PHYTOMEDICINE
·
2024
·
IF 6.7
Miaomiao Sun,Honghong Zhan,Xiaoliang Long,Ali M. Alsayed,Zhe Wang,Fancheng Meng,Guowei Wang,Jingxin Mao,Zhihua Liao,Min Chen
Background Irinotecan (CPT-11) is used as chemotherapeutic drug for treatment of colorectal cancer. However, without satisfactory treatments, its gastrointestinal toxicities such as diarrhea and intestinal inflammation severely restrained its clinical application. Roots of Aucklandia lappa Decne. are used as traditional Chinese medicine to relieve gastrointestinal dysfunction and dehydrocostus lactone (DHL) is one of its main active components. Nevertheless, the efficacy and mechanism of DHL against intestinal mucositis remains unclear. Purpose The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of DHL on CPT-11-induced intestinal mucositis and its underlying mechanisms. Methods The protective effect of DHL was investigated in CPT-11-induced mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)+CPT-11 induced THP-1 macrophages. Body weight, diarrhea score, survival rate, colon length, and histopathological changes in mice colon and jejunum were analyzed to evaluate the protective effect of DHL in vivo . And DHL on reducing inflammatory response and regulating TLR4/NF‐κB/NLRP3 pathway in vivo and in vitro were explored. Moreover, DHL on the interaction between TLR4 and MD2 was investigated. And silencing TLR4 targeted by siRNA was performed to validate the mechanisms of DHL on regulating the inflammation. Results DHL prevented CPT-11-induced intestinal damage, represented by reducing weight loss, diarrhea score, mortality rate and the shortening of the colon. Histological analysis confirmed that DHL prevented intestinal epithelial injury and improved the intestinal barrier function in CPT-11 induced mice. Besides, DHL significantly downregulated the level of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in CPT-11-induced mice and LPS+CPT-11-induced THP-1 macrophages. In addition, DHL blocked TLR4/MD2 complex formation. Molecular docking combined with SIP and DARTS assay showed that DHL could bind to TLR4/MD2 and occludes the hydrophobic pocket of MD2. Furthermore, Silencing TLR4 abrogated the effect of DHL on LPS+CPT-11 induced inflammatory response in THP-1 macrophages. Additionally, DHL ameliorate the CPT-11-induced intestinal mucositis without affecting the anti-tumor efficacy of CPT-11 in the tumor xenograft mice. Conclusion This study found that DHL exhibited the anti-inflammatory effects in CPT-11-induced intestinal mucositis by inhibiting the formation of TLR4/MD2 complex and then regulation of NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. DHL is potentially served as a novel strategy of combined medication with CPT-11.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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肿瘤学
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胃肠病学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Ginseng Research
·
2025
·
IF 5.6
Ji Zhang,Jing Xie,Zhiqiang Niu,Long You,Yanan Liu,Rui Guo,Guigui Yang,Ziliang He,Ting Shen,Honggang Wang,Qi Yan,Weicheng Hu
Background Ginsenoside Rg2 (G-Rg2), a major active compound of Panax ginseng , exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. However, the mechanisms by which G-Rg2 mitigates ulcerative colitis (UC) have not been clearly elucidated. Aims In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which G-Rg2 mitigated UC. Methods In this study, we investigated the efficacy of G-Rg2 in ameliorating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC and its potential mechanisms using a DSS-induced UC mouse model and Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)/ nigericin (Nig)-induced NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation on immortalized bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs). Results Oral administration of G-Rg2 at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg significantly mitigated weight loss, normalized food and water intake, and improved colon histopathology in DSS-induced UC mice. G-Rg2 also restored mRNA expression levels of occludin, claudin-3, zona occluden (ZO)-1 and mucin 2, thereby enhancing intestinal barrier integrity. G-Rg2 significantly suppressed the nuclear translocation of p65, the subunit of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), as well as downregulated NLRP3, cleaved IL-1β and caspase1 p20 expression induced by LPS/Nig in iBMDMs. Conclusion G-Rg2 effectively reduced colon inflammation in DSS-induced UC mice and diminishes inflammatory responses under LPS/Nig conditions by regulating NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, thereby inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which may serve as a potent therapeutic agent for UC.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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消化系统疾病
