Effect of Zuogui Jiangtang Tongmai Prescription on Inflammatory Injury of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Induced by High Glucose and LPS Based on GPR43/β-arrestin-2/IκBα/NF-κB Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and mechanism of Zuogui Jiangtang Tongmai prescription （ZJTP） on human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） damaged by high glucose combined with lipopolysaccharide （LPS）. MethodThe survival rate of cells was determined by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）， and the level of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） to determine the optimal injury concentration and action time of LPS， as well as the optimal action concentration of ZJTP drug-containing serum. HUVECs were divided into a blank control group， a model group， a ZJTP drug-containing serum group， and an SCFA mixed liquid group. ELISA was used to detect the level of endothelin-1 （ET-1）， nitric oxide （NO）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and TNF-α. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of G protein-coupled receptor43 （GPR43）， β-suppressor protein-2 （β-arrestin-2）， nuclear factor-κB suppressor α （IκBα）， and nuclear factor κB p65 （NF-κB p65）. The nucleation of NF-κB p65 was observed by immunofluorescence staining （IF）. The role of GPR43 in the regulation of inflammatory injury was observed by means of small interfering ribonucleic acid （siRNA）. The cells after intervention were divided into an empty carrier group， a ZJTP drug-containing serum group， a Si-GPR43 group， and a Si-GPR43 + ZJTP drug-containing serum group. The content of IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α was detected by ELISA. The protein expression of pathways was detected by Western blot. IF was used to observe the nucleation of NF-κB p65. ResultThe optimal molding condition was 1 mg·L-1 LPS for 24 h. The optimal drug intervention condition was 5% ZJTP drug-containing serum for 24 h. Compared with the blank control group， the content of ET-1 in the model group was significantly increased， and the content of NO was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The levels of inflammatory factors were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expressions of GPR43 and IκBα were significantly decreased， while the protein expressions of β-arrestin-2 and NF-κB p65 were significantly increased （P<0.01）. NF-κB p65 protein was transferred from the extranuclear to the intranuclear （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the content of ET-1 in the ZJTP drug-containing serum group was decreased， and the content of NO was increased （P<0.05）. The levels of inflammatory factors decreased （P<0.05）. The protein expressions of GPR43 and IκBα were increased， while the expressions of β-arrestin-2 and NF-κB p65 were decreased （P<0.05）. The amount of NF-κB p65 transferred from the intranuclear to the extranuclear decreased （P<0.01）. The mechanism study showed that compared with the Si-GPR43 group， the content of IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α were significantly decreased after treatment with ZJTP drug-containing serum （P<0.01）. The protein expressions of GPR43 and IκBα were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while the protein expressions of β-arrestin-2 and NF-κB p65 were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The amount of NF-κB p65 transferred from the extranuclear to the intranuclear decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionZJTP has a protective effect on HUVECs with high glucose and LPS-induced inflammatory injury， which may be related to the regulation of GPR43/β-arrestin-2/IκBα/NF-κB pathway.

Pathological Mechanism of Diabetes Based on NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As people's living standards improve， the development trend of diabetes has gradually become severe. Diabetes is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with abnormal expression of nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） in patients. NF-κB exists in various tissue cells and participates in the regulation of a variety of genes related to immune function and inflammation. Varieties of factors can activate NF-κB when the body is stimulated by external factors， so as to produce inflammation and other reactions. Previous studies on NF-κB mainly focus on cancer， and the pathological mechanism of the treatment of diabetes by related signaling pathways and the progress of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment have not been systematically elaborated on. By referring to the relevant literature in China and abroad， it was found that NF-κB is not isolated in the development and progression of diabetes but is associated with signal molecules related to inflammation， oxidative stress， and energy metabolism， and it is involved in mediating inflammation， pancreatic β cell apoptosis， insulin signal transduction， and other physiological functions. Therefore， blocking the transmission of NF-κB signaling pathway is beneficial to the treatment of diabetes. At present， Western medicine for the treatment of diabetes mainly includes oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin injections， but the adverse reactions are obvious. TCM has been characterized by multi-target， extensive action， and excellent curative effects in the treatment of diabetes. TCM and its compounds with functions of tonifying Qi and promoting blood circulation， regulating qi and eliminating phlegm， clearing heat and detoxifying， and nourishing Yin and moistening dryness can effectively intervene in the abnormal expression of NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo through anti-inflammatory effects. In this paper， the association between NF-κB signaling pathway and diabetes was summarized， and the modern research progress of TCM intervention of NF-κB signaling pathway in the treatment of diabetes in the past five years was reviewed， so as to lay a laboratory foundation for the study of a new pathological mechanism of diabetes based on NF-κB signaling pathway and provide new targets and research direction for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and development of related TCM.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Mori Folium Extract on Kidney of db/db Diabetic Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects of Mori Folium extract （MLE） on the kidney of db/db diabetic mice and its mechanism. MethodTwenty-four male C57BLKS/JGpt-Leprdb/Leprdb （db/db） mice were randomly divided into model group， metformin group， low-dose group of MLE （MLE-L）， and high-dose group of MLE （MLE-H） according to their fasting blood glucose （FBG）， with six mice in each group， and other six C57BLKS/JGpt wild littermate （m/m） mice were selected as normal group. The mice in the drug administration groups were given corresponding drugs by gavage， and the mice in the normal group and model group were given the same dose of deionized water by gavage once a day for continuous eight weeks. Body weight， bilateral kidney weight， and FBG were measured， and an oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） was performed. The pathological changes in the kidney tissue of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and periodic acid-silver （PAS） staining， and serum creatinine （SCr） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） levels were detected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum and urinary microalbumin （U-mAlb） of mice. The expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）， and nuclear factor-kappa B p65 （NF-κB p65） protein in kidney tissue of mice were tested by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the body weight， absolute renal weight， FBG， and the area under the curve （AUC） of OGTT of mice in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the levels of SCr， BUN， and U-mAlb， as well as TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The glomerular basement membrane in the kidney tissue of mice was thicker， with obvious inflammatory cell infiltration. The protein expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in the kidney tissue of mice were increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， there was no statistical difference in the body weight of mice in each drug administration group. The absolute renal weight of mice in the MLE-H and metformin groups was significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The FBG levels of mice in the metformin， MLE-L， and MLE-H groups started to decrease after treatment for four to eight weeks （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The AUC of mice in the MLE-H and metformin groups was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The levels of SCr， BUN， and U-mAlb of mice in the MLE-H and metformin groups were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and those of SCr and U-mAlb of mice in the MLE-L group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum of mice in the MLE-H and metformin groups were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The renal tissue pathology of mice in each drug administration group was improved to varying degrees， and the protein expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in the MLE-H group were decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionMLE can improve the renal structure and function of db/db diabetic mice， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

