[Molecular mechanism of Dalbergia cochinchinensis heartwood in regulation of energy metabolism to treat myocardial ischemia based on network pharmacology and experimental validation].

Dalbergia cochinchinensis(DC) is chemically similar to the valuable and scarce Chinese herb Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum, and both of them belong to the Dalbergia Leguminosae. DC is used for treating cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, its potent active ingredient groups and molecular mechanisms in anti-myocardial ischemia are not fully clarified. In this study, the active ingredient groups, targets, and signaling pathways of DC heartwood for the treatment of myocardial ischemia were screened out based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, and the effects were verified by the rat model of acute myocardial ischemia induced by isoprenaline(ISO). The molecular mechanism of DC heartwood was elucidated based on the target of multi-ingredient and multi-target pathways. The crossing targets of DC heartwood for the treatment of myocardial ischemia were identified through the screening of active ingredients in DC heartwood and the prediction of targets. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment and Gene Ontology(GO) functional annotation were performed. AutoDock was used to bind the active ingredient groups to the pathway targets. Finally, the molecular mechanism of myocardial ischemia treatment by DC heartwood extracts in the treatment of myocardial ischemia was revealed through the rat model of ISO-induced acute myocardial ischemia by performing electrocardiogram(ECG), hemodynamic, cardiac enzymes, hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, high-energy phosphate compounds, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), and Western blot pharmacodynamic experiments, based on the multi-ingredient and multi-target action of active ingredient groups and pathway targets. The network pharmacology showed that the 18 ingredients of DC heartwood corresponded to 510 targets, 629 myocardial ischemia-related targets, and 101 cross-targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that DC heartwood was involved in the hypoxic response, vasoconstriction, and nitric oxide biosynthesis, and had effects on the molecular functions of hemoglobin binding, protein binding, and adenosine triphosphate(ATP) binding. It regulated the signaling pathways such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3 K/AKT) to act on myocardial ischemia. Experimental studies showed that DC heartwood slowed down the heart rate and ST segment change(ΔST), and increased systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure(DBP), and mean arterial pressure(MBP) in rats with ISO-induced acute myocardial ischemia. It also reduced plasma lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), creatine kinase isoenzyme MB(CK-MB), and glutamate transaminase(AST) levels, relieved myocardial fiber disorders and inflammatory cell infiltration, and increased ATP and cellular energy(EC) levels. DC heartwood increased the mRNA expressions of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase(CAMKK) in the myocardial tissue, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3(PFKFB3), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), PI3 K, VEGF, endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS), HIF-1α in the myocardial tissue. It decreased the mRNA expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase(PDH), and increased the protein expressions of PFKFB3, VEGFA, and eNOS. Molecular docking showed that liquiritigenin, stigmasterol, isodalbergin, latifolin, 4-methoxydalbergione, dibutyl terephthalate, 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzophenone in DC heartwood produced bio-binding activities with epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), HIF-1α, CAMKK, PI3 K, mTOR, and PDH, respectively. Therefore, the active ingredient groups of DC heartwood act on the HIF-1 signaling pathway, regulate cardiomyocyte energy metabolism, and increase ATP energy charge in a multi-ingredient and multi-target manner, improving cardiac function and histopathological changes to protect rats with acute myocardial ischemia induced by ISO.

[Study on effect of anemoside B4 in improving COPD rats by regulating IL-12/STAT4 and IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathways].

To study the effect of anemoside B4 on rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Seventy-two SD male rats were randomly divided into blank group and model group.The method of exposure to cigarette smoke and combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to replicate the rat model of COPD.After the model was maintained for 5 weeks,the rats were randomly divided into model group,dexamethasone group (0.81 mg·kg~(-1)) and anemoside B4 low,medium and high (2,4,8 mg·kg~(-1)) dose groups,a group of 12 animals were administered,and then the administration was started.The administration was maintained until the28th day,and the pulmonary function parameters of rats were measured by an animal pulmonary function instrument.After testing the rat lung function parameters,immediately draw rat alveolar lavage fluid (BALF),and use high-throughput protein chip technology to determined the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in rat BALF.HE staining was used to observe the general pathological changes of rat lung and tracheal tissue.Masson staining was used to observe the collagen deposition in rat lung tissue.Real-time q PCR method was used to determine the mRNA expression level of related genes in rat lung tissue.Western blot method was used to determine the expression levels of related proteins in rat lung tissues.According to the findings,compared with the model group,the dexamethasone group and the anemoside B4 drug groups had different degrees of increase in the lung function parameters of rats (P<0.01,P<0.05),improved the expression level of inflammatory cytokines in the BALF of rats to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05),and improved the pathological structure of rat lung tissue to varying degrees.Relative mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2),matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP-12),matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1),interleukin-6 (IL-6),and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) were significantly reduced (P<0.01);whereas relative mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9) and matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (TIMP-2) were increased significantly (P<0.01).The mRNA and protein expression levels of T-box transcription factor (T-bet),interleukin-12 (IL-12) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4(STAT4) reduced to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05).The mRNA of transcription factor GATA3 (binding protein-3),interleukin-4 (IL-4) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) in rat lung tissues and the protein expression levels of IL-4 and STAT6 were increased to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05).In conclusion,anemoside B4 has a certain protective effect on COPD rats caused by cigarette smoke exposure and combined with LPS.The mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of IL-12/STAT4 and IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathways.

Latifolin protects against myocardial infarction by alleviating myocardial inflammatory via the HIF-1α/NF-κB/IL-6 pathway.

CONTEXT: The Traditional Chinese herb medicine Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (Fabaceae), exerted a protective effect on myocardial ischaemia. Latifolin is a neoflavonoid extracted from Dalbergia odorifera. It has been reported to have the effects of anti-inflammation and cardiomyocyte protection. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether latifolin can improve myocardial infarction (MI) through attenuating myocardial inflammatory and to explore its possible mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Left coronary artery was ligated to induce a rat model of MI, and the rats were treated with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) or different doses of latifolin (25, 50, 100 mg/kg/d) by oral gavage for 28 days. Serum contents of myocardial enzyme were measured at seven and fourteen days after treatment. Cardiac function, infarct size, histopathological changes and inflammatory cells infiltration was assessed at 28 days after treatment. Western blotting was used to investigate the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Latifolin treatment markedly decreased the contents of myocardial enzymes, and increased left ventricular ejection fraction (85.27% vs. 59.11%) and left ventricular fractional shortening (62.71% vs. 45.53%). Latifolin was found to significantly reduced infarction size (27.78% vs. 39.07%), myocardial fibrosis and the numbers of macrophage infiltration (436 cells/mm2 vs. 690 cells/mm2). In addition, latifolin down-regulated the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (0.95-fold), phospho-nuclear factor-κB (0.2-fold) and interleukin-6 (1.11-fold). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Latifolin can protect against myocardial infarction by improving myocardial inflammation through the HIF-1α/NF-κB/IL-6 signalling pathway. Accordingly, latifolin may be a promising drug for pharmacological treatment of ischaemic cardiovascular disease.