ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Scutellariae Radix （SR）-Paeoniae Radix Rubra （PRR） combination of different proportions on the expression of the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear transcription factor κB （NF-κB） and phosphatidylinositol kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathways in liver tissues of rats with hepatic fibrosis and explore the mechanism against hepatic fibrosis. MethodSixty male SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， a positive control （silymarin） group， and SR-PRR 1∶1， SR-PRR 1∶2， and SR-PRR 1∶4 groups， with 10 rats in each group. The hepatic fibrosis model was induced in rats except for those in the normal group by intraperitoneal injection of 40% tetrachloromethane （CCl4）-olive oil solution at 3 mL·kg-1， 5 mL·kg-1 for the first time， for 8 weeks， twice per week. After 4 weeks， rats were treated correspondingly at 10 mL·kg-1 by intragastric administration， and the body weight of rats in each group was weighed for 8 weeks. After administration， histopathological changes in the liver were observed. Serum alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， hyaluronic acid （HA）， laminin （LN）， albumin （ALB）， alkaline phosphatase （AKP）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activities， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and hydroxyproline （HYP） content in liver tissues were detected. The mRNA expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， PI3K， Akt， and mTOR in the liver of rats were detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the model group， SR-PRR combination of different proportions could recover the body weight and improve the pathological injury of the liver. As revealed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） results， compared with the normal group， the model group showed increased ALT， AST， HA， LN， AKP， MDA， and HYP levels to different degrees （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the groups with drug intervention showed decreased levels of ALT， AST， HA， LN， AKP， MDA， and HYP， potentiated SOD activity， and increased level of ALB （P<0.05）. As revealed by Real-time PCR results， compared with the normal group， the model group showed increased mRNA expression of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， PI3K， Akt， and mTOR （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the groups with drug intervention showed reduced mRNA expression of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， PI3K， Akt， and mTOR in the liver of rats （P<0.05）. ConclusionSR-PRR combination of different proportions can improve the histopathological injury in liver tissues caused by CCl4， with the optimal effect observed in the SR-PRR 1∶4 group. SR-PRR may inhibit the development of liver fibrosis by inhibiting the expression of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways， thereby alleviating chemical-induced liver injury.
ABSTRACT
Objective::To explore the effect of Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma extract (DNRe) on rats with acute gouty arthritis (AGA) based on urine metabolomics and to search for the related potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways. Method::Rat model of AGA induced by monosodium urate (MSU) was selected, 40 rats were randomly divided into the blank group (k), the DNRe group (g), the model group (m), and the DNRe treatment group (gm), with 10 rats in each group. The drug-administered group was administered with DNRe at a dose of 0.48 g·kg-1 once a day for 5 days. The urine was gathered after the last administration, and analyzed with UPLC-Q-TOF/MS coupled with pattern recognition techniques, electrospray ionization (ESI) under positive and negative ion scanning mode was adopted, data collection range was m/z 100-1 500 with full scanning mode. Result::A total of 12 common potential biomarkers were identified as sarcosine, dimethylglycine, deoxycytidine, uric acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), L-cystathionine, 4-pyridoxic acid, deoxyuridine, melatonin, 5-methoxytryptamine, fumaric acid and cytidine. Compared with the blank group, the 12 potential biomarkers in the DNRe group were significantly down-regulated. Compare with the model group, 10 metabolites were up-regulated and 2 metabolites were down-regulated in the 12 potential biomarkers of the DNRe treatment group, the abnormal expression of 10 markers including sarcosine, uric acid, L-cystathionine, 4-pyridoxic acid, deoxyuridine, 5-methoxytryptamine, cytidine, dimethylglycine, melatonin, fumaric acid could be modulated by DNRe. The strongest metabolic pathways associated with AGA were cysteine and methionine metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism. Conclusion::The effect of DNRe on AGA may be related to the promotion of conversion level from cystathionine to cysteine in the cysteine and methionine metabolism, and the up-regulating melatonin level in tryptophan metabolism.