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
·
2024
·
IF 6.9
Zhao Tong,Zhou Zhi-ruo,Wan Hui-qi,Feng Tian,Hu Xu-hui,Li Xiao-qian,Zhao Shi-mei,Li Hong-lin,Hou Ji-wei,Li Wei,Lu Da-yun,Qian Min-yi,Shen Xu
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, progressive and irreversible interstitial lung disease characterized by unremitting pulmonary myofibroblasts activation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and inflammatory recruitment. PF has no curable medication yet. In this study we investigated the molecular pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of PF and discovered drug lead compounds for PF therapy. A murine PF model was established in mice by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM, 5 mg/kg). We showed that the protein level of pulmonary protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1A (PPM1A, also known as PP2Cα) was significantly downregulated in PF patients and BLM-induced PF mice. We demonstrated that TRIM47 promoted ubiquitination and decreased PPM1A protein in PF progression. By screening the lab in-house compound library, we discovered otilonium bromide (OB, clinically used for treating irritable bowel syndrome) as a PPM1A enzymatic activator with an EC 50 value of 4.23 μM. Treatment with OB (2.5, 5 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 , i.p., for 20 days) significantly ameliorated PF-like pathology in mice. We constructed PF mice with PPM1A-specific knockdown in the lung tissues, and determined that by targeting PPM1A, OB treatment suppressed ECM deposition through TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway in fibroblasts, repressed inflammatory responses through NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in alveolar epithelial cells, and blunted the crosstalk between inflammation in alveolar epithelial cells and ECM deposition in fibroblasts. Together, our results demonstrate that pulmonary PPM1A activation is a promising therapeutic strategy for PF and highlighted the potential of OB in the treatment of the disease.
研究领域:
药理学
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肺病学
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分子生物学
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治疗学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Pharmaceuticals
·
2025
·Vol. 18
·期 8
·1109
·
IF 4.8
Lingxin Zhuo,Mingxuan Ma,Jiayi Zhang,Jiayu Zhou,Yuqi Zheng,Aiyin Liang,Qingqing Sun,Jia Liu,Wenting Liao
Background/Objectives: Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is a serious clinical disorder with a high death rate. Qifu decoction (QFD) is a renowned traditional Chinese medicine with documented pharmacological actions, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-apoptosis activities, and it has good therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to reveal the cardioprotective effects and underlying mechanisms of QFD against SIC.Methods: Electrocardiography, histopathological examination, and biochemical indicator determination were carried out to investigate the cardioprotective effects of QFD in the treatment of LPS-induced SIC mice. Metabolomics and network pharmacology strategies were employed to preliminarily analyze and predict the mechanisms of QFD against SIC. Molecular docking and Western blot were further applied to validate the core targets and potential pathways for the treatment of SIC in in vitro and in vivo models.Results: It was found that QFD considerably enhanced cardiac function; attenuated myocardial injury; and reduced the serum levels of LDH, CK-MB, IL-1β, and TNF-α by 28.7%, 32.3%, 38.6%, and 36.7%, respectively. Metabolomic analysis showed that QFD could regulate seven metabolic pathways, namely, glutathione metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; arachidonic acid metabolism; glycerophospholipid metabolism; purine metabolism; sphingolipid metabolism; and fatty acid metabolism. Network pharmacology suggested that the anti-SIC effect of QFD may be mediated through the TNF, toll-like receptor, NOD-like receptor, NF-κB, and PPAR signaling pathways. Additionally, 26 core targets were obtained. Molecular docking revealed that active ingredients such as formononetin, kaempferol, quercetin, and (R)-norcoclaurine in QFD had a high affinity for binding to PPARα and TLR4. Further Western blot validation indicated that QFD could regulate the protein levels of NLRP3, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α, COX2, sPLA2, PPARα, CPT1B, and CPT2.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that QFD can alleviate SIC by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory pathway and modulating impaired FAO through the activation of the PPARα/CPT pathway, highlighting QFD as a promising candidate drug for SIC treatment.
