Effect of Chaihu Guizhitang on Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells： Based on HIF-1α/VEGFA Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Chaihu Guizhitang on triple-negative breast cancer （TNBC） cells based on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） signaling pathway. MethodTNBC xenograft model was established and the cells were randomized into model group， capecitabine group （0.2 mg·kg-1）， Chaihu Guizhitang low-dose group， medium-dose group， and high-dose group （10.62， 21.23， 42.46 g·kg-1）， with 10 mice in each group. After 21 days of medication， the content of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression of HIF-1α mRNA was detected by real-time fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction （real-time PCR）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to detect the expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， and VEGFA in tumor tissues， and CD34 staining to examine the angiogenesis in tumor tissues. Microvessel density （MVD） was calculated， and the protein expression of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） in tumor tissues was measured by Western blot. ResultCompared with the model group， the rest four groups showed low levels of TNF-α （P<0.01）， HIF-1α mRNA （P<0.01）， expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， VEGFA， and CD34 in cells， and MVD （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and low protein levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and EGFR （P<0.01）. Compared with capecitabine group， medium-dose and high-dose Chaihu Guizhitang decreased the level of TNF-α （P<0.01）， HIF-1α mRNA （P<0.01）， expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， and VEGFA in cells （P<0.01）， CD34 expression， MVD， and protein levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and EGFR （P<0.01）. ConclusionChaihu Guizhitang may inhibit the angiogenesis in TNBC cells by regulating the expression of HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway， thus exerting anti-tumor effect.

Read-through circular RNA rt-circ-HS promotes hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To identify and characterize read-through RNAs and read-through circular RNAs (rt-circ-HS) derived from transcriptional read-through hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and small nuclear RNA activating complex polypeptide 1 (SNAPC1) the two adjacent genes located on chromosome 14q23, in renal carcinoma cells and renal carcinoma tissues, and to study the effects of rt-circ-HS on biological behavior of renal carcinoma cells and on regulation of HIF1α.@*METHODS@#Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were used to examine expression of read-through RNAs HIF1α-SNAPC1 and rt-circ-HS in different tumor cells. Tissue microarrays of 437 different types of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were constructed, and chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to investigate expression of rt-circ-HS in different RCC types. Small interference RNA (siRNA) and artificial overexpression plasmids were designed to examine the effects of rt-circ-HS on 786-O and A498 renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8), EdU incorporation and Transwell cell migration and invasion assays. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to exa-mine expression of HIF1α and SNAPC1 RNA and proteins after interference of rt-circ-HS with siRNA, respectively. The binding of rt-circ-HS with microRNA 539 (miR-539), and miR-539 with HIF1α 3' untranslated region (3' UTR), and the effects of these interactions were investigated by dual luciferase reporter gene assays.@*RESULTS@#We discovered a novel 1 144 nt rt-circ-HS, which was derived from read-through RNA HIF1α-SNAPC1 and consisted of HIF1α exon 2-6 and SNAPC1 exon 2-4. Expression of rt-circ-HS was significantly upregulated in 786-O renal carcinoma cells. ISH showed that the overall positive expression rate of rt-circ-HS in RCC tissue samples was 67.5% (295/437), and the expression was different in different types of RCCs. Mechanistically, rt-circ-HS promoted renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by functioning as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539, which we found to be a potent post-transcriptional suppressor of HIF1α, thus promoting expression of HIF1α.@*CONCLUSION@#The novel rt-circ-HS is highly expressed in different types of RCCs and acts as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539 to promote expression of its parental gene HIF1α and thus the proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer cells.

