Isolation of Calenduloside E from Achyranthes bidentata Blume and its effects on LPS/D-GalN-induced acute liver injury in mice by regulating the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Acute liver injury (ALI) is a frequent fatal liver disease with a high mortality. Calenduloside E (CE) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid derived from Achyranthes bidentata Blume. It has been found that liver injury is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, and activation of the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway protects the mitochondrial function to play a role in resistance to the disease. However, whether CE is protective against ALI through the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway is unclear. PURPOSE: To clarify the influences of Calenduloside E (CE) isolated from Achyranthes bidentata Blume on LPS/D-GalN-induced Acute liver injury (ALI). METHODS: A mouse model of ALI was developed, intraperitoneal injection of 10 µg/kg LPS and 700 mg/kg D-GalN, histopathological, oxidative stress, and immune inflammation of the mice were monitored. The mechanism of CE influencing liver injury was investigated by examining the gut microbiota, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway. The antagonistic effects of specific AMPK and SIRT3 blocker, as well as AMPKα1, AMPKα2, SIRT3 transfection-mediated silencing were investigated to confirm the role of the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway in this process. RESULTS: CE relieved liver pathological damage of mice and led to reduced oxidative stress and immune inflammation in mice, affected the balance of gut microbiota in mice with liver injury, as well as energy metabolism, and regulated mRNA and protein expressions of AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway. In addition, in vitro studies showed that CE relieved mitochondrial respiratory and protein expressions of AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway in LPS/D-GalN-induced AML12 and LX2 cells, and such effect was blocked by AMPK and SIRT3 inhibitors. Furthermore, silencing of AMPKα1, AMPKα2, and SIRT3 blocked the effects of CE. Overall, the influences of CE on mice with liver injury is tuned by the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: CE mediates mitochondrial function and eventually regulate energy metabolism by regulating the AMPK-SIRT3 signaling pathway. The results of this study provide molecular evidences for application of CE in treatment of ALI and provide references to the drug development for ALI.

Effects and mechanisms of frehmaglutin D and rehmaionoside C improve LPS-induced acute kidney injury through the estrogen receptor-mediated TLR4 pathway in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (S-AKI) is an inflammatory disease with sex differences and there has no effective drugs to cure it. Frehmaglutin D (Fre D) and rehmaionoside C (Reh C) are two violetone compounds with estrogenic activity isolated from Rehmannia glutinosa. However, whether these two drugs exert protective effects on S-AKI through their estrogen-like activity are unclear. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the effects and mechanisms of Fre D and Reh C on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced S-AKI through the estrogen receptor pathway in vivo and in vitro and to explore the interaction between ER and TLR4 for the first time. METHODS: The LPS-induced female BALB/c mice S-AKI mouse model was established by adding the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182,780. Renal function, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, immune cells, and expression of key proteins of the ER-TLR4-IL-1ß pathway were tested. The affinity of Fre D and Reh C for the ER was investigated by molecular docking. Then, an in vitro S-AKI model was established, and ERα/ERß antagonists (MPP/PHTPP) were added and combined with gene overexpression techniques. The interaction between ER and TLR4 was further explored by Co-IP, GST pull-down and SPR techniques. RESULTS: Fre D and Reh C ameliorated LPS-induced renal damage, inflammation in mice, regulated the immune cells, decreased ROS levels, increased ERα and ERß protein expression, and decreased TLR4, caspase 11 and IL-1ß protein expression. These effects were blocked by ICI182,780. Molecular docking results showed that Fre D and Reh C bound ERα and ERß with similar potency. The results of in vitro suggested that Fre D and Reh C reduced the levels of inflammation, ROS and apoptosis, TLR4, caspase 11, and IL-1ß protein expression and increased ERα/ERß protein expression in cells. All of these effects were reversed by the addition of MPP/PHTPP and further enhanced after ERα/ERß gene overexpression with no significant difference in effects. Moreover, there was an indirect or direct interaction between ER and TLR4, and the binding of ERα and ERß to TLR4 was concentration dependent. CONCLUSION: Fre D and Reh C may improve S-AKI through the ER-TLR4-IL-1ß pathway and may act on both ERα and ERß receptors. Moreover, ERα and ERß may interact directly or indirectly with TLR4, which was studied for the first time.

