Effect and mechanism of Zexie Decoction in promoting white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation based on GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the mechanism of Zexie Decoction(ZXD) in promoting white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation based on the GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. A hyperlipidemia model was induced by a western diet(WD) in mice, and the mice were divided into a control group, a model group(WD), and low-, medium-, and high-dose ZXD groups. An adipogenesis model was induced in 3T3-L1 cells in vitro, and with forskolin(FSK) used as a positive control, low-, medium-, and high-dose ZXD groups were set up. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence results showed that compared with the WD group, ZXD promoted the expression of UCP1 in white and brown adipose tissues, and also upregulated UCP1, CPT1β, PPARα, and other genes in the cells. Western blot analysis showed a dose-dependent increase in the protein expression of PGC-1α, UCP1, and PPARα with ZXD treatment, indicating that ZXD could promote the white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining results showed that after ZXD treatment, white and brown adipocytes were significantly reduced in size, and the mRNA expression of ATGL, HSL, MGL, and PLIN1 was significantly upregulated as compared with the results in the WD group. Oil red O staining and biochemical assays indicated that ZXD improved lipid accumulation and promoted lipolysis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining for p-CREB revealed that ZXD reversed the decreased expression of p-CREB caused by WD. In vitro intervention with ZXD increased the protein expression of CREB, p-CREB, and p-PKA substrate, and increased the mRNA level of CREB. ELISA detected an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration with ZXD treatment. Molecular docking analysis showed that multiple active components in Alismatis Rhizoma and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma could form stable hydrogen bond interactions with GLP-1R. In conclusion, ZXD promotes white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation both in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism of action may be related to the GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

Mechanism of Zexie Decoction in improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease based on LKB1/AMPK/PGC-1α pathway / 中国中药杂志

The present study investigated the pharmaceutical effect and underlying mechanism of Zexie Decoction(ZXD) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) in vitro and in vivo via the LKB1/AMPK/PGC-1α pathway based on palmitic acid(PA)-induced lipid accumulation model and high-fat diet(HFD)-induced NAFLD model in mice. As revealed by the MTT assay, ZXD had no effect on HepG2 activity, but dose-dependently down-regulated alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) in the liver cell medium induced by PA, and decreased the plasma levels of ALT and AST, and total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride(TG) levels in the liver. Nile red staining showed PA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation, significantly increased lipid accumulation of hepatocytes induced by PA, suggesting that the lipid accumulation model in vitro was properly induced. ZXD could effectively improve the lipid accumulation of hepatocytes induced by PA. Oil red O staining also demonstrated that ZXD improved the lipid accumulation in the liver of HFD mice. JC-1 staining for mitochondrial membrane potential indicated that ZXD effectively reversed the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential caused by hepatocyte injury induced by PA, activated PGC-1α, and up-regulated the expression of its target genes, such as ACADS, CPT-1α, CPT-1β, UCP-1, ACSL-1, and NRF-1. In addition, as revealed by the Western blot and immunohistochemistry, ZXD up-regulated the protein expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK, p-ACC, and PGC-1α in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, ZXD can improve NAFLD and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the LKB1/AMPK/PGC-1α pathway.

New eudesmane sesquiterpenoids from Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and their inhibitory activities against SREBPs / 中国中药杂志

Three sesquiterpenoids were isolated and purified from the 95% ethanol extract of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma by column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS, and high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Their chemical structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and physiochemical properties as(7Z)-8β,13-diacetoxy-eudesma-4(15),7(11)-diene(1), 7-oxo-7,8-secoeudesma-4(15),11-dien-8-oic acid(2), and guai-10(14)-en-11-ol(3). Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds and compound 3 was obtained from Compositae family for the first time. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 showed weak inhibitory activities against sterol regulatory element-binding proteins(SREBPs).

Inhibitory Study of Huayu Jiedu Prescription Medicated Serum on Invasion and Migration of Human Lung Cancer Cell Line H1299 by JAK2/STAT3 Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of Huayu Jiedu prescription medicated serum（HJRMS）on the proliferation， invasion and migration of human lung cancer cells （H1299 cells） and its mechanism. Method:Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method was used to detect the inhibitory effect of HJRMS on the proliferation of lung cancer cells， the effect of HJRMS on the invasion and migration of H1299 cells were determined by Transwell assay and wound healing assay. The protein expressions of Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）， signal transduction and activation transcription factor 3 （STAT3）， phosphorylated JAK2（p-JAK2） and phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3） were detected by Western blot， the mRNA expression levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. Result:① Compared with control group， the proliferation of H1299 cells was significantly inhibited after treatment with 1%~16%HJRMS serum for 24， 48 h， respectively（<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and showed a certain concentration dependence. ② After treatment with HJRMS for 24 h， the scratch healing ability of cells in the 4%，8%HJRMS serum groups was inhibited（<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. ③ Compared with control group， the membrane permeability of H1299 cells in invasion and migration experiments in 2%，4%，8%HJRMS serum groups was decreased significantly（<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. ④ Western blot showed that compared with control group， 4%，8%HJRMS serum groups inhibited the expression of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway related proteins （JAK2， p-JAK2， STAT3， and p-STAT3） in lung cancer H1299 cells（<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. ⑤ Compared with control group， the mRNA expression levels of JAK2 and STAT3 in lung cancer H1299 cells treated with 8%HJRMS for 24 h decreased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:The HJRMS can inhibit the proliferation， invasion and migration of lung cancer H1299 cells， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.