RESUMO
This study was designed to explore how supercritical fluid CO2 extract of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (CX) protects mouse liver and kidney from d-galactose-induced injury. The antioxidant capacity of CX was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. The d-galactose-induced malondialdehyde increase was attenuated by CX, as well as the increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine level. In addition, the activities of antioxidant enzymes were markedly renewed, and the gene expressions of these enzymes were upregulated in CX groups. The results of histological analysis suggested that CX could effectively attenuate the d-galactose-induced structure damage. Furthermore, results of Western blotting analysis showed that CX significantly inhibited the upregulation of nuclear factor protein expression caused by d-galactose. In conclusion, CX could attenuate the liver and kidney injury in d-galactose-treated mice, and the mechanism might be associated with attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory response.
Assuntos
Dióxido de Carbono/química , Cromatografia com Fluido Supercrítico , Rim/lesões , Ligusticum/química , Fígado/lesões , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Substâncias Protetoras/farmacologia , Envelhecimento/patologia , Alanina Transaminase/sangue , Animais , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Aspartato Aminotransferases/sangue , Nitrogênio da Ureia Sanguínea , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Creatinina/sangue , Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/metabolismo , Galactose , Cromatografia Gasosa-Espectrometria de Massas , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Inflamação/patologia , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Rim/efeitos dos fármacos , Rim/enzimologia , Rim/patologia , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/enzimologia , Fígado/patologia , Masculino , Camundongos , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo II/metabolismo , Especificidade de Órgãos , Extratos Vegetais/químicaRESUMO
MicroRNA (miR)-221 plays an essential role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). High mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2), is a key regulator of EMT. However, the role of miR221 in pulmonary fibrosis, and the association between miR221 and HMGA2 remain largely unknown. For this purpose, we examined the expression of miR221 and HMGA2 in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) tissues and pulmonary cells, namely the adenocarcinoma A549 and human bronchial epithelium (HBE) cell lines, and found that the expression of miR221 was inhibited in both tissues and cells whereas high mRNA and protein expression of HMGA2 was observed. Additionally, transforming growth factorß1 (TGFß1) induced the EMT, characterized by the upregulated expression of the mesenchymal markers, namely Ncadherin, vimentin, αsmooth muscle actin, collagen I and collagen III, and the downregulated expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin in A549 and HBE cells. We then performed transfection with miR221 mimics, and found that the expression of phosphorylated-Smad3 in miR221overexpressing cells was significantly downregulated, compared with that in the TGFß1-treated cells without transfection. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR221 decreased the expression of HMGA2, suppressed the EMT, and inhibited the proliferation of A549 and HBE cells. HMGA2 was directly targeted by miR221 which was confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Finally, a mouse model of bleomycin (BLM)induced pulmonary fibrosis was used to confirm the effect of miR221 on EMT. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that BLM induced thicker alveolar walls and more collagen deposition, whereas miR221 treatment reduced lung fibrosis and the tissues exhibited thinner alveolar walls and normal lung alveoli. Furthermore, the EMT process was suppressed following miR221 injection. Taken together, these findings sugest that miR221 targets HMGA2 to inhibit BLMinduced pulmonary fibrosis through the TGFß1/Smad3 signaling pathway.