Fabp4 contributes toward regulating inflammatory gene expression and oxidative stress in Ctenopharyngodon idella.

Fatty acid-binding protein (Fabp)-4 is a member of the FABP family. Mammalian fabp4 has been demonstrated to involve in inflammation and immunity, whereas the related data of fish fabp4 remain limited. Therefore, we further investigated the effects of fabp4 on immunity in Ctenopharyngodon idella. The fabp4 sequence spanned 405 bp was cloned first, sharing high identity to fabp4 from other fish and mammals. Fabp4 expression was the highest in the adipose tissue, followed by the heart, muscle, and liver. In vivo, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggered the expression of fabp4, toll-like receptor (tlr)-22, interleukin (il)-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor (tnf)-α in the kidney and spleen. In vitro, exposing C. idella CIK cells to LPS decreased their viability, and the expression of fabp4 was also increased by LPS. However, BMS309403, an inhibitor of FABP4, mitigated these effects. Furthermore, treating the cells with LPS or fabp4 overexpression plasmids resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and upregulation of inflammatory genes expression, including tlr22, type-I interferon (ifn-1), interferon regulatory factor (irf)-7, tnfα, il-1ß, and interferon-ß promoter stimulator 1. These effects were ameliorated by preincubation with BMS309403. Moreover, incubating the cells with glutathione reduced the production of ROS and the expression of inflammatory genes that were evoked by LPS and plasmid treatments. These results showed that fabp4 acts as a pro-inflammatory molecule via elevating ROS levels, providing a novel understanding of the molecular regulation of innate immunity in teleosts.

Ingredients of Huangqi decoction slow biliary fibrosis progression by inhibiting the activation of the transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Huangqi decoction was first described in Prescriptions of the Bureau of Taiping People's Welfare Pharmacy in Song Dynasty (AD 1078), and it is an effective recipe that is usually used to treat consumptive disease, anorexia, and chronic liver diseases. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFß1) plays a key role in the progression of liver fibrosis, and Huangqi decoction and its ingredients (IHQD) markedly ameliorated hepatic fibrotic lesions induced by ligation of the common bile duct (BDL). However, the mechanism of IHQD on hepatic fibrotic lesions is not yet clear. The purpose of the present study is to elucidate the roles of TGFß1 activation, Smad-signaling pathway, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the pathogenesis of biliary fibrosis progression and the antifibrotic mechanism of IHQD. METHODS: A liver fibrosis model was induced by ligation of the common bile duct (BDL) in rats. Sham-operation was performed in control rats. The BDL rats were randomly divided into two groups: the BDL group and the IHQD group. IHQD was administrated intragastrically for 4 weeks. At the end of the fifth week after BDL, animals were sacrificed for sampling of blood serum and liver tissue. The effect of IHQD on the TGFß1 signaling pathway was evaluated by western blotting and laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Decreased content of hepatic hydroxyproline and improved liver function and histopathology were observed in IHQD rats. Hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and myofibroblasts in the cholestatic liver injury released TGFß1, and activated TGFß1 receptors can accelerate liver fibrosis. IHQD markedly inhibited the protein expression of TGFß1, TGFß1 receptors, Smad3, and p-ERK1/2 expression with no change of Smad7 expression. CONCLUSION: IHQD exert significant therapeutic effects on BDL-induced fibrosis in rats through inhibition of the activation of TGFß1-Smad3 and TGFß1-ERK1/2 signaling pathways.

[Chinese herbal medicine Xiayuxue Decoction inhibits liver angiogenesis in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Xiayuxue Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese medicine, on liver angiogenesis in rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver fibrosis. METHODS: Liver cirrhosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl(4)-olive oil solution at the dose of 1 mL/kg body weight, twice per week for 9 consecutive weeks. After 3- and 6-week injection, 6 rats in the normal group and 6 rats in the model group were randomly sacrificed for dynamic observation. The survival rats of model group were randomly divided into model group (n=15) and Xiayuxue Decoction group (n=11). Six normal rats were used as a normal control. Xiayuxue Decoction was administered orally starting from the 7th week for 3 weeks. At the end of the ninth week, animals were sacrificed and liver tissues were harvested to measure histological changes, activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 and protein expressions of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), von Willebrand factor (vWF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2), complement decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the liver tissues. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, liver injury, fatty degeneration and collagen deposition were evidently observed in the model group and protein expressions of CD31, vWF, VEGF, VEGFR2, DAF and α-SMA were gradually increased. In addition, the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in liver tissues were enhanced in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with 9-week model group, liver injury, fatty degeneration and collagen deposition were markedly inhibited by Xiayuxue Decoction; protein expressions of CD31, vWF, VEGF, VEGFR2,α-SMA and DAF and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the liver tissues were decreased in the Xiayuxue Decoction group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The angiogenesis is evident and aggravating gradually during the progression of liver cirrhosis induced by CCl(4). Xiayuxue Decoction inhibits the angiogenesis by decreasing the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9, inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells, and damaging the new vessel integrality.