Mechanism of curcumin inhibiting choroidal neovascularization in brown Norway rat / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of curcumin inhibiting the choroidal neovascularization(CNV)of brown Norway(BN)rats.METHODS: CNV model of 36 BN rats was established through laser photocoagulation induction, and they were divided into 6 groups with 6 rats in each group. Normal group was fed normally with no intervention, while 532nm laser photocoagulation was used to establish a experimental CNV model in BN rats. Rats after modeling were respectively intervened for 14d and divided into model group, ranibizumab group, curcumin low [100mg/(kg·d)], medium [200mg/(kg·d)], and high [400mg/(kg·d)] dose group. The model group was given intragastric administration of saline for 14d, ranibizumab(10mg/mL, 0.2mL/dose)was injected at 2d after photocoagulation with 5μL once for rats in ranibizumab group, and different concentrations of curcumin were intragastrically administrated to the rats in low, medium and high groups for 14d. Fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA)examination were performed at 14d after photocoagulation. Ocular histopathological specimens of rats with CNV were made, and the central thickness of CNV were observed by HE staining. Ocular histopathological specimens were made, and the expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway-related proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA relative expressions of AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by RT-qPCR, and the protein expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by Western-blot.RESULTS: CNV generation rates in the model group, the ranibizumab group, and the low, medium and high-dose curcumin groups were 78.18%, 73.21%, 77.19%, 75.86%, 74.55%, respectively, which were higher than 70%. The average absorbance were 182.12±6.59, 119.22±8.03, 166.45±8.33, 164.34±5.69, 149.22±6.45, respectively; the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than the ranibizumab group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), and the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). HE staining showed that the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in normal group was clear and neatly arranged. The central thickness of CNV in the ranibizumab group was significantly reduced at 14d after photocoagulation compared with the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); While the curcumin high-dose group was significantly reduced compared with the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), but increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors were negatively expressed in the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in the normal group, and no brown-yellow reactants were found. The expression of AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors in the model group were higher than that in the normal group at 14d after photocoagulation(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). While the expression of the curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). The mRNA results showed that the relative expression levels of AKT, HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA in the model group at 14d after photocoagulation were higher than those of the normal group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). While curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). Western-blot results showed that there was no significant difference in the relative expression of AKT protein among each experimental groups at 14d after photocoagulation. The relative expression of p-AKT protein in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05); the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), and the ranibizumab group was lower than in the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein was lower in the curcumin high-dose group than in the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05)but higher than ranibizumab group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). The relative expression level of VEGF protein was significantly lower in the curcumin medium/high-dose group than in the model group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05).CONCLUSION: Curcumin at 400mg/(kg·d)has an inhibitory effect on CNV in BN rats. The mechanism may be closely related to inhibiting the activation of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways.

Effect of Xielitang on TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α Signaling Pathway in Mice with Ulcerative Colitis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect of Xielitang on ulcerative colitis （UC） mice induced by dextran sodium sulfate （DSS） and its possible mechanism. MethodSixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， sulfasalazine group and and low-， medium-， and high-dose Xielitang groups. Free drinking DSS solution to build the chronic UC model mice. Except for normal group， other groups were given 1.5% DSS for 3 cycles of drinking （days 1-7， days 22-28 and days 43-49） and distilled water for the rest of the time （days 8-21， days 29-42 and days 50-63）. After the first cycle， corresponding drugs were given for 42 days. The changes of general condition， body weight and disease activity index （DAI） score of mice were daily recorded during the experiment. At the end of the treatment， serum and colon tissue samples were collected， colon length was measured， intestinal weight index and colonic mucosal injury （CMDI） score were calculated. The pathological status of colon tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-10 （IL-10） and tumour necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The gene and protein expressions of Toll like receptor 4 （TLR4）， nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB） and hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） in colon tissue was detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the body weight， colon length and IL-10 content in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， DAI score， intestinal weight index， CMDI score， IL-6 and TNF-α contents， and mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4， NF-κB and HIF-1α in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Moreover， the structure of colonic mucosa was destroyed and inflammatory cells infiltrated in the model group. Compared with model group， body weight， colon length and IL-10 content in each dose group of Xielitang were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， DAI score， intestinal weight index and CMDI score， IL-6 and TNF-α contents， mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4， NF-κB and HIF-1α were notably decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The pathological injury of colon was obviously alleviated. ConclusionXielitang can significantly improve the inflammatory response of UC mice induced by DSS， and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Maternal liver damage induced by cadmium exposure in pregnant mice through hypoxia inducible factor-1α-mediated upregulation in DRP1 / 环境与职业医学