研究领域:
心脏病学
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药理学
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中医学
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分子生物学
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免疫学
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代谢组学
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网络药理学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
·
2025
·
IF 5.6
Suiqing Mai,Jiale Ke,Shiqin Lin,Rongrong Huang,Fengxin Zheng,He Jiao,Hong Wang,Shuqin Zhang,Mengying Mao,Qiuping Li,Zean Zhao,Jianxin Pang,Qun Zhang
A high-purine diet is an important factor in the development of hyperuricemia (HUA), in which the intestinal tract is the main site of dietary purine absorption. Inhibition of intestinal concentrative nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) can inhibit dietary purine-induced elevation of serum uric acid (sUA) levels. However, there is a lack of research on CNT2 inhibitors for the treatment of HUA. By using high throughput virtual screening from an in-house natural product database, the natural active component 5-methylvisammioside (MeV) in Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk was predicted to be an effective CNT2 inhibitor with the highest docking score. In vitro , MeV showed the strongest inhibitory activity against CNT2, with IC 50 value of 11.22 ± 2.18 μM. Moreover, MeV showed little or almost no inhibitory effect on other nucleoside transporters CNT3 and equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs), as well as on uric acid (UA) transporter-related targets. In vivo , MeV significantly reduced sUA, inhibited adenosine uptake, and had an ameliorative effect on pathological changes in the liver, kidney, and intestinal tract. Moreover, MeV improved serum and intestinal indices related to inflammation and oxidative stress in mice, reduced intestinal permeability. Through our further study, we found that MeV inhibited the activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NF-κB P65, reduced the production of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and improved intestinal injury in a high UA environment. The study suggests that MeV is a potent CNT2 inhibitor for the treatment of HUA and also protects intestinal function by inhibiting the ROS/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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生物化学
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分子生物学
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药物化学
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营养学
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胃肠病学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2022
·
IF 9.231
Chuang Liu,Zhichang Qiu,Duanyin Gu,Fangzhou Wang,Rentang Zhang
This study explored the structural characteristics of the purified blackened polysaccharide fraction (BJP-4) and its potential to alleviate colitis. BJP-4 had a molecular weight of 1.24 × 10 5 Da and mainly consisted of → 4)- α - l -Gal p A (1→, →5)- α - l -Ara f (1 → and → 4)- β - d -Gal p (1 → residues. After the administration of BJP-4, the disease activity index of colitic mice was reduced by 40.38–50.96%, accompanied by increased colon length (30.00–62.50%) and ameliorated pathological damage. The mechanisms involved regulation of the intestinal microbiota and subsequent inhibition of the TLR4/MyD88/NF- κ B/NLRP3 pathway, balance of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative status, enhancement of epithelial barrier integrity and production of short-chain fatty acids. In particular, high-doses of BJP-4 significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (f_ Muribaculaceae , Lactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae _NK4A136_group, 0.78–1.04-fold) and suppressed the levels of harmful bacteria (o_ Clostridia _UCG-014, Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella , 32.30–90.42%). These findings revealed the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of purified blackened polysaccharides, which facilitated their application in functional foods.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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微生物学
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营养学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
·
2024
·
IF 8.2
Shanshan Li,Xuedie Gu,Muyue Zhang,Qihang Jiang,Tong Xu
Polystyrene microplastic (PS-MPs) contamination has become a worldwide hotspot of concern, and its entry into organisms can cause oxidative stress resulting in multi-organ damage. The plasticizer di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common endocrine disruptor, these two environmental toxins often occur together, but their combined toxicity to the kidney and its mechanism of toxicity are unknown. Therefore, in this study, we established PS-MPS and/or DEHP-exposed mouse models. The results showed that alone exposure to both PS-MPs and DEHP caused inflammatory cell infiltration, cell membrane rupture, and content spillage in kidney tissues. There were also down-regulation of antioxidant enzyme levels, increased ROS content, activated of the NF-κB pathway, stimulated the levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs), pyroptosis, and inflammatory associated factors. Notably, the co-exposure group showed greater toxicity to kidney tissues, the cellular assay further validated these results. The introduction of the antioxidant n -acetylcysteine (NAC) and the NLRP3 inhibitor (MCC950) could mitigate the changes in the above measures. In summary, co-exposure of PS-MPs and DEHP induced oxidative stress that activated the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and aggravated kidney pyroptosis and inflammation, as well as that HSPs are also involved in this pathologic injury process. This study not only enriched the nephrotoxicity of plasticizers and microplastics, but also provided new insights into the toxicity mechanisms of multicomponent co-pollution in environmental.