[Mechanism of hepatocytes transdifferentiation to bile duct epithelial cells and intervention of huangqi decoction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of hepatocytes transdifferentiation to bile duct epithelial cells (BECs) and intervention of Huangqi decoction (HQD) on hepatic fibrosis formation in rats with secondary cholestasis. METHODS: Seventy-five SD male rats were made into cholestatic hepatic fibrosis model animals by bile duct ligation, and randomized into the control group (n = 50) and the HQD group (n = 15). Starting from one week after modeling, they were administered orally with saline and HQD respectively for four weeks. Besides, a sham-operated group was set up with 10 rats operated by choledochus segregating only and administered after then with saline. Rats were killed in batches at different time points, i.e. each five from the control group and sham-operated group at the end of the 1st week, five from the control group for each time at the end of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week, and all the remaining rats at the end of the 5th week. Their liver tissues were taken for histological change examination, content of hydroxyproline (Hyp) determination; protein expression of BECs marker cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and the hepatocyte specific antigen HepPar detection by Western blot, and CK7-Hep Par co-localization by laser confocal microscopy. Then IPP software was used to analyze Sirius red stained positive areas of CK7 and Hep Par, as well as the average IOD of CK7/Hep Par co-localization. RESULTS: Hepatocytes in hepatic tissues (Hep Par positive cell) in the model rats decreased gradually along was time went by after modeling (Sham > M1w > M2w > M3w > M4w > M5w), which was in parallel with the increase of BECs (CK7 positive cells), degree of fibrosis, Hyp content and CK7 protein expression. Increasing of co-localized positive cells of CK7/Hep Par began at 1 week and reached the peak 3 weeks after modeling, then it decreased gradually. The Hep Par protein expression was negatively correlated with that of CK7; the Hep Par positive cell expression was negatively correlated with CK7 positive cell expression and collagen deposition; while the CK7 positive cell expression was positively correlated with the collagen deposition in the liver tissue. Compared with the model control group, the mortality, CK7/Hep Par co-localized positive cells, fibrosis degree, Hyp content and CK7 protein expression were lesser obviously (P < 0.01), while Hep Par positive cell and protein expressions were higher significantly in the HQD group. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatocytes transdifferentiation to BECs might be a key pathological element for secondary cholestatic hepatic fibrosis formation; the restraining action of HQD is possibly a major action mechanism of HQD for effectively intervening and treating secondary cholestasis hepatic fibrosis.

[Effects of Yiguanjian Decoction on liver cirrhosis formation:a differential proteomics study in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Yiguanjian Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on rats with cirrhosis based on the method of differential proteomics. METHODS: Wistar male rats (n=48) were randomly divided into normal control group (n=12) and model-making group (n=36). Rat cirrhosis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 50% carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) plus olive oil solution (1 mL/kg, twice weekly for 9 weeks). After 3- and 6-week injection, 6 rats each time were sacrificed for dynamic observation before medicine intervention, and the 24 remained rats were randomly divided into untreated group (n=12) and Yiguanjian Decoction group (n=12) at the first day of the 7th week. All animals were sacrificed by the end of the 9th week, and total protein of liver tissue was isolated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE); some differentially expressed protein spots were analyzed and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization two-stage time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) and database querying. Protein expressions of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) and DJ-1 were validated by Western blot and immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: 2-DE maps with high resolution and good repeatability were obtained. In all 50 protein spots identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and database querying, there were 5 protein spots related to oxidative stress named Cu/Zn SOD, DJ-1, glutathione synthetase, glutathione S-transferase Yb-1 subunit and aldo-keto reductase family 7, A2 respectively. Compared with the normal control group, expressions of Cu/Zn SOD, DJ-1, glutathione S-transferase Yb-1 subunit and aldo-keto reductase family 7, A2 in the untreated group were decreased significantly. Expressions of Cu/Zn SOD and aldo-keto reductase family 7, A2 were decreased time-dependently. Compared with the untreated group in 9th week, protein expressions of Cu/Zn SOD, DJ-1, glutathione S-transferase Yb-1 subunit and aldo-keto reductase family 7, A2 in the Yiguanjian Decoction groups were increased significantly while expression of glutathione synthetase was decreased notably. Western blot and immunohistochemical results of Cu/Zn SOD and DJ-1 expressions coincided with proteomics results. CONCLUSION: Anti-oxidative depression is a key pathological change of cirrhosis induced by CCl4 in rats, and increasing expression of proteins related to anti-oxidative stress may be a major mechanism of Yiguanjian Decoction in treating cirrhosis induced by CCl4 effectively.

[Huangqi decoction inhibits cholangiocyte proliferation and transdifferentiation in cholestatic liver fibrosis induced by BDL in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the antifibrotic mechanism of Huangqi decoction in rats with BDL-induced cholestatic liver fibrosis. METHODS: Liver fibrosis model was induced by ligating the common bile duct (BDL) in rats. Sham-operation was performed in control rats. The BDL rats were randomly divided into two groups: the BDL group and the Huangqi decoction group. Huanqi decoction was given intragastrically for 4 weeks. At the end of the fifth week after BDL, animals were sacrificed. RESULTS: Compared with the sham control group, mortality rate in BDL group was 33.3% and incidence rate of ascites was 90%, and hepatic function was abnormal in most of the rats in BDL group. The number of Hepatocytes was decreased and the number of cholangiocytes significantly increased in BDL group. In addition, Hyp content of liver tissue and protein expression of CK 7 and a-SMA were significantly increased. Immunostaining indicated that CK 7 and a-SMA were co-localized in BDL group. These changes were markedly suppressed by the Huangqi decoction. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that Huangqi decoction can inhibit cholangiocyte proliferation and cholangiocyte transdifferentiation.