Background Mitochondrial dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) regulates mitochondrial division and plays an important role in maintaining hepatocyte function. However, the role of DRP1 in cadmium exposure-induced maternal liver damage in pregnant mice remains unclear. Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of DRP1 in maternal liver damage induced by cadmium exposure during pregnancy. Methods This study consisted of animal experiments and cell experiments. (1) Animal experiments. Mice at 14 days of gestation were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, a low-dose cadmium group (LCd group: 2.5 mg·kg−1), and a high-dose cadmium group (HCd group: 5 mg·kg−1). The pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with cadmium chloride (CdCl2) for 6 and 24 h in the next morning. The weights of pregnant mice, uterus, maternal liver, and fetal mice were recorded after sacrifice. Serum and liver of pregnant mice were collected, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were detected, and liver tissues were stained with HE to observe changes in liver function and liver tissue structure. The expressions of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and DRP1 proteins in liver of pregnant mice were detected by Western blotting. (2) Cell experiments. AML12 cells were treated with CdCl2 (10 μmol·L−1) for 0, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h. The expressions of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins, DRP1, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) proteins were detected. AML12 cells were pretreated with DRP1 inhibitor Mdivi-1 for 1 h and then CdCl2 (10 μmol·L−1) for 12 h to detect the expression of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins and DRP1 protein. AML12 cells were treated with Hif-1α siRNA for 48 h and CdCl2 (10 μmol·L−1) for 6 h to detect the expression of HIF-1α and DRP1 proteins. Results The results of animal experiments showed that cadmium exposure in pregnant mice had no effects on maternal liver weight and liver coefficient. However, the histomorphological changes and necrosis in hepatocytes were observed. Compared with the control group, the serum ALT and AST levels of pregnant mice in the LCd group were significantly increased after 6 h (P＜0.05), and the levels in the HCd group were significantly increased after 6 and 24 h (P＜0.05). Cadmium exposure during pregnancy significantly up-regulated HIF-1α and DRP1 expressions and down-regulated the expressions of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins in maternal livers. In vitro cell experiments showed that the expressions of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins was significantly decreased and HIF-1α and DRP1 protein expressions were significantly increased in the AML12 cells treated with CdCl2 for 6 h. Mdivi-1 pretreatment significantly antagonized the inhibitory effect of cadmium on the expressions of oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins in AML12 cells, while Hif-1α siRNA pretreatment significantly antagonized the up-regulative effect of cadmium on DRP1 expression in AML12 cells. Conclusion Cadmium exposure in pregnant mice may up-regulate DRP1 expression by activating HIF-1α signaling, then inhibit oxidative phosphorylation level of hepatic cells, and ultimately lead to maternal liver damage.

Targeting TRMT5 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression via inhibiting the HIF-1α pathways / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Accumulating evidence has confirmed the links between transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications and tumor progression. The present study is the first to explore the role of tRNA methyltransferase 5 (TRMT5), which catalyzes the m1G37 modification of mitochondrial tRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Here, based on bioinformatics and clinical analyses, we identified that TRMT5 expression was upregulated in HCC, which correlated with poor prognosis. Silencing TRMT5 attenuated HCC proliferation and metastasis both in vivo and in vitro, which may be partially explained by declined extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Mechanistically, we discovered that knockdown of TRMT5 inactivated the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway by preventing HIF-1α stability through the enhancement of cellular oxygen content. Moreover, our data indicated that inhibition of TRMT5 sensitized HCC to doxorubicin by adjusting HIF-‍1α. In conclusion, our study revealed that targeting TRMT5 could inhibit HCC progression and increase the susceptibility of tumor cells to chemotherapy drugs. Thus, TRMT5 might be a carcinogenesis candidate gene that could serve as a potential target for HCC therapy.

Hypoxia-induced ROS aggravate tumor progression through HIF-1α-SERPINE1 signaling in glioblastoma / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Hypoxia, as an important hallmark of the tumor microenvironment, is a major cause of oxidative stress and plays a central role in various malignant tumors, including glioblastoma. Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a hypoxic microenvironment promote glioblastoma progression; however, the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Herein, we found that hypoxia promoted ROS production, and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells, while this promotion was restrained by ROS scavengers N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). Hypoxia-induced ROS activated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) signaling, which enhanced cell migration and invasion by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, the induction of serine protease inhibitor family E member 1 (SERPINE1) was ROS-dependent under hypoxia, and HIF-1α mediated SERPINE1 increase induced by ROS via binding to the SERPINE1 promoter region, thereby facilitating glioblastoma migration and invasion. Taken together, our data revealed that hypoxia-induced ROS reinforce the hypoxic adaptation of glioblastoma by driving the HIF-1α-SERPINE1 signaling pathway, and that targeting ROS may be a promising therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma.

Role of Mitophagy in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Chinese Medicine Treatment / 中国结合医学杂志

Mitophagy is one of the important targets for the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). Moderate mitophagy can remove damaged mitochondria, inhibit excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation, and protect mitochondria from damage. However, excessive enhancement of mitophagy greatly reduces adenosine triphosphate production and energy supply for cell survival, and aggravates cell death. How dysfunctional mitochondria are selectively recognized and engulfed is related to the interaction of adaptors on the mitochondrial membrane, which mainly include phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)-induced kinase 1/Parkin, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α/Bcl-2 and adenovirus e1b19k Da interacting protein 3, FUN-14 domain containing protein 1 receptor-mediated mitophagy pathway and so on. In this review, the authors briefly summarize the main pathways currently studied on mitophagy and the relationship between mitophagy and MIRI, and incorporate and analyze research data on prevention and treatment of MIRI with Chinese medicine, thereby provide relevant theoretical basis and treatment ideas for clinical prevention of MIRI.