LipoxinA4 protects sepsis-induced acute kidney injury via the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective To study the protective effect of lipoxin A4(LXA4)against sepsis-induced acute kidney in-jury(SAKI)in rats and its effect on the expression of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),myeloid differentiation factor88(MyD88),nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)in the kidney.Methods Forty male specific pathogen-free C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into SAKI group,SAKI+LXA4 group,sham procedure group,sham procedure+LXA4 group.The mice in SAKI group and SAKI+LXA4 group were given cecum ligation and puncture(CLP)to establish SAKI animal models.The mice in SAKI+LXA4 group and sham procedure+LXA4 group were given LXA4(40 ng/kg)with intraperitoneal injection 30 mins after CLP.All mice were sacrificed at the 24th hour after CLP to collect serum,urine and kidney tissues.The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to test the serum creat-inine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(Bun),interleukin-1 β(IL-1β),IL-6,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL),kidney injury molecule 1(KIM-1)levels of mice.The pathologi-cal changes were examined through hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and Periodic Acid-Schiff(PAS)staining.And the mRNA levels of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65 were detected through real-time PCR(RT-PCR);the expression lev-els of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65,phospho-NF-KB p65(p-NF-KB p65)were detected through immunohistochemistry(IHC)and Western blot assay.Results ELISA showed that the values of Scr,Bun,IL-1 β,IL-6,TNF-α,NGAL,KIM-1 in SAKI group were higher than those in SAKI+LXA4 group(P＜0.05),and there were no significant differences in Scr,Bun,IL-1 β,IL-6,TNF-α,NGAL,KIM-1 between sham procedure group and sham procedure+LXA4 group.HE and PAS staining showed that SAKI group had severer pathological changes than SAKI+LXA4 group in the kidney structure(P＜0.05),while pathological structures of the kidney were normal in sham proce-dure group and sham procedure+LXA4 group.RT-PCR showed that the mRNA levels of TLR4,MyD88,N F-κB p65 in SAKI group,SAKI+LXA4 group were higher than sham procedure group and sham procedure+LXA4 group(P＜0.05);the mRNA levels of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65 in SAKI group were higher than SAKI+LXA4 group(P＜0.05);The results of IHC,Western blot assay were as follows:The expression levels of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65,p-NF-κB p65 in SAKI group,SAKI+LXA4 group were higher than sham procedure group and sham procedure+LXA4 group(P＜0.05);the expression levels of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65,p-NF-κB p65 in SAKI group were higher than SAKI+LXA4 group(P＜0.05).Conclusion TLR4/MyD88/NF-KB pathway plays an important role in the occurrence and development of SAKI,and LXA4 may reduce SAKI by inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB sig-naling pathway.

Correlation analysis of ICAM-1 and NF-κB expression with hepatic inflammatory activity and degree of fibrosis in liver tissues of chronic hepatitis B patients / 重庆医学

Objective To detect the expressions of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and nu-clear factor(NF)-κB in hepatic tissues of the patients with chronic hepatitis B,and to analyze their correlation with the hepatic inflammatory activity and fibrosis degree.Methods The liver biopsy specimens from 66 pa-tients with hepatitis B and 10 non-hepatopathic controls were selected,and immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect ICAM-1 and NF-κB expression levels in different liver tissues.Results The positive rate of ICAM-1 and NF-κB expression in liver tissues of the patients with chronic hepatitis B was higher than that in normal liver tissues,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The expres-sion of ICAM-1 and NF-κB in the patients with hepatitis B was positively correlated with the inflammatory ac-tivity and fibrosis degree(r=0.493,0.496,P＜0.01;r=0.580,0.519,P＜0.01).Conclusion ICAM-1 and NF-κB in the patients with chronic hepatitis B are highly expressed,which is useful in judging the hepatic in-flammatory activity and fibrosis degree.

Pomalidomide improves airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in COPD rats by inhibiting TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of pomalidomide(POM)on airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group and POM group,with 12 in each group,half male and half female.The COPD model was established by smoke exposure combined with Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in model group and POM group.The rats in POM group were treated with POM(0.5 mg/kg,once a day for 1 week).The lung function,lung tissue pathology,the proportion of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)and the levels of serum inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6 and IL-13 were observed and detected in each group.AB-PAS staining and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the proliferation of goblet cells and the secretion of mucin(MUC)5AC and MUC5B in airway epithelium of rats.The expression levels of TNF-α receptor 1(TNFR1),IκB kinase(IKK),phosphorylated IKK(p-IKK)and P65 protein in lung tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with control group,model group showed significant decreased of tidal volume(TV),minute ventilation(MV),forced expiratory vital capacity(FVC),0.1s forced expiratory volume(FEV0.1)and 0.3 s forced expiratory volume(FEV0.3)(P<0.05),increased of the mean linear intercept(MLI)of the alveoli(P<0.01),decreased of the mean alveolar number(MAN)(P<0.01),increased of the proportion of neutrophils and lymphocytes in BALF sediment(P<0.05),and decreased of the proportion of macrophages in BALF sediment(P<0.01);increased of the levels of serum inflammatory factors TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-13 and IL-6(P<0.05),the proportion of goblet cells in airway epithelium(P<0.01),the secretion of MUC5AC and MUC5B in lung tissue(P<0.01),the content of TNFR1 and the ratio of p-IKK/IKK(P<0.01),the content of P65 in nucleus(P<0.01);and decreased of the content of P65 in cytoplasm(P<0.05).Compared with model group,after one week of POM treatment,POM group showed significant improved of the TV,MV,FVC,FEV0.1,FEV0.3,MLI and MAN of rats(P<0.05);decreased of the proportion of neutrophils and lymphocytes in BALF(P<0.05);increased of the proportion of macrophages(P<0.01);decreased of the levels of serum TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and IL-13(P<0.05),the proportion of goblet cells in airway(P<0.01),the secretion of MUC5AC and MUC5B(P<0.01),and the expression of TNFR1,P-IKK and P65(nucleus)(P<0.05);and increased of the level of P65(cytoplasm)(P<0.01).Conclusions POM can improve airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in COPD rats,which may be achieved by inhibiting TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Mechanism of electroacupuncture on improving corneal inflammation in dia-betic dry eye rats by regulating Toll-like receptor 4-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway / 眼科新进展

