linderalactone， isoalantolactone， etc.）， phenols （6-gingerol， curcumin， pterostilbene， etc.）， flavonoids （fisetin， kaempferol， quercetin， etc.） and quinones （β-hydroxyisovaleryl shikonin， rhein， lucidone， etc.） can inhibit the proliferation， invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells， regulate autophagy and apoptosis， and then inhibit the pathological process of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Angelica sinensis polysaccharides improve Th1/Th2 imbalance and protect pregnancy in threatened abortion model rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the tocolysis effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on threatened abortion model rats and their impacts on Th1/Th2 balance by regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT） signaling pathway. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly grouped into the control group， model group， A. sinensis polysaccharide group （200 mg/kg）， PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002 group （5 mg/kg）， and A. sinensis polysaccharide+LY294002 group （200 mg/kg A. sinensis polysaccharide+5 mg/kg LY294002）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the control group， rats in all other groups were given mifepristone （8.3 mg/kg） and misoprostol （100 μg/kg） intragastrically to establish a threatened abortion model， and intragastric or intraperitoneal injection of corresponding drugs. The serum levels of estrogen， progesterone， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interleukin-4 （IL-4） in each group of rats were detected， and the uterine ovarian index and embryonic mortality rate of rats in each group were measured； the morphology of uterine tissue in rats was observed in each group； Th1/Th2 balance in peripheral blood of rats as well as the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins in the uterine tissues of rats in each group were detected. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the uterine tissue of rats in the model group showed pathological damage； the serum levels of estrogen， progesterone and IL-4， uterine ovarian index， peripheral blood Th2 cell ratio， and the ratios of phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）/PI3K and phosphorylated AKT （p-AKT）/AKT in uterine tissue were all decreased （P＜0.05）； the embryo mortality rate， Th1 cell ratio， Th1/Th2 ratio， and serum levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the pathological damage of uterine tissue in the A. sinensis polysaccharide group was reduced， and the above indexes were all improved significantly （P＜0.05）； LY294002 could weaken the effect of A. sinensis polysaccharide on model rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS A. sinensis polysaccharides can improve Th1/Th2 imbalance in threatened abortion model rats by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway， thereby inhibiting immune inflammation， and promoting embryo survival.

Mechanism of Key Ingredient of Astragalus membranaceus on Lung Adenocarcinoma via PI3K/AKT Signaling Clarified by Utilizing Network Pharmacology Approach and Experimental Validation / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanism of the effect of Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus) on lung adenocarcinoma at the molecular level to elucidate the specific targets according to the network pharmacology approach.@*METHODS@#The active components of A. membranaceus and their potential targets were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database. Lung adenocarcinoma-associated genes were acquired based on GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), PharmGKB, and Therapeutic Targets databases. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related genes were obtained using Reactome portal. Networks of "ingredient-target" and "ingredient-target-pathway-disease" were constructed using the Cytoscape3.6.0 software. The relationships among targets were analyzed according protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Finally, molecular docking was applied to construct the binding conformation between active ingredients and core targets. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) and Western blot assays were performed to determine the mechanism of the key ingredient of A. membranaceus.@*RESULTS@#A total of 20 active components and their 329 targets, and 7,501 lung adenocarcinoma-related genes and 130 PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related genes were obtained. According to Venn diagram and PPI network analysis, 2 mainly active ingredients, including kaempferol and quercetin, and 6 core targets, including TP53, MAPK1, EGF, AKT1, ERBB2, and EGFR, were identified. The two important active ingredients of A. membranaceus, kaempferol and quercetin, exert the therapeutic effect in lung adenocarcinoma partly by acting on the 6 core targets (TP53, MAPK1, EGF, AKT1, ERBB2, and EGFR) of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Expressions of potential targets in lung adenocarcinoma and normal samples were analyzed by using UALCAN portal and found that ERBB2 was overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and upregulation of it correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. Finally, quercetin repressed viabilities of lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting ERBB2 on PI3K/AKT signaling confirmed by CCK8 and Western blot.@*CONCLUSION@#Our finding unraveled that an active ingredient of A. membranaceus, quercetin, significantly inhibited the lung adenocarcinoma cells proliferation by repressing ERBB2 level and inactivating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Effects of Wenyang jieyu decoction on PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and neurotransmitters in kidney-yang deficiency depressed rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Wenyang jieyu decoction on phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway and neurotransmitters in rats with kidney-yang deficiency depression. METHODS The SD rats were divided into blank group， model group， fluoxetine group （positive control of western medicine， 4.17 mg/kg）， Xiaoyao powder group （positive control of TCM， 1.88 g/kg） and Wenyang jieyu decoction low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （1.25， 2.50， 5.00 g/kg）， with 15 rats in each group. Except for blank group， the other groups were treated with corticosterone 20 mg/kg subcutaneously to induce kidney-yang deficiency depressed model， meanwhile the mice were given relevant medicine intragastrically， once a day， for 28 consecutive days. The general conditions of rats were observed. The sucrose preference rate and the static time of forced swimming were detected， and organ indexes of rats were calculated. The levels/contents of neurotransmitters in serum were detected， the expressions of PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins in hippocampus were detected， and the number of dendritic spines was determined. RESULTS Compared with blank group， model group suffered from the symptoms such as hair loss， fear of cold， curling up； sucrose preference rate， indexes of adrenal gland， thymus gland and spleen，serum levels of cyclic adenosine phosphate （cAMP）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor and gamma-aminobutyric acid， the ratio of cAMP to cyclic guanosine monophosphate， the contents of norepinephrine， dopamine and 5-hydroxy-tryptamine， the expressions of PI3K， Akt， mammalian target of rapamycin， and the number of dendritic spines in the hippocampus were significantly decreased （P＜0.01）. The time of immobility， level of glutamic acid and protein expression of glycogen synthetase kinase-3β were prolonged and increased （P＜0.01）. Compared with model group， depression symptoms of rats in each administration group were improved， and the above indexes were mostly reversed （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Wenyang jieyu decoction can improve depression-like behavior and the deficiency of kidney-yang， regulate the secretion of neurotransmitters， and activate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， thus playing a role in protecting hippocampal neurons.