Mechanism of Xumingtang in Gu Jin Lu Yan for Treatment of Ischemic Stroke Based on HIF-1α/NLRP3 Pathway-mediated Pyroptosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Xumingtang in Gu Jin Lu Yan （《古今录验》） in regulating cell pyroptosis through the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 （NLRP3） pathway in ischemic stroke （IS）. MethodSD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group， a model group， low- and high-dose Xumingtang groups， and a metformin group， with 20 rats in each group. Oral administration was performed for 3 days， and tissue samples were collected. Differential messenger RNA （mRNA） was screened using high-throughput sequencing， and Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analyses were performed on key differentially expressed genes. The modified neurological severity score （mNSS） and 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining were used to evaluate the effect of brain infarction. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used for pathological morphological observation of brain tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to compare the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and interleukin-18 （IL-18） in the ischemic cortical region. Double staining immunohistochemistry was used to detect the co-localization of HIF-1α and NLRP3. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was performed to detect the mRNA expression of NLRP3， HIF-1α， Caspase-1 （CASP-1）， and gasdermin D （GSDMD）. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of HIF-1α， NLRP3， CASP-1， and GSDMD. ResultA total of 5 705 differentially expressed genes （2 733 downregulated and 2 972 upregulated） were obtained by mRNA sequencing. After conversion to homologous genes and intersection with the pyroptosis gene set， 95 key differentially expressed pyroptosis genes were obtained. Compared with the sham operation group， the model group showed significantly increased mNSS scores， larger brain infarction areas （P<0.01）， diverse neuronal morphology， disordered arrangement， widened cell gaps， significantly increased levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the ischemic cortical region （P<0.01）， enhanced co-localization fluorescence intensity， and significantly increased mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， CASP-1， and GSDMD （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose Xumingtang group showed the most significant improvement in neurological function scores and brain infarction areas （P<0.01）. The neuronal integrity and arrangement were more complete， and the cell gaps were narrower in all groups with drug treatment， with significantly reduced co-localization fluorescence intensity. Xumingtang could reduce the levels of IL-1β， IL-18， and the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α， NLRP3， CASP-1， and GSDMD （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the high-dose Xumingtang group showing the most significant effect （P<0.01）. ConclusionXumingtang in Gu Jin Lu Yan can inhibit cell pyroptosis and promote neurological function recovery after IS， which may be related to the inhibition of the HIF-1α/NLRP3 pathway.

Effect of salidroside on choroidal thickness and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, dopamine and its receptor in guinea pigs with myopia / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To examine the effects of salidroside on choroidal thickness, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), dopamine(DA)and its D1 receptor expression in guinea pigs with lens-induced myopia(LIM).METHODS: A total of 18 two-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into the normal control(NC)group, the LIM group, and the LIM + salidroside(LIM+SA)group, with 6 guinea pigs in each group. The guinea pigs in the NC group were fed normally and intragastrically administered with 2 mL/d saline; those in the LIM group wore a -5D lens in front of their right eyes to establish a myopia model, then they were intragastrically administered with 2 mL/d saline. Finally, those in the LIM+SA group wore glasses along with intragastric administration of 2 mL/d salidroside at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The refraction, axial length, and choroidal thickness of guinea pigs in each group were measured 4wk following the establishment of the model. In addition, the relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina of guinea pigs in each group were detected by real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and immunohistochemistry(IHC). Finally, the DA concentration and its D1 receptor expression were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and Western blot.RESULTS: At 4wk after model establishment, guinea pigs of LIM group and LIM+SA group exhibited increased negative refraction of the right eye, prolonged axial length, and decreased choroidal thickness compared to the NC group. The relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina of the guinea pigs increased. The concentration of DA and the expression of its D1 receptor both decreased. Moreover, compared to the LIM group, the diopter of the right eye of guinea pigs in LIM+SA group significantly reduced, the axial length was shorter, the thickness of choroid increased, the relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina decreased and the concentration of DA and the expression of its D1 receptor both increased.CONCLUSION: Salidroside can delay myopia progression in myopic guinea pigs by affecting choroidal thickness and the expression of HIF-1α, DA and its D1 receptor.

Molecular mechanism of Cigu Xiaozhi