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on corneal Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway in diabetic dry eye rats and to explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in the treat-ment of diabetic dry eye.Methods A type 2 diabetic rat model was established in 32 healthy male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(30 mg·kg-1)for 12 weeks after feeding with high-sugar and high-fat di-et for 4 weeks.Twenty-five successfully modeled diabetic dry eye rats were randomly divided into the model group(non-in-tervention),electroacupuncture group(the"Jingming","Cuanzhu","Sizhukong","Taiyang"and"Tongziliao"acupoints were treated with acupuncture,and then"Cuanzhu"and"Tongzilao"acupoints were treated with electroacupuncture,15 min for each time,once a day),sham acupuncture group(blunt-tip needle pricking was performed at the same acupoints as the electroacupuncture group),and fluorometholone group(1 g·L-1fluorometholone eye drops were used in both eyes at 8 o'clock,13 o'clock,and 18 o'clock,1 drop each time),with 6 rats in each group,lasting for 2 weeks.Another 6 healthy male SD rats were selected as a blank group.Random blood glucose,tear film breakup time(BUT),tear secre-tion,corneal fluorescein staining(FL)score,and corneal touch threshold(CTT)of rats in each group were detected be-fore modeling,after modeling,and after the intervention.Hematoxylin and Eosin(HE)staining was performed to observe the corneal morphologic changes in each group.Immunofluorescence histochemical staining was adopted to detect the cor-neal TLR4-positive expression in each group.The TLR4,phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa P65(P-NF-KB P65),inter-leukin(IL)-1β,and IL-18 expression levels in the cornea were detected by Western blot.Results After modeling,com-pared with the blank group,BUT,tear secretion and CTT decreased and FL increased in all experimental groups,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.01).After the intervention,compared with the model group,FL de-creased,and BUT,tear secretion and CTT increased in the electroacupuncture group,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Corneal HE staining showed that after the intervention,the corneal surface of rats in the model group and sham acupuncture group was not smooth,and the corneal epithelial cells were thickened and disorganized;the corneal surface of rats in the electroacupuncture group and fluorometholone group was smooth,and the corneal epithelial cells were arranged neatly.After the intervention,compared with the blank group,the corneal TLR4 expression of rats in all other groups was elevated,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the corneal TLR4 expression of rats in the electroacupuncture group and fluorometholone group was reduced(both P＜0.01).Compared with the blank group,corneal TLR4,P-NF-κBP65,IL-1β and IL-18 protein expressions increased in the model group and sham acupuncture group(all P＜0.05);compared with the model group,these expressions decreased in the electroacupuncture group and the fluorometholone group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can im-prove the ocular surface signs and inhibit the expressions of TLR4,P-NF-κB P65,IL-1 β,and IL-18 in the cornea of type 2 diabetic dry eye rats,and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of TLR4-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway,which inhibits ocular surface inflammation in diabetic dry eye rats.