Repair Mechanism of Jianpi Huogu Prescription on Vascular Injury in Alcohol-induced Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head Based on VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

MethodIn the experiment， 46% vol Red Star Erguotou （10 mL·kg·d-1） was used to establish the AONFH rat model， and the intervention effect of JPHGP at different doses （2.5， 5.0， 10.0 g·kg-1） was observed. Jiangusheng pill （JGS， 1.53 g·kg-1） was selected as the positive control. After 8 weeks of administration， the bone histomorphometry of the femoral head was analyzed by Micro-CT imaging， and the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was detected by ink perfusion. The pathological change was observed by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining. The protein expressions of Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （CD31）， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， phosphor-Akt （p-Akt） and phosphatase and Tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 （PTEN） in the femoral head were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. ResultCompared with normal group， the model group presented the fracture and thinning of trabeculae in the femoral head， increased empty bone lacunae， and elevated number and diameter of adipocytes （P<0.01）. Micro-CT imaging revealed a decrease in bone mineral density （BMD）， bone volume fraction （BV/TV）， trabecular thickness （Tb.Th） and trabecular number （Tb.N） （P<0.05， P<0.01） while an increase in bone surface-to-volume ratio （BS/BV） and trabecular separation （Tb.Sp） （P<0.01）. The results of ink perfusion showed that the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， JPHGP lowered the empty bone lacunae rate as well as the number and diameter of adipocytes in the femoral head of AONFH rats. Micro-CT imaging indicated that JPHGP low-dose group had elevated BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01） while decreased BS/BV （P<0.01）， and there was an upward trend in BMD while a downward trend in Tb.Sp， but without statistical difference. In addition， JPHGP medium- and high-dose groups had a rise in BMD， BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01）， a decrease in BS/BV and Tb.Sp （P<0.05， P<0.01） and enlarged area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of CD31， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， p-Akt in the model group were lower than those in the normal group （P<0.01）， and after medium and high doses of JPHGP treatment， the expressions of CD31， PI3K and p-Akt in the femoral head of rats were up-regulated （P<0.01） while the protein expression of PTEN was down-regulated （P<0.01）. Moreover， JPHGP up-regulated the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can repair the vascular injury in AONFH， and its mechanism may be related to the activation of VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study provides certain scientific basis and reference for the clinical application of JPHGP. ObjecctiveTo observe the repair effect of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） on vascular injury in experimental alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head （AONFH）， and to explore its mechanism based on vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）/VEGFR2/phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway.

