ABSTRACT
Background: In China, Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) has been prescribed as a therapeutic herb for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We previously conducted a preliminary study of the anti-inflammatory effect of OD, and the purpose of this study is to further investigate its mechanism. Methods: We performed a quantitative proteomic analysis of synovium, identified the differentially expressed proteins, and performed bioinformatics analyses. With the help of network pharmacology, we aimed to find the key synovial proteins which OD or its key compound might influence. To verify the result, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was applied to quantify and qualify the absorbable potential compounds of OD. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by morphological, histopathological, and cytokine analyses. Target proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: MMP3 and CAV1 were identified as 2 of the differentially expressed proteins in RA synovium, and might be influenced by quercetin, the active compound of OD. MMP3 might be altered through atherosclerosis signaling, while CAV1 might be altered through caveolar-mediated endocytosis signaling. According to our verification, quercetin was identified as the absorbed and effective compound of OD, and it could exert an anti-inflammatory effect on the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, including serum cytokine expression, synovial hyperplasia and lymphocyte infiltration, articular cartilage lesion. Quercetin could also down-regulate the synovial expression of MMP3 and CAV1, and could exert better effects at a high dose. Conclusions: Quercetin was the main active compound of OD in the treatment of RA. OD might alleviate inflammatory responses in CIA rats by suppressing the expression of MMP3 and CAV1 through quercetin, and at a high dose, quercetin could exert a better anti-inflammatory effect.
ABSTRACT
Hepatic diseases include all diseases that occur in the liver, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, etc. Hepatic diseases worldwide are characterized by high incidences of digestive system diseases, which present with subtle symptoms, are difficult to treat and have high mortality. Galectins are ß-galactoside-binding proteins that have been found to be aberrantly expressed during hepatic disease progression. An increasing number of studies have shown that abnormal expression of galectins is extensively involved in hepatic diseases, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cirrhosis, hepatitis and liver fibrosis. Galectins function as intracellular and extracellular hepatic disease regulators mainly through the binding of their carbohydrate recognition domain to glycoconjugates expressed in hepatocytes. In this review, we summarize current research on the various roles of galectins in cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis and HCC, which may provide a preliminary theoretical basis for the exploration of new targets for the treatment of hepatic diseases.
Subject(s)
Disease Susceptibility , Galectins/genetics , Galectins/metabolism , Liver Diseases/etiology , Liver Diseases/metabolism , Animals , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Immunomodulation , Liver Diseases/diagnosis , Multigene Family , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In China, Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) is a natural herb that is widely used and has been proven to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to preliminarily reveal the mechanism by which OD exerts its beneficial effect. METHODS: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array was applied to identify the absorbable compounds in the plasma of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model rats. After 2 weeks, an OD decoction or the identified absorbable compound was administered to CIA rats. Morphology, X-ray images of the joints, pathological images, arthritis index, and cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels were evaluated. RESULTS: p-Coumaric acid (p-CA) was identified as the absorbed compound in plasma. After administration of p-CA solution or the OD decoction, symptoms in the treated rats were alleviated as compared to the untreated model rats, and inflammatory cell infiltration was suppressed. The arthritis index and serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were decreased as compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: OD may exert its anti-inflammatory effect on RA via its active ingredient, p-CA. This information sheds light on the mechanism by which OD exerts its anti-inflammatory effort in RA and forms the basis for further development of therapeutic agents for RA.
ABSTRACT
In the present paper, a method was established based on laser tweezer Raman spectroscopy for rapid quantification of astaxanthin in Phaffia rhodozyma cells. First, the Raman spectra of astaxanthin standard solution with different concentrations were determined and the standard curve for astaxanthin with the peak intensity at 1 520 cm- was plotted; And then the Phaffia yeast cells cultivated in different nitrogen source and carbon source medium were divided into two parts, one for the detection of Raman spectra, and the other for the determination of ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry; Finally the relationship between the two methods was analyzed. The correlation coefficient of standard curve for astaxanthin is 0.998 3. Comparing laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy method with traditional ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry in analyzing the content of astaxanthin in unit mass Phaffia rhodozyma and the yield of astaxanthin in unit volume fermentation broth of Phaffia rhodozyma, the authors found that the data obtained have good linear relationship. And the correlation coefficients are 0.917 7 and 0.905 4, respectively. Therefore, both methods have almost the same effect of measuement. But laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy method is more efficient in the quantitative analysis of astaxanthin in Phaffia rhodozyma cells.