Effect of Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma on Stabilization of Atherosclerotic Vulnerable Plaques via Inhibition of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma on plaque stability in atherosclerotic （AS） mice and to explore its possible mechanism of action based on the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodTen normal C57BL/6J mice were used as the normal group， and the same strain of ApoE knockout （ApoE-/-） mice were fed with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to construct an atherosclerosis model. Mice were randomly divided into five groups， namely the model group， the atorvastatin group， and the Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma low-， medium-， and high-dose groups， with ten mice in each group. Then normal and model groups were given equal volume of saline gavage， and the low-， medium-， high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma groups were given 1.95， 3.9， 7.8 g·kg-1 of the drug by gavage for 8 weeks， respectively. The general state of mice was observed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was utilized to observe the pathology of aortic root plaques and calculate the percentage of plaque area. Masson staining and oil red O staining combined with immunohistochemistry of F4/80 and α-SMA were used to detect the plaque components of aortic root plaques and calculate the plaque vulnerability index. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was adopted to detect the expression levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6）. Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB p65， and phosphorylation （p） -NF-κB p65 in the aortic tissues of mice in each group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） assay was employed to detect the expression levels of MMP-2， MMP-9， TLR4， and MyD88， NF-κB p65 mRNA. ResultCompared with the model group， the general state of the mice in each medication group was improved， and no obvious side effects were observed. Compared with the model group， the percentage of plaque area in the aortic root of AS mice was significantly reduced in the medium- and high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma groups （P<0.05）. The content of collagen fibers and smooth muscle cells in the plaques of the high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the content of lipids and macrophages was significantly reduced （P<0.05）， the plaque vulnerability index of each dose group of Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma was significantly reduced， with significant reduction of the medium- and high-dose groups （P<0.01）. MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein and mRNA expression levels in aortic tissues were significantly reduced in medium- and high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma groups （P<0.05）. The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly reduced in AS mice in medium- and high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma groups （P<0.05）. In the medium- and high-dose Scutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma groups， the levels of TLR4， MyD88 protein， and mRNA expression in aortic tissues were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the level of NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in aortic tissues was significantly reduced （P<0.05）. ConclusionScutellariae Radix-Coptidis Rhizoma may play an anti-inflammatory and stabilizing role by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Effects of Bushen Huoxue Formula （补肾活血方） on TLR/NF-κB Pathway and Intestinal Flora in Ileum Tissue of Parkinson's Disease Model Mice / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Bushen Huoxue Formula （补肾活血方， BHF） in the treatment of Parkinson's disease （PD） from the the perspective of intestinal flora. MethodsSeventy-two male C57/BL6J mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， Madopar group and low-， medium- and high-dose BHF groups， with 12 mice in each group. The mice in the blank group were intraperitoneally injected with 10 ml/kg of normal saline， and those in the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with 30 mg/kg of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine （MPTP） at a concentration of 3 mg/ml to induce PD mice model， both once a day for 7 consecutive days. After successful modeling， the low-， medium-， and high-dose BHF groups were given 7.5， 15， and 30 g/（kg·d） of BHF by gavage， respectively， while the Madopar group was given 112.5 mg/（kg ·d） of Domedopar tablets by gavage， and the blank group and the model group were given 15 ml/（kg·d） of distilled water， all once a day for 14 consecutive days. The rod climbing test， rotating rod test， grip strength test and weight-bearing swimming test were used to evaluate the behavioral indicators of mice. Western blotting was used to measure the protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor （TLR）/nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） pathway inflammatory factors in the mouse ileum， including Toll-like receptor 2 （TLR2）， Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， NF-κB， tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， interleukin 6 （IL-6）， and interleukin 17 （IL- 17）. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze changes in mouse intestinal flora. ResultsCompared to those in the blank group， the mice in the model group had longer bottoming time when climbing the pole， reduced grip strength， shortened rotary pole duration and swimming duration， and increased protein expression levels of TLR2， TLR4， NF-κB， TNF-α， and IL-6 in the ileal tissue （P＜0.01）. Compared to the model group， the Madopar group and the low-， medium- and high-dose BHF groups had shortened bottoming time of the climbing pole and increased grip strength； the Madopar group and the high-dose BHF group had prolonged rotary pole duration， and reduced protein expressions of TLR2， TLR4， NF-κB， TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-17 levels； and only the high-dose BHF group had prolonged swimming duration （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to those in the low-dose BHF group， the bottoming time of the climbing pole were shorter in the moderate- and high-dose groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the grip strength increased while the protein expression levels of TLR2， TLR4 and IL-17 decreased in the high-dose group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The intestinal flora results showed significant differences between the blank group and the model group in the Dominance index， Pielou_e index， Shannon index， and Simpson index （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to those of the model group， the Shannon index， Chao1 index， and Observed_otus index of the Madopar group， as well as the Chao1 index， Observed_otus index， Dominance index， Pielou_e index， Shannon index， and Simpson index of the high-dose BHF group all showed significantly statistical differences （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. At the phylum level， the relative abundance categories of bacterial phyla with statistically significant differences in each group included Proteobacteria， Bacteroidetes， and Firmicutes （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. At the genus level， the relative abundance categories of bacterial genera with statistically significant diffe-rences among each group included Muribaculaceae， Akkermansia， and Helicobacter pylori （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionThe possible mechanism of BHF in treating PD may be to reconstruct the disordered intestinal flora structure and improve the inflammatory response.

Effects of Bimin Formula （鼻敏方） on the Nasal Mucosa TMEM16A/NF-κB/MUC5AC Signaling Pathway in a Rat Model of Allergic Rhinitis with Lung-Spleen Qi Deficiency / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Bimin Formula （鼻敏方） in treating lung-spleen qi deficiency syndrome of allergic rhinitis （AR） with high mucin secretion. MethodsThirty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group （8 rats）， a model group （8 rats）， a low-dose Bimin Formula group （8 rats）， and a high-dose Bimin Formula group （10 rats）. Except for the blank group， the other groups were subjected to AR lung-spleen qi deficiency rat models induced by smoking， gavage of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract， and ovalbumin. After modeling， rats in the low- and high-dose Bimin Formula groups were given Bimin Formula concentrate （concentration of 2.16 g/ml） by gavage at doses of 1.08 g/100 g and 2.16 g/100 g， respectively， while rats in the model group were given 0.5 ml/100 g of normal saline by gavage， once daily for 28 days； the blank group was not intervened. Behavioral assessments were performed after intervention. ELISA was used to detect the levels of peripheral blood total immunoglobulin E （IgE）. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of nasal mucosa epithelium in rats， while immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of transmembrane protein 16A （TMEM16A） and mucin 5AC （MUC5AC） protein in nasal mucosa. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） protein， and RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of TMEM16A， MUC5AC， and NF-κB mRNA in nasal mucosa. ResultsHE staining showed that the nasal mucosa epithelial cell structure in the blank group was intact without shedding， swelling， or necrosis； the nasal mucosa epithelial tissue of rats in the model group was thickened and partially shed， with infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes visible； the pathological changes in nasal mucosa tissue of rats in the high- and low-dose Bimin Formulagroups were improved， and more improvement was showen in the high-dose group. Compared with those in the blank group， the behavioral scores and peripheral blood total IgE levels of rats in the model group significantly increased， as well as the expression of TMEM16A， MUC5AC， and NF-κB proteins and mRNA in nasal mucosa （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the behavioral scores and peripheral blood total IgE levels of rats in the high-dose Bimin Formula group decreased， and the expression of TMEM16A， MUC5AC， and NF-κB proteins and mRNA in nasal mucosaalso decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the behavioral scores and peripheral blood total IgE levels of rats in the low-dose Bimin Formula group were reduced， and the expression of TMEM16A and MUC5AC proteins and mRNA in nasal mucosa， as well as the expression of NF-κB protein decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， but the difference in NF-κB mRNA expression was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. Compared with the low-dose Bimin Formula group， the expression of NF-κB protein in the high-dose group decreased （P＜0.01）. ConclusionBimin Formula may improve the symptoms and high mucus secretion of AR lung-spleen qi deficiency by regulating the TMEM16A/NF-κB/MUC5AC signaling pathway in nasalmucosa.