Effect and Mechanism of Zuojinwan on DSS-induced Ulcerative Colitis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effect and mechanism of Zuojinwan （ZJW） in the treatment of ulcerative colitis （UC） through network pharmacology and experimental validation. MethodUsing network pharmacology and molecular docking， the active components and potential mechanism of ZJW in treating UC were preliminarily identified. Forty-eight male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， a sulfasalazine group （300 mg·kg-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose ZJW groups （1.82， 3.64， 7.28 g·kg-1）. The UC model was induced by dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）， and oral administration of drugs began on the third day of modeling， lasting for 7 days. The general condition of mice was observed daily， and the disease activity index （DAI） was evaluated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe histopathological changes in colon tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin （IL）-6， and IL-10 in mouse serum. The molecular mechanism was validated using Western blot. ResultNetwork pharmacology predicted that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway might be a key pathway in the regulation of UC by ZJW. Molecular docking results showed good binding ability between the key components of ZJW and core targets. Animal experiment results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group had shortened colon length （P<0.01）， increased DAI scores， spleen index， colon tissue pathology scores， and levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased PI3K， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， and B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）-associated X protein （Bax） expression in colon tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased serum IL-10 levels and colon tissue Bcl-2 protein expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the ZJW groups showed significant improvement in UC symptoms， relieved colon tissue pathological damage， downregulated levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in serum （P<0.01）， inhibited expression of PI3K， p-Akt， and Bax proteins in colon tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased serum IL-10 levels and colon tissue Bcl-2 protein expression （P<0.01）， with the high-dose group showing the best effect. ConclusionZJW effectively alleviates DSS-induced UC， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression.

Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy by Chinese Medicine Through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） is characterized by insidious onset， easy misdiagnosis， and progression to severe consequences such as diabetic foot ulcers， gangrene， and amputation. The main pathological features of DPN are nerve cell injuries， such as axonal degeneration and necrosis， segmental demyelination of nerve fibers， and apoptosis of Schwann cells. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway is a classical pathway that communicates intracellular and extracellular information and regulates biological activities such as cell proliferation， differentiation， apoptosis， autophagy， and migration. It widely affects various cells related to DPN. In recent years， numerous studies have found that the sustained high glucose environment causes abnormalities in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This， in turn， accelerates the occurrence and development of DPN by participating in the pathogenesis of DPN， such as glucose and lipid metabolism， oxidative stress， inflammation， autophagy， apoptosis， and angiogenesis. Therefore， regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is crucial for the treatment of DPN. Currently， there is a lack of effective measures to slow down or reverse DPN in clinical practice. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has unique advantages in preventing and treating DPN with multiple targets， effects， and components. A large number of animal and clinical studies of TCM treatment of DPN have shown that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is an important target for TCM treatment of DPN. Regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway can promote myelin sheath repair and regeneration， delay the process of nerve cell death， and play a role in preventing and treating DPN. However， there is currently no systematic review and summary of this field in China and abroad. Therefore， this article summarized the regulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and its role in the pathogenesis of DPN， as well as the intervention of effective components of single Chinese medicine or compounds on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study is expected to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of DPN with TCM， basic research， and drug development.

Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma Powder Treats Dyslipidemia via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder in treating dyslipidemia by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. MethodSixty patients with dyslipidemia （syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis） treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from May 2021 to June 2022 were selected in this study and randomized into two groups according to the randomized， double-blind control principle. The control group was treated with Xuezhikang capsules + Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder placebo and the observation group with Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder + Xuezhikang capsules placebo for 6 weeks. The clinical efficacy， traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， and liver and kidney function indicators were evaluated at weeks 0， 3， and 6. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， kinase insert domain receptor （KDR）， epidermal growth factor （EGF）， and epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） in the peripheral serum. Quantitative Real-time PCR was employed to measure the mRNA levels of KDR， EGFR， PI3K， and Akt in the mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood. ResultThe observation group （83.33%） showed the total effective rate comparable to that of the control group （89.66%） and no adverse reactions. Compared with before treatment， the patients in the observation group showed decreased TCM syndrome score and serum levels total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） and after being treated for 3 and 6 weeks （P<0.05）， the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） showed an upward trend, but the difference was not statistically significant. After treatment， the two groups showed no significant differences. Compared with that before treatment, the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt and EGFR in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and the expression of EGF, VEGF and KDR in serum of the observation group showed a downward trend with time, in which the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, VEGF and KDR decreased more significantly (P<0.05)，The expression levels of KDR mRNA and serum EGFR show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing.Compared with the control group after treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, EGFR, and KDR, as well as serum levels of EGF, EGFR, VEGF, and KDR between the two groups of patients at the same time point. ConclusionNotoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder is safe and effective in correcting dyslipidemia. It may inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of VEGF/KDR to lower the blood lipid level.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Monomers in Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy by Regulating PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetes retinopathy （DR） is an important cause that threatens the visual health of adults. There are some treatment methods of western medicine with definite efficacy， such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and laser photocoagulation， but they have many adverse reactions such as intraocular infection and visual field damage. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） therapies are safe and effective， which can complement western medicine. Phosphatidylinositol3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway regulates a range of processes including glucose metabolism， cell proliferation， and cell transcription and apoptosis， which is closely related to the occurrence and development of DR. Numerous studies have shown that TCM monomers can participate in maintaining the integrity of blood-retinal barrier and inhibiting retinal neovascularization and neurodegeneration in many aspects such as inhibiting oxidative stress and alleviating inflammatory reaction by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway， so as to delay the progress of DR. Therefore， this study reviewed PI3K/Akt pathway and its relationship with DR， as well as the TCM monomers in interfering with DR based on PI3K/Akt pathway to provide some ideas for the prevention and treatment of DR in integrated TCM and western medicine.

Licochalcone A induces cell cycle arrest in human lung squamous carcinoma cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of licochalcone A (LCA) on the proliferation and cell cycle of human lung squamous carcinoma cells and explore its possible molecular mechanism.@*METHODS@#MTT assay was used to detect the changes in proliferation of H226 cells after treatment with different concentrations of LCA for 48 h, and the IC50 of LCA was calculated. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle changes in H226 cells treated with 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L LCA, and the expressions of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase CDK2 and CDK4, and p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, and Akt in the treated cells were detected using Western blotting. The effect of intraperitoneal injection of LCA for 24 days on tumor volume and weight was assessed in a BALB/c-nu mouse model bearing lung squamous carcinoma xenografts.@*RESULTS@#MTT assay showed that LCA significantly decreased the viability of H226 cells with an IC50 of 28.3 μmol/L at 48 h. Flow cytometry suggested that LCA treatment induced obvious cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. LCA treatment also significantly decreased the expressions of cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK4, and inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in H226 cells. In the tumor-bearing mice, LCA treatment for 24 days significantly reduced the tumor volume and weight.@*CONCLUSION@#LCA is capable of inhibiting the proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest in lung squamous carcinoma cells possibility by regulating the PI3K/Akt singling pathway.

Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides Inhibit Malignant Phenotype of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides （GLP） on the proliferation， migration， cycle， and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma SK­HEP­1 and Huh­7 cells and to explore the underlying mechanism. MethodSK-HEP-1 and Huh-7 cells were classified into the blank group and low-， medium-， and high-dose GLP groups （3.5， 7， 14 g·L-1）. The proliferation of the cells was examined by cell counting kit-8 （CCK­8） assay， and the migration by scratch assay. Cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry and apoptosis was detected based on Hoechst33258 staining. In addition， the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphorylated PI3K （p­PI3K）， and phosphorylated Akt （p­Akt） in the cells was determined by Western blot. ResultCompared with the blank group， the three doses of GLP reduced the proliferation and migration of SK­HEP­1 and Huh­7 cells （P<0.05）， increased the percentage of cells in G1 phase （P<0.05）， and decreased percentage of cells in S and G2 phase （P<0.05）. In addition， the three doses can induce apoptosis of both SK-HEP-1 and Huh-7 cells， particularly the high dose. Moreover， the three doses of GLP lowered the levels of p­PI3K and p­Akt （P<0.05）. ConclusionGLP significantly inhibited the malignant phenotype of SK-HEP-1 and Huh-7 cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Effect of Baihu Jia Renshen Tang on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in Liver of MKR Diabetic Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Baihu Jia Renshen Tang （BHRS） on the related molecules on the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3K/Akt）signaling pathway in the liver of MKR diabetic model mice. MethodThirty 6-week-old MKR mice were selected and fed on a high-fat diet for four weeks，followed by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin（STZ）for the diabetes model establishment. The model was properly induced in the case of the fasting blood glucose （FBG） of ≥11.1 mmol·L-1. After modeling，the mice were randomly divided into a model group，a BHRS group （12.09 g·kg-1·d-1），and a metformin group （0.065 g·kg-1·d-1），with 10 mice in each group. Ten FVB mice were assigned to the control group. The mice in the groups with drug intervention were continuously administered correspondingly for 28 days. After administration，the mice were sacrificed，followed by the oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） and FBG detection. Serum very low-density lipoprotein（VLDL）content was determined by semi-quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Four indexes related to blood lipid were determined by the biochemistry analyzer. Liver tissues were subjected to pathological examination by hematoxylin-eosin（HE）staining. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of PI3K，Akt，phosphorylated（p）-PI3K，p-Akt，forkhead box protein O1 （FoxO1），insulin receptor（InsR），and insulin receptor substrate-2（IRS-2） in liver tissues of mice. Real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K，Akt，FoxO1，InsR，and IRS-2 in liver tissues of mice. ResultCompared with the control group，the model group showed poor general conditions，abnormal glucose tolerance （P<0.05），increased FBG （P<0.01），abnormal blood lipid metabolism，increased serum total cholesterol （TC），triglyceride（TG），low-density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDL-C），and VLDL （P<0.05），decreased level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C）（P<0.05），fatty degeneration and obvious pathological changes of liver cells，reduced protein expression of PI3K，Akt，p-PI3K/PI3K，p-Akt/Akt，IRS-2，and InsR in liver tissues（P<0.05），increased protein expression of FoxO1（P<0.05），decreased mRNA expression of PI3K，Akt，IRS-2，and InsR in liver tissues （P<0.05），and increased FoxO1 mRNA expression（P<0.05）. Compared with the model group，the BHRS group showed improved general conditions and glucose and lipid metabolism （P<0.05），improved pathological state of liver cells，increased protein expression of PI3K，Akt，p-PI3K/PI3K，p-Akt/Akt，IRS-2，and InsR in liver tissues（P<0.05），decreased protein expression of FoxO1（P<0.05），increased mRNA expression of PI3K，Akt，IRS-2，and InsR in liver tissues （P<0.05），and reduced FoxO1 mRNA expression（P<0.05）. ConclusionBHRS can effectively reduce blood glucose，regulate blood lipid metabolism，and improve the pathological state of the liver in MKR diabetic mice，and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of the activity of molecules on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Mechanism of Sijunzi Decoction in treatment of Alzheimer's disease based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, network pharmacology, and experimental verification / 中国中药杂志

The study identified the blood-entering components of Sijunzi Decoction after gavage administration in rats by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and investigated the mechanism of Sijunzi Decoction in treating Alzheimer's disease by virtue of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification. The blood-entering components of Sijunzi Decoction were identified based on the mass spectra and data from literature and databases. The potential targets of the above-mentioned blood-entering components in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease were searched against PharmMapper, OMIM, DisGeNET, GeneCards, and TTD. Next, STRING was employed to establish a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network. DAVID was used to perform the Gene Ontology(GO) annotation and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was used to carry out visual analysis. AutoDock Vina and PyMOL were used for molecular docking of the blood-entering components with the potential targets. Finally, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) signaling pathway enriched by the KEGG analysis was selected for validation by animal experiments. The results showed that 17 blood-entering components were detected in the serum samples after administration. Among them, poricoic acid B, liquiritigenin, atractylenolide Ⅱ, atractylenolide Ⅲ, ginsenoside Rb_1, and glycyrrhizic acid were the key components of Sijunzi Decoction in treating Alzheimer's disease. HSP90AA1, PPARA, SRC, AR, and ESR1 were the main targets for Sijunzi Decoction to treat Alzheimer's disease. Molecular docking showed that the components bound well with the targets. Therefore, we hypothesized that the mechanism of Sijunzi Decoction in treating Alzheimer's disease may be associated with the PI3K/Akt, cancer treatment, and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathways. The results of animal experiments showed that Sijunzi Decoction significantly attenuated the neuronal damage in the hippocampal dentate gyrus area, increased the neurons, and raised the ratios of p-Akt/Akt and p-PI3K/PI3K in the hippocampus of mice. In conclusion, Sijunzi Decoction may treat Alzheimer's disease by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The findings of this study provide a reference for further studies about the mechanism of action and clinical application of Sijunzi Decoction.