ABSTRACT
Objective::To observe the effect of Ganoderma polysaccharides (GP) on endogenous substance metabolism in radiation-injured mice by metabolomics, so as to find potential biomarkers and analyze their metabolic pathways, and to explore its mechanism of action. Method::Thirty mice were randomly divided into normal group (normal saline), model group (normal saline) and GP group (dose of 96 mg·kg-1) for 14 days of continuous intragastric administration, 10 mice in each group, 2 h after the intragastric administration on the 7th day, mice in the model group and GP group were subjected to whole body irradiation by X-rays, except the normal group. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to detect endogenous small molecule metabolites in thymus tissue of mice. Principal component analysis (PCA)and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to compare the changes of endogenous small molecule metabolites in thees three groups, these differential metabolites among the three groups were analyzed by Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway method. Result::A total of 34 potential biomarkers were identified, compared with the model group, it was found that the GP group had a significant reversal trend on L-glutamic acid, taurine, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), etc. They were involved in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism. Conclusion::GP can play a role in radiation protection by improving the expression of related potential biomarkers and related metabolic pathways in thymus of radiation-injured mice.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine Dioscorea nipponica for the treatment of monosodium urate crystals-induced gouty arthritis (GA) in rats.@*METHODS@#Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: normal, model, indomethacin and three total saponin (900, 300 and 100 mg/kg) groups. The liver, kidney and serum levels of lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities, and inflammatory factors were measured. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of the NALP3 inflammasome components in the mononuclear cells of rats' peripheral blood were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods, respectively.@*RESULTS@#Total saponins groups could reduce the activities of β-galactosidase, β-N acetyl glucosamine enzyme, β-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and malonaldehyde as well as the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 (all P<0.05). They could also increase the activities of glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase (both P<0.05). Further studies showed that total saponins groups of high, middle and low doses could all increase the mRNA and protein levels of caspase-1, adapter apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC) and NALP3 in the mononuclear cells of peripheral blood (all P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Dioscorea nipponica may treat GA by regulating lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities and the NALP3 inflammasome.
ABSTRACT
To explore the prevention and protection effect of Diosocorea nipponica (DNM)) on acute gouty arthritis (AGA) rats based on liver metabonomics, and find potential biomarkers and related pathways. AGA model rats were induced by monosodium urate crystal suspension. UPLC-TOF-MS coupled with pattern recognition technique was employed to find out the potential biomarkers and related metabolic pathways. Eleven common potential biomarkers were identified. Among the potential intervention targets in normal rats given by DNM, 4 biomarkers were up-regulated, and the other 4 targets were down regulated. Among the potential intervention targets in AGA rats given by DNM, 5 metabolites were up-regulated by MSU and 5 metabolites were down regulated. The abnormal expression levels of adenosine monophosphate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, oxidized glutathione, hypoxanthine, docosahexaenoic acid, glutathione, uridine diphosphate glucose and inosine could be corrected by DNM extract. Three pathways were founded with greatest correlation, including purine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism and glutathione metabolism. Therefore, it could be inferred that D. nipponica has the effect for anti-acute gouty arthritis by intervening endogenous metabolites from the liver under physiological condition and acute gouty arthritis condition.
ABSTRACT
To study the potential effect of Dioscorea nipponica(DN) in intervening peripheral system of rats based on metabolomic analysis. The identification of the potential intervention targets of DN in peripheral system may facilitate its safe application and therapeutic potential exploitation. Totally 20 male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group and the DN-treated groups, with 10 rates in each group. The DN-treated group was orally administrated with DN extracts once a day for 5 days, with the dose of 80 mg x kg(-1) (equivalent to 15 g crude drug in human), and the blank group was given equal volume of saline once a day for 5 days. Heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissues and serum samples were collected from each rat 24 h later after the last administration. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry based metabolomics was used to investigate the effect of DN in intervening peripheral system of rats. After the treatment with DN, 5 modulated metabolites in heart tissue, 6 in liver tissue, 5 in spleen tissue, 3 in lung tissue, 5 in kidney tissue and 6 in serum sample were identified and considered as the potential intervention targets of DN. Effect of DN in regulating some endogenous metabolites was beneficial for protecting peripheral system, while that in other endogenous metabolites produced potential toxicity to peripheral system. The metabolomic analysis revealed the coexistence of protective and toxic effects of DN on peripheral system, which may be a practical guidance for its safe application and beneficial to the expansion of its application scope.