Mechanism of Sanhuang Xiexintang in Protecting Stress Gastric Ulcer in Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism of Sanhuang Xiexintang （SHXXT） in protecting stress gastric ulcer （SGU） in rats through network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experiments. MethodThe active ingredients and corresponding targets in SHXXT were collected and screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database （TCMID）， Bioinformation Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine （BATMAN-TCM）， and Swiss Target Prediction database. SGU-related targets were screened from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， Therapeutic Target Database （TTD）， GeneCards database， and PharmGKB database. Herbal-ingredient-target （H-C-T） network was constructed by using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Protein-protein interaction （PPI） of drug and disease intersection targets was analyzed by using the Protein Interaction Platform （STRING） database. Gene ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis were conducted through the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery （DAVID）. The active ingredients and key targets were validated using AutodockVina 1.2.2 molecular docking software， and the experimental results were further validated through animal experiments. ResultThe 55 active ingredients were screened， and 255 potential target genes for SHXXT treatment of SGU were predicted. The PPI analysis showed that protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten （PTEN）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） are the core targets of SHXXT for protecting SGU. GO and KEGG analyses showed that SHXXT may affect the development of SGU by regulating various biological processes such as the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/Akt signaling pathway and inflammatory processes. The molecular docking results showed that both the active ingredients and key targets had good binding ability. Animal experiments showed that compared with the blank group， the ulcer index （UI） of the model group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β significantly increased （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. The phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the UI of the treatment group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and NF-κB were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe application of network pharmacology prediction， molecular docking simulation， and animal experimental validation confirms that SHXXT regulates the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate the inflammatory response of rats and thus protects the gastric mucosa of SGU rats.

Effect of Osteoking on Inflammatory Injury and NF-κB/NFATc1 Signaling Pathway in Model Mice with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Osteoking （OK） on postmenopausal osteoporosis （PMOP）. MethodForty adult female mice were randomly divided into a sham operation （Sham） group， osteoporosis model （OVX） group， estradiol intervention （E2） group， and OK group， with 10 mice in each group. The modeling was completed by conventional back double incision ovariectomy， and the corresponding drugs were given one week later. After 12 weeks， the body mass and uterine index of mice were measured， and the pathological changes of bone tissue and the number of osteoclasts （OCs） were determined by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase （TRAP） staining， respectively. Bone mineral density （BMD）， trabecular number （Tb.N）， trabecular separation （Tb.Sp）， and bone volume fraction （BV/TV） were measured by microcomputed tomography （Micro-CT）. The maximum load of the femur was detected by a three-point bending test. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and bone resorption marker C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen （CTX-1） were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein expression levels of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 （NF-κB p65）， phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B p65 （p-NF-κB p65）， nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor alpha （IκBα）， phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa B alpha （p-IκBα）， nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 （NFATc1）， and proto-oncogene （c-Fos） were detected by Western blot. The mRNA expressions of OCs-related specific genes matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， NFATc1， TRAP， cathepsin K （CTSK）， and c-Fos were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the Sham group， the uterine index decreased significantly in the OVX group， and the body mass （BMI） increased significantly. The structure of bone trabeculae was completely damaged， and the number of OCs increased. BMD， Tb.N， BV/TV， and maximum load decreased， while Tb.Sp was up-regulated. The levels of TNF-α and CTX-1 in serum were up-regulated. The protein expressions of c-Fos， p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65， NFATc1， and p-IκBα/IκBα were increased. The mRNA expressions of NFATc1， c-Fos， CTSK， TRAP， and MMP-9 were up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the OVX group， the body mass of the OK and E2 groups decreased， and the uterine index increased. The bone trabeculae increased， and the number of OCs decreased. BMD， Tb.N， BV/TV， and maximum load increased， while Tb.Sp decreased. The levels of TNF-α and CTX-1 in serum were decreased. The protein expressions of c-Fos， p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65， NFATc1， and p-IκBα/IκBα were decreased， and the mRNA expressions of NFATc1， c-Fos， CTSK， TRAP， and MMP-9 were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionOK can inhibit the NF-κB/NFATc1 signaling pathway and reduce bone mass loss by reducing the level of inflammatory injury factors in PMOP mice， which is one of the mechanisms for treating PMOP.