研究领域:
毒理学
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环境科学
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免疫学
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细胞生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Theranostics
·
2025
·Vol. 15
·期 16
·8587
·
IF 13.3
Wei-Jia Yu,Wen-Xi Jiang,Shu-Jing Liu,Hui-Hua Li,Qiu-Yue Lin
Rationale: Infiltration of immune cells into the heart plays a crucial role in the transition from adaptive hypertrophy to heart failure (HF) following chronic pressure overload. However, the key factors in myeloid cells that regulate this process are still not well defined. Here, we studied the functional role of S100A8/A9 in myeloid cells during this transition. Methods: Cardiac hypertrophy and HF models were induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 1 to 4 weeks. The heterogeneity of CD45 + immune cells and the cellular sources of S100A8/A9 were analyzed using published single-cell RNA sequencing datasets. The effects of S100A8/A9 on TAC-induced hypertrophy and HF were verified in S100A9 knockout (KO) and bone marrow (BM)-chimeric mice and in an in vitro coculture system. Results: S100A8/A9 levels were significantly increased in HF patients and in TAC-induced HF model mice. Moreover, the TAC-induced transition from adaptive hypertrophy to HF was significantly attenuated in S100A9-KO mice and WT mice transplanted with S100A9-KO BM cells. Mechanistically, TAC-stimulated upregulation of S100A8/A9 in neutrophils induced an early inflammatory response and adaptive hypertrophy through activation of the p38 MAPK/JNK/AP-1 pathway, leading to increased production of IL-1β and chemokines (CCL2 and CCL6). These chemokines promoted the infiltration of CCR2 + macrophages to the damaged heart. Therefore, they exhibited upregulation of S100A8/A9, which led to exacerbation of inflammation, cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis via activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3, AKT/Calcineurin A and TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathways. Additionally, treating WT mice with the S100A9 inhibitor ABR-238901 prevented TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy-related dysfunction. Conclusion: The present findings establish an S100A8/A9-related axis between myeloid cells and cardiac cells that drives the pressure overload-induced transition from hypertrophy to HF, suggesting that S100A8/A9 is a promising therapeutic target for this disease.
研究领域:
心脏病学
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免疫学
·
分子生物学
·
基因组学
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生物医学研究
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 4.8
Sihao Zhang,Danmei Tian,Zixuan Xia,Fengge Yang,Yanhui Chen,Zhihong Yao,Yi He,Xinglong Miao,Guirong Zhou,Xinsheng Yao,Jinshan Tang
Ethnopharmacological relevance Chang-Kang-Fang (CKF), originated from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas, has been utilized to treat diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) based on clinical experience. However, the underlying mechanism of CKF for treating IBS-D remains unclear and need further clarification. Aim of the study The objective of this present investigation was to validate the efficacy of CKF on IBS-D model rats and to uncover its potential mechanism for the treatment of IBS-D. Materials and Methods We first established the IBS-D rat model through neonatal maternal separation (NMS) in combination with restraint stress (RS) and the administration of senna decoction via gavage. To confirm the therapeutic effect of CKF on treating IBS-D, abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores, the quantity of fecal pellets, and the fecal water content (FWC) were measured to evaluate the influence of CKF on visceral hypersensitivity and the severity of diarrhea symptom after the intragastric administration of CKF for 14 days. Subsequently, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to assess the effect of CKF on neuropeptides substance P (SP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), as well as inflammatory cytokines in serum and in intestinal tissues. Further, colonic pathological changes, the amount of colonic mast cells, and the expression level of occludin in rat colon tissues, were investigated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, toluidine blue staining, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. To explore the underlying mechanisms, alterations in colonic RNA transcriptomics for the normal, model, and CKF treatment groups were assessed using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Subsequently, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence (IF) assays were applied to validate the effect of CKF on predicted pathways in vivo and in vitro . In addition, to elucidate the potential active compounds in CKF, 11 representative components found in CKF were selected, and their anti-inflammation potentials were evaluated using LPS-treated RAW264.7 cell models. Results CKF treatment significantly reduced the number of fecal pellets, attenuated visceral hypersensitivity, and decreased 5-HT and SP concentrations in serum and colon tissues, along with a reduction in colonic mast cell counts, correlating with improved symptoms in IBS-D rats. Meanwhile, CKF treatment reduced the colonic inflammatory cell infiltration, lowered the levels of IL-6, TNF- α , and IL-1 β in serum and colon tissues, and increased the occludin protein expression in colon tissues to improve inflammatory response and colonic barrier function. RNA-Seq, in conjugation with our previous network pharmacology analysis, indicated that CKF might mitigate the symptoms of IBS-D rats by inhibiting the Toll like receptor 4/Nuclear factor kappa-B/NLR family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (TLR4/NF- κ B/NLRP3) pathway, which was confirmed by WB, IF, and qRT-PCR experiments in vivo and in vitro . Furthermore, coptisine, berberine, hyperoside, epicatechin, and gallic acid present in CKF emerged as potential active components for treating IBS-D, as they demonstrated in vitro anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that CKF effectively improves the symptoms of IBS-D rats, potentially through the inhibition of the TLR4/NF- κ B/NLRP3 pathway. Moreover, this study unveils the potential bioactive components in CKF that could be applied in the treatment of IBS-D.
研究领域:
药理学
·
胃肠病学
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传统中药
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分子生物学
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免疫学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）