ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of the Yiqi Jiedu formula （YQ） in treating ischemic stroke （IS） from the perspective of the microbial-gut-brain axis （MGBA）. MethodRats were randomly divided into five groups， with six in each group， including sham surgery group， model group， and low， medium， and high dose YQ groups （1， 5， and 25 mg·kg-1）. Except for the sham surgery group， all other groups were established with a middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） model using the thread occlusion method. The success of modeling was determined through neurobehavioral scoring， and the protective effect of YQ on IS was evaluated. Then， the changes in gut microbiota before and after MCAO modeling and YQ administration were compared using 16S rDNA sequencing technology， and the possible biological pathways related to the effect of this formula were analyzed. The expression of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-17A （IL-17A）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Western blot was used to detect the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and Occludin in brain and intestinal tissue， and hematoxylin-eosin staining （HE） was used to observe pathological changes in the cerebral cortex and colon， so as to validate the possible mechanism of action. ResultYQ significantly improved the neurobehavioral score of MCAO rats （P<0.01） and played a good regulatory role in intestinal microbial disorders caused by enriched pathogens and opportunistic pathogens during the acute phase. Among them， significantly changed microorganisms include Morgentia， Escherichia Shigella， Adlercreutzia， and Androbacter. Bioinformatics analysis found that these bacteria may be related to the regulation of inflammation in the brain. Compared with the blank group， the detection of inflammatory factors in the serum of IS model rats showed an increase in inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-17A （P<0.01） and a decrease in the content of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the content of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-17A in the serum of the treatment group decreased （P<0.05）， and that of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased （P<0.01）. The expression results of barrier proteins ZO-1 and Occludin in brain and intestinal tissue showed that the expression levels of both decreased in IS model rats （P<0.05）， while the expression levels of both increased in the treatment group （P<0.05）. ConclusionAcute cerebral ischemia can lead to an imbalance of intestinal microbiota and damage to the intestinal barrier， and it can increase intestinal permeability. YQ can regulate intestinal microbiota imbalance caused by ischemia， inhibit systemic inflammatory response， and improve the disruption of the gut-blood brain barrier， preventing secondary cascade damage to brain tissue caused by inflammation. The MGBA may be an important mechanism against the IS.
ABSTRACT
;Aim To study the effect of Yiqi Jiedu formula extract on the apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, and explore the mechanism of its induction of apoptosis from MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Methods The effect of Yiqi Jiedu Formula extract on the proliferation of CNE1 and CNE2 cells was detected by CCK-8. The apoptosis of CNE1 and CNE2 cells was detected by Hoechst 33342 staining, JC-10 staining and fluorescence double dye flow cytometer staining. The protein expression of CNE1 and CNE2 cells was detected by Western blot. Results Yiqi Jiedu formula extract inhibited the proliferation (P < 0. 05) and induced apoptosis (P <0. 05) of CNE1 and CNE2 cells. After 48 h of drug treatment, the expression of Survivin, XIAP and Bcl-2 decreased, Bax increased, and p-c-Raf, p-MEK and p-ERKl/2 of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway significantly decreased (P < 0. 05). On this basis, after adding activator of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway ISO, the expression of p-c-Raf, p-MEK and p-ERKl/2,Survival, XIAP and Bcl-2 increased, while the expression of Bax decreased compared with the extract of YQ group. Drug-induced apoptosis effects were also reduced. Conclusions Yiqi Jiedu formula extract can induce the apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, which inhibits the expression of key proteins p-c-Raf, p-MEK and p-ERKl/2 in MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, and then down-regulates the expression of Survivin, XIAP, Bcl-2 and up-regulates the expression of Bax.
ABSTRACT
To study the effect of aqueous extracts of Yiqi Jiedu formula (YQ) on the proliferation of CNE2 cells in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and investigate its mechanism to provide a new theoretical basis for the clinical application of YQ. CNE2 cells were treated with different concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.25 g·L⁻¹) of YQ, positive control medicine (cisplatin 4.0 mg·L⁻¹), inhibitor PD98059 (50 μmol·L⁻¹), activator isoproterenol hydrochloride (20 μmol·L⁻¹), activator isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO)+YQ 0.5 g·L⁻¹. Then cell labeling by using real-time analyzer (RTCA) and CCK 8 method were used to detect cell proliferation activity, and the half inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was calculated. The cell cycle distribution was detected by fluorescence double dye flow cytometry PI staining, and Western blot method was used to detect the expression levels of related protein and MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. The results of RTCA and CCK-8 test showed that as compared with the control group, YQ group could effectively inhibit the proliferation of CNE2 cells (<0.01), with a dose and time dependence, and 48 h IC₅₀ value was 0.5 g·L⁻¹. The results of cell cycle showed that after 48 h of water extract treatment, the cell cycle was significantly changed, the proportion of G₀/G₁ was reduced, the ratio of G₂/M increased, and the cell cycle was in G₂/M period (<0.01). Western blot results showed that after 48 h treatment with different concentrations of aqueous extract, cell cycle-related proteins cyclinD1, cyclinD3 and CDK2 expression levels were down-regulated; MAPK/ERK signaling pathway related protein p-c-Raf, p-MEK, p-ERK1/2 expression level significantly lower as compared with the control group (<0.05). After adding activator and inhibitor in MAPK/ERK signaling pathway on this basis, the results showed that after adding activator ISO, cell proliferation was significantly higher than that in the Control group; the cycle related proteins cyclinD1, cyclinD3, and CDK2 expression levels were increased; at the same time, key protein p-c-Raf, p-MEK, p-ERK1/2 expression levels in the signal pathways were relatively increased. While after the addition of inhibitor PD98059, the cell proliferation was significantly lower than that in the Control group, and the expression level of corresponding protein was decreased, which was significantly different from the Control group (<0.05). So YQ could block cell cycle and inhibit the proliferation of CNE2 cells mainly by reducing the expression of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway key protein p-c-Raf, p-MEK and p-ERK1/2.