The influence of Liuwei Dihuang Wan on the behavior and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway of Alzheimer's disease model mice / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Wan on the behaviors and Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B(TLR4/NF-κB) signal transduction pathway of amyloid β-precursor protein/presenilin-1(APP/PS1) double transgenic mice.Methods:Forty 3-month-old female APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into model group, low-dose group(0.59 g/kg), medium-dose group(1.18 g/kg), high-dose group(2.36 g/kg)of Liuwei Dihuang Wan(gavaged according to grouped doses), and ibuprofen group(0.04 g/kg, gavage) using a random number table method, with 8 mice in each group.Eight 3-month-old wild-type female C57BL/6 mice with matched body weight were used as the control group.The mice in control group and model group were given an equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by gavage.The gavage administration was twice a day for a continuous period of 3 months.Morris water maze test was used to detect the learning and memory abilities of mice. ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the levels of amyloid β-protein (Aβ), glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and NF-κB in hippocampal tissue.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88(MyD88), and phosphorylated NF-κB(p-NF-κB) proteins in hippocampal tissue.The SPSS 20.0 software was used for data analysis. Multiple group comparisons were conducted by repeated measure ANOVA or one-way ANOVA.Results:The results of repeated measure ANOVA showed that as for the escape latency of the 6 groups of mice, the interaction effect between time and group was significant ( Finteraction=117.219, P<0.001). The escape latencies of mice in the 6 groups on the 5th day were all lower than those on the 1st day (all P<0.05). The escape latencies of mice in the ibuprofen group and the medium-dose and high-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan were lower than that in the model group from 1st day to 5th day(all P<0.05). On the 3rd to 5th day, the escape latencies of mice in the medium-dose and high-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan were lower than those in the low-dose group of Liuwei Dihuang Wan (all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the percentage of residence time in the platform quadrant and the numbers of crossing platform among the 6 groups of mice ( F=5.451, 4.824, both P<0.05). The percentage of residence time in the platform quadrant (50.77±5.49)%, (54.39±5.71)%, (51.98±6.12)%), and the numbers of crossing platform((5.9±1.1) times, (6.0±1.3) times, (5.1±0.8) times) in the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan and the ibuprofen group were all higher than those in the model group ((27.32±3.22)%, (2.2±1.0) times )(all P<0.05). The immunohistochemical results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the integrated optical density values of Aβ, GFAP and NF-κB in the hippocampal tissues of 6 groups of mice ( F=57.52, 45.37, 79.10, all P<0.05). The integrated optical density values of Aβ, GFAP and NF-κB in the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan and the ibuprofen group were all lower than those in the model group (all P<0.05). And the integrated optical density values of Aβ, GFAP, and NF-κB in the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan were all lower than those in the low-dose group of Liuwei Dihuang Wan (all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-1β detected by ELISA ( F=3.996, 6.395, both P<0.05) and the proteins levels of TLR4, MyD88, and p-NF-κB in hippocampal tissue detected by Western blot among the 6 groups( F=15.710, 3.522, 4.119, all P<0.05). The serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels in the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan and ibuprofen group were all lower than those in the model group (all P<0.05). The serum TNF-α ((18.90±2.33) ng/L, (21.56±2.49) ng/L) and IL-1β ((5.88±0.80) ng/L, (6.75±0.83) ng/L) levels in the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan were lower than those in the low-dose group ((30.77±2.89) ng/L, (9.11±1.27) ng/L) (all P<0.05). The protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, and p-NF-κB in the hippocampus of the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan and ibuprofen group were lower than those of the model group (all P<0.05). The protein expression levels of TLR4 ((0.254±0.091), (0.318±0.122)), MyD88 ((0.229±0.077), (0.386±0.119)), and p-NF-κB ((0.412±0.188), (0.358±0.119)) in the hippocampus of the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Liuwei Dihuang Wan were lower than those of the low-dose group ((0.617±0.172), (0.672±0.166), (0.799±0.227)) (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Liuwei Dihuang Wan can significantly alleviate learning and memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease model mice, possibly by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway, reducing TNF-α and IL-1β expression, thereby alleviate central immune inflammatory response and exert anti Alzheimer's disease effects.

Mechanism of Si Junzitang in Inhibiting Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression Through Regulating O-GlcNAcylation of NF-κB p65 in Paracancerous Tissues / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanism by which Si Junzitang in intervening in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） by regulating the O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine modification （O-GlcNAcylation） of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） p65 in the paracancerous tissues. MethodThe orthotopic liver cancer mouse model was established. Twenty-four C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups： Normal group， model group， Si Junzitang low-dose group （10 g·kg-1）， and Si Junzitang high-dose group （25 g·kg-1）， with 6 mice in each group. The O-GlcNAcylation level and phosphorylation modification level of p65 in the paracancerous tissues were detected using Western blot. The O-GlcNAcylation of p65 was assessed using immunoprecipitation （IP）. The mRNA expression of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in the paracancerous tissues was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The tumor number， liver weight， locomotor activity， grip strength， and Qi status of the mice were observed and analyzed. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant decrease in O-GlcNAcylation in the paracancerous tissues （P<0.01）， a significant decrease in p65 O-GlcNAcylation （P<0.01）， a significant increase in p65 phosphorylation （P<0.01）， significantly elevated mRNA levels of cytokines IL-6， TNF-α， TGF-β1， VEGFA， MMP-2， and MMP-9 （P<0.01）， significantly increased liver weight （P<0.01）， significantly declined grip strength， number of grid crossings， and number of vertical stand-ups （P<0.01）， and significantly dwindled Qi status （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， the Si Junzitang low-dose and high-dose groups showed significantly increased levels of O-GlcNAcylation in the paracancerous tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）， significantly upregulated p65 O-GlcNAcylation levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and significantly decreased p65 phosphorylation levels （P<0.01）. In the Si Junzitang low-dose group， the mRNA levels of IL-6， TGF-β1， and VEGFA significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the Si Junzitang high-dose group， the mRNA levels of IL-6， TNF-α， TGF-β1， VEGFA， MMP-2， and MMP-9 significantly decreased （P<0.01）， the number of tumors larger than 3 mm in diameter significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and liver weight significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Additionally， grip strength， number of grid crossings， and number of vertical stand-ups significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， along with a significant increase in qi status （P<0.01）. ConclusionSi Junzitang can inhibit the progression of orthotopic HCC in mice， which may be achieved by increasing the O-GlcNAcylation level in the paracancerous tissues， enhancing the O-GlcNAcylation of p65， inhibiting the phosphorylation modification of p65， and ultimately suppressing the expression of downstream IL-6， TNF-α， TGF-β1， VEGFA， MMP-2， and MMP-9.

Role of PD-L1 on promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating NF-κB in endometrial cancer / 中国现代医生

@#Objective To investigate the effect of programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)overexpression on epithelial mesenchymal transformation(EMT)in endometrial cancer cells and its possible mechanism.Methods Ishikawa/PD-L1,a PD-L1 stable overexpression cell line constructed in the laboratory and the control Ishikawa/EV were used.The efficiency of PD-L1 overexpression was detected by qPCR and Western blot assay.The cell migration ability and invasion activity were detected by scratch assay and Transwell assay.The EMT-related protein and the phosphorylation level of nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB)were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the control group,the migration ability and invasion activity of Ishikawa/PD-L1 were significantly enhanced,and the expression of E-cadherin was significantly down-regulated,whereas vimentin,N-cadherin and p-p65 were significantly increased.Conclusion PD-L1 can promote EMT by inducing the activation of NF-κB pathway,and thus enhance the migration and invasion ability of endometrial cancer cells.