Ephedrae Herba polysaccharides inhibit the inflammation of ovalbumin induced asthma by regulating Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg cell immune imbalance.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the anti-asthma effects of Ephedrae Herba polysaccharides (PE) and possible mechanisms related to immune inflammatory response. METHODS: An asthma model was established in rats using ovalbumin (OVA). Seventy rats were randomly assigned to five groups: control, model, dexamethasone (DEX, 0.075 mg/kg), low dose polysaccharides (LPE, 137.71 mg/kg) and high dose polysaccharides (HPE, 275.42 mg/kg). The cough and asthma were used to evaluate the basic state of asthmatic rats. Histological studies were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson, and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining. The levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-4, immunoglobulin E (IgE), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and IL-17A in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and the levels of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1), IL-6, and IL-10 in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA levels of Ifn-γ, Il-4, Tgf-ß1, Il-6, Il-10, Tnf-α, Il-13, and Il-17a were evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR. The dendritic cell (DCs), T helper cell (Th), natural killer cell (NK), regulatory T cell (Treg), and Th17 cells in blood, the lymphocytes, macrophages and neutrophils in spleen, and cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lung were analysed by flow cytometry (FCM). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to stain DCs (CD11c+, CD86+, and CD80+), macrophages (CD68+), and neutrophils (MPO+) in the spleen and lung. The protein levels of IL-17A, CD11c, CD86, and CD80 in lung were measured by western blot. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that PE could effectively improve the symptoms of asthmatic rats, ameliorate the lung pathological injury, inhibit inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress, regulate the levels of macrophages, neutrophils, DCs, NK, Thc, Treg and Th17 cells. CONCLUSION: PE could collectively inhibit the inflammation, apoptosis and ROS in asthma rats induced by OVA via regulating Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg cell immune imbalance.

[Mechanism of "Ephedrae Herba-Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen" combination in treatment of bronchial asthma based on network pharmacology and experimental verification].

This study aims to investigate mechanism of "Ephedrae Herba-Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen" combination(MT) in the treatment of bronchial asthma based on network pharmacology and in vivo experiment, which is expected to lay a theoretical basis for clinical application of the combination. First, the potential targets of MT in the treatment of bronchial asthma were predicted based on network pharmacology, and the "Chinese medicine-active component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed, followed by Gene Oncology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment of the potential targets. Molecular docking was used to determine the binding activity of key candidate active components to hub genes. Ovalbumin(OVA, intraperitoneal injection for sensitization and nebulization for excitation) was used to induce bronchial asthma in rats. Rats were classified into control group(CON), model group(M), dexamethasone group(DEX, 0.075 mg·kg~(-1)), and MT(1∶1.5) group. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE), Masson, and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS) staining were performed to observe the effect of MT on pathological changes of lungs and trachea and goblet cell proliferation in asthma rats. The levels of transforming growth factor(TGF)-ß1, interleukin(IL)6, and IL10 in rat serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the mRNA and protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase 8(MAPK8), cyclin D1(CCND1), IL6, epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3 K), and protein kinase B(Akt) by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Network pharmacology predicted that MAPK8, CCND1, IL6, and EGFR were the potential targets of MT in the treatment of asthma, which may be related to PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway. Quercetin and ß-sitosterol in MT acted on a lot of targets related to asthma, and molecular docking results showed that quercetin and ß-sitosterol had strong binding activity to MAPK, PI3 K, and Akt. In vivo experiment showed that MT could effectively alleviate the symptoms of OVA-induced asthma rats, improve the pathological changes of lung tissue, reduce the production of goblet cells, inhibit the inflammatory response of asthma rats, suppress the expression of MAPK8, CCND1, IL6, and EGFR, and regulate the PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway. Therefore, MT may relieve the symptoms and inhibit inflammation of asthma rats by regulating the PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway, and quercetin and ß-sitosterol are the candidate active components.

Corallodiscus flabellata B. L. Burtt extract and isonuomioside A ameliorate Aß25-35-induced brain injury by inhibiting apoptosis, oxidative stress, and autophagy via the NMDAR2B/CamK â ¡/PKG pathway.

BACKGROUND: Corallodiscus flabellata B. L. Burtt, a traditional Chinese folk medicine used for amnesia, can significantly improve brain injury; however, its active components and underlying mechanism of action remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects and underlying mechanism of action of Corallodiscus flabellata B. L. Burtt (SDC) extract and isolated isonuomioside A (isA) on Aß25-35-induced brain injury. METHODS: SDC extract (155 mg/kg, i.g.) or IsA (20 mg/kg, i.g.) was administered over a period of 4 weeks, following which brain injury was induced by Aß25-35 infusion (200 µM, 3 µl/20 g, i.c.v.). Network pharmacology research gathered existing data on the effects of SDC on Alzheimer's disease. Learning and memory ability, neuronal damage, and the levels of Aß1-42/Aß1-40, p-Tau, apoptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, immune cells, NMDAR2B, p-CamK Ⅱ, and PKG were examined. Furthermore, the antagonistic effect of MK-801 (NMDA receptor blocker, 10 µM) in the presence of isA (10 µM) or SDC extract (20 µg/ml) was investigated in Aß25-35 (20 µM, 24 h)-induced PC-12 and N9 cells to evaluate whether the observed effects elicited by isA and SDC extract were mediated via the NMDAR2B/CamK Ⅱ/PKG pathway. RESULTS: IsA and SDC extract improved learning and memory ability, reduced neuronal damage, downregulated Aß1-42/Aß1-40, p-Tau, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and autophagy, transformed immune cells, and increased the expression levels of NMDAR2B, p-CamK Ⅱ, and PKG following Aß25-35 challenge. Moreover, MK-801 blocked the effects of isA and SDC extract on apoptosis, ROS levels, and autophagy in Aß25-35-induced N9 and PC-12 cells, indicating that isA and SDC extract likely exert neuroprotective effects via the NMDAR2B/CamK Ⅱ/PKG pathway. CONCLUSION: IsA and SDC extract ameliorate Aß25-35-induced brain injury by inhibiting apoptosis, oxidative stress, and autophagy, which likely occurs via the NMDAR2B/CamK Ⅱ/PKG pathway. These findings may help to elucidate new therapeutic targets and facilitate the development of drugs for the clinical treatment of AD.

Oleic acid alleviates LPS-induced acute kidney injury by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the Ras/MAPKs/PPAR-γ signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Rehmannia Glutinosa Libosch. is applied for the treatment of renal and inflammatory-related diseases, and oleic acid (OA) is a compound isolated from Rehmannia Glutinosa Libosch.. Unfortunately, the pharmacological activity of OA on LPS treated acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been investigated. AIMS: The research is aiming to probe the activities of OA on LPS-induced AKI. METHODS: Information of OA effect on AKI were from network pharmacology. H&E staining, creatinine (CRE) and urea nitrogen (UN) were performed to evaluate the activities of OA on kidney function. Inflammatory factors in serum were measured by cytometric bead array. Increased ratio of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in kidney and immune cells in the peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry (FCM). PPAR-γ, MAPK and apoptotic signaling pathways were measured by Western blot. Then, a metabolomics approach was utilized to investigate OA's response to AKI. The role of salirasib (FTS, Ras inhibitor) in OA acted on ROS, Ca2+, MMP and Ras signaling pathway in LPS treated NRK-52e cells were investigated by FCM and In-cell western. RESULTS: It is proved that OA effetively ameliorated renal function, alleviated inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and transformed apoptotic, MAPK and PPAR-γ signaling pathways in mice with AKI, regulated phenylalanine metabolism, purine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, moreover, the role of OA in injury of NRK-52e was blocked by FTS. CONCLUSION: In a word, OA could alleviate AKI by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via regulating the Ras/MAPKs/PPAR-γ signaling pathway, phenylalanine metabolism, purine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, which might be a useful strategy for treating AKI.

In vitro Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Inhibitory Effect by New Diphenylethane Isolated From Stems and Leaves of Dioscorea oppositifolia L. via ERß-STAT3 Pathway.

Lung cancer is the most leading cause of cancer mortality throughout the world, of which about 85% cases comprise the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Estrogen and estrogen receptors are known to be involved in the pathogenesis and development of lung cancer. Dioscorea oppositifolia L. is a traditional Chinese medicine and a nutritious food, and can be an excellent candidate as an anti-cancer agent owing to its estrogen-like effects. However, the stems and leaves of D. oppositifolia L. are piled up in the field as a waste, causing environmental pollution and waste of resources. In the present study, a new diphenylethane (D1) was isolated from the stems and leaves of D. oppositifolia L. It was observed that D1 reduced the cell viability, migration, energy metabolism, and induced apoptosis in the A549 cells. Mechanistic studies showed that D1 reduced the STAT3 nuclear localization and downregulated the expression of the STAT3 target genes like Mcl-1, Bcl-xL and MMP-2 that are involved in the cell survival and mobility. Moreover, our results indicated that D1 exhibited estrogenic activities mediated by ERß, and antagonising ERß decreased the cytotoxic effect of D1 in A549 cells. In addition, inhibition of the nuclear translocation of STAT3 did not interfere with the binding of D1 and ERß. However, after antagonizing ERß, the nuclear translocation of STAT3 increased, thereby demonstrating that STAT3 was the downstream signaling molecule of ERß. In conclusion, the D1 mediated anti-NSCLC in vitro effects or at least in part can be attributed to the ERß-STAT3 signaling. Our findings suggest the role of D1 in treating NSCLC on a molecular level, and can help to improve the comprehensive utilization rate of D. oppositifolia L.