Network Pharmacology and in vitro Experimental Verification on Intervention of Quercetin, Present in Chinese Medicine Yishen Qutong Granules, on Esophageal Cancer / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the potential mechanism of Yishen Qutong Granules (YSQTG) for the treatment of esophageal cancer using network pharmacology and experimental research.@*METHODS@#The effective components and molecular mechanism of YSQTG in treating esophageal cancer were expounded based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The key compound was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) to verify the malignant phenotype of the key compounds in the treatment of esophageal cancer. Then, the interaction proteins of key compounds were screened by pull-down assay combined with mass spectrometry. RNA-seq was used to screen the differential genes in the treatment of esophageal cancer by key compounds, and the potential mechanism of key compounds on the main therapeutic targets was verified.@*RESULTS@#Totally 76 effective compounds of YSQTG were found, as well as 309 related targets, and 102 drug and disease interaction targets. The drug-compound-target network of YSQTG was constructed, suggesting that quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol and baicalein may be the most important compounds, while quercetin had higher degree value and degree centrality, which might be the key compound in YSQTG. The HPLC-MS results also showed the stable presence of quercetin in YSQTG. By establishing a protein interaction network, the main therapeutic targets of YSQTG in treating esophageal cancer were Jun proto-oncogene, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, and RELA proto-oncogene. The results of cell function experiments in vitro showed that quercetin could inhibit proliferation, invasion, and clonal formation of esophageal carcinoma cells. Quercetin mainly affected the biological processes of esophageal cancer cells, such as proliferation, cell cycle, and cell metastasis. A total of 357 quercetin interacting proteins were screened, and 531 genes were significantly changed. Further pathway enrichment analysis showed that quercetin mainly affects the metabolic pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF- κ B) signaling pathway, etc. Quercetin, the key compound of YSQTG, had stronger binding activity by molecular docking. Pull-down assay confirmed that NF- κ B was a quercetin-specific interaction protein, and quercetin could significantly reduce the protein level of NF- κ B, the main therapeutic target.@*CONCLUSION@#YSQTG can be multi-component, multi-target, multi-channel treatment of esophageal cancer, it is a potential drug for the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Effects of flurochloridone on apoptosis and Nrf2/HO-1 and NFκB signaling pathways in mouse testis and TM4 cells / 环境与职业医学

Background Flurochloridone (FLC) is toxic to male reproduction and can induce apoptosis of testicular tissue and supporting cells under oxidative stress. Of particular concern is whether nuclear factor-erythrocyte 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling pathway and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling pathway participate this process. Objective To observe apoptosis of testicular tissue and sertoli TM4 cells and alterations of Nrf2/HO-1 and NFκB signaling pathways in mice treated with FLC in vivo/in vitro. Methods (1) Animal experiment. Testis samples were harvested from male C57BL/6 mice after 28-day FLC (0, 3, 15, 75, and 375 mg·kg−1 per day) exposure via oral route. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in homogenate of testicular tissue were measured by colorimetry. Apoptosis of testicular tissue was evaluated by TUNEL staining. Expression and distribution of Nrf2 and NFκB were detected by immunohistochemistry. Protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), NFκB, inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ), and phosphorylated recombinant inhibitory subunit of nuclear factor kappa-B alpha (P-IκBα) in testicular tissue homogenate were determined by Western blotting. (2) Cell experiment. TM4 cell lines were treated with 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 μmol·L−1 FLC for 6 h, and cell viability was detected by CCK-8. After 6 h exposure to 40, 80, and 160 μmol·L−1 FLC, the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, and the protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, NFκB, IKKβ, and IκBα were detected by Western blotting. Results (1) Animal experiment. Apoptosis occurred in the interstitial and basal parts of spermatogenic tubules in male C57BL/6 mice after 28 days of oral FLC exposure. Compared with the control group, the MDA level in testicular tissue of the 375 mg·kg−1 FLC-treated group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the SOD activity was significantly decreased (P<0.05). After 375 mg·kg−1 FLC exposure, apoptosis occurred in the interstitial and basal parts of spermatogenic tubules. The results of immunohistochemistry showed the expression of Nrf2 and NFκB in the interstitium and basal part of spermatogenic tubules of the treated groups. Compared with the control group, the protein levels of Nrf2, NQO1, P-IκBα, NFκB, and IKKβ in the 15, 75, and 375 mg·kg-1 groups were significantly increased (P<0.001), and the HO-1 protein level was significantly increased in the 375 mg·kg−1 group (P<0.001). (2) Cell experiment. Compared with the control group, the TM4 cell viabilities in the 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 μmol·L−1 FLC-treated groups significantly decreased (P<0.01). The apoptosis rates were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the apoptosis rates increased from 5.7% in the control group to 7.4%, 9.4%, and 11.7% in the 40, 80, and 160 μmol·L−1, respectively. The Nrf2 protein level in the 40 μmol·L−1 group was significantly increased (P<0.01), while the levels significantly decreased in the 80 and 160 μmol·L−1 groups (P<0.01). The HO-1 protein levels in the 40, 80, and 160 μmol·L−1 groups were significantly increased (P<0.01). The level of NQO1 protein in the 40 μmol·L−1 group was significantly increased (P<0.01). The NFκB protein levels were significantly increased in the 80 and 160 μmol·L−1 groups (P<0.001). The IκBα protein levels were significantly decreased in all treated groups (P<0.001). The IKKβ protein had no significant change. Conclusion FLC induces testicular tissue apoptosis, and the process affects Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and NFκB signaling pathway. The in vitro study confirms that FLC could induce apoptosis of TM4 cells and activate Nrf2/HO-1 and NFκB signaling pathways.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention in Colorectal Cancer Based on NF-κB Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Colorectal cancer （CRC） is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide， with increasing incidence and mortality rates. The disease often develops covertly and lacks specific symptoms in its early stages， leading to late-stage diagnoses in most patients. It has become a prominent research topic in the field of digestive system tumors. The exact mechanisms underlying CRC are not yet clear and involve factors such as genetics， gene mutations， inflammatory responses， and aberrant activation of tumor-related signaling pathways. Nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） is a crucial transcription factor that participates in various biological processes， including inflammatory responses， immune responses， cell proliferation， and apoptosis. Research suggests that NF-κB， serving as a molecular link between inflammation and cancer， is highly expressed in CRC. It promotes the occurrence and development of CRC by regulating the activity of target genes such as cell pro-inflammatory factors， chemokines， angiogenic factors， metastasis factors， and anti-apoptotic proteins. Currently， common treatments for CRC include surgery， radiation therapy， and chemotherapy drugs like 5-fluorouracil. However， these treatments have limitations such as significant adverse reactions， high metastasis rates， and the development of drug resistance. Therefore， the search for effective， low-adverse-reaction drugs to replace or supplement current treatments is essential. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has shown some effectiveness in preventing and treating CRC. TCM has been found to inhibit the growth of CRC cells by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway， playing a positive role in the occurrence and progression of CRC. Based on the asthenia in origin and sthenia in superficiality and deficiency-excess in complexity in CRC， this article summarized and analyzed the mechanisms and effects of TCM interventions targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway in CRC， and reviewed advances of 10 Chinese medicinal compound formulas and 37 Chinese medicinal monomer components of different types， including flavonoids， phenols， alkaloids， glycosides， and terpenoids with the effects of dispelling pathogenic factors， reinforcing healthy qi， and removing toxins in the prevention and treatment of CRC by targeting the NF-κB pathway. It is found that Chinese medicine can inhibit CRC cell proliferation， invasion， metastasis， angiogenesis， and inflammation by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway， induce cell apoptosis， restore drug and radiation sensitivity， and counteract CRC. This article is expected to provide insights and references for the in-depth exploration and treatment of CRC mechanisms.

Expression of TUBB4B in mouse primary spermatocyte GC-2 cells and its regulatory effect on NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the interaction between Tubulin beta 4B class IVb (TUBB4B) and Agtpbp1/cytosolic carboxypeptidase- like1 (CCP1) in mouse primary spermatocytes (GC-2 cells) and the role of TUBB4B in regulating the development of GC-2 cells.@*METHODS@#Lentiviral vectors were used to infect GC-2 cells to construct TUBB4B knockdown and negative control (NC-KD) cells. The stable cell lines with TUBB4B overexpression (Tubb4b-OE) and the negative control (NC-OE) cells were screened using purinomycin. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to verify successful cell modeling and explore the relationship between TUBB4B and CCP1 expressions in GC-2 cells. The effects of TUBB4B silencing and overexpression on the proliferation and cell cycle of GC-2 cells were evaluated using CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. The signaling pathway proteins showing significant changes in response to TUBB4B silencing or overexpression were identified using Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay and then labeled for verification at the cellular level.@*RESULTS@#Both TUBB4B silencing and overexpression in GC-2 cells caused consistent changes in the mRNA and protein expressions of CCP1 (P < 0.05). Similarly, TUBB4B expression also showed consistent changes at the mRNA and protein after CCP1 knockdown and restoration (P < 0.05). TUBB4B knockdown and overexpression had no significant effect on proliferation rate or cell cycle of GC-2 cells, but caused significant changes in the key proteins of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway (p65 and p-p65) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway (ErK1/2 and p-Erk1/2) (P < 0.05); CCP1 knockdown induced significant changes in PolyE expression in GC-2 cells (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#TUBB4B and CCP1 interact via a mutual positive regulation mechanism in GC-2 cells. CCP-1 can deglutamize TUBB4B, and the latter is involved in the regulation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in primary spermatocytes.

Activity and mechanism of palbinone against hepatic fibrosis and inflammation / 药学学报

The study aims to investigate the anti-hepatic fibrosis and anti-inflammatory activities of palbinone, and to explore the internal regulatory mechanism, so as to lay an active foundation for its development as an anti-non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) candidate. First, sulforhodamine B (SRB) method was used to detect the effect of palbinone on the proliferation of human hepatic stellate cells LX-2 and rat hepatic stellate cells HSC-T6. Following, in the in vitro hepatic fibrosis cell model that activated by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the inhibitory effect of different concentrations of palbinone on the transcription level and protein expression level of hepatic fibrosis markers. And the regulating mechanism of palbinone on fibrosis-related genes was analyzed at the same time. In addition, in the inflammatory cell model that induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and nigericin, ELISA was used to detect the effect of palbinone on the released interleukin-1β (IL-1β) level. At the same time, Western blot was used to detect the effect of palbinone on the related proteins of inflammatory pathway. The results showed that palbinone could significantly inhibit the proliferation activity of LX-2 and HSC-T6, and their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ​​were (375.11 ± 55.45) and (260.27 ± 36.81) nmol·L-1, respectively. In addition, palbinone showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the expression levels of TGF-β1-induced fibrosis-related genes, including collagen type Ⅰ α 1 (COL1A1), TGF-β1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1). Mechanism study showed that palbinone may decrease the expression level of Yes-associated protein (YAP), thereby weakening its activation effect on the downstream fibrosis pathway. In addition, palbinone also exerted an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the activity of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and reducing inflammatory factors cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) and IL-1β release. In conclusion, palbinone can not only inhibit the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells by inhibiting the expression of YAP, but also inhibit the expression and release of inflammatory factors at the same time. All these studies provide theoretical support for the development of palbinone as an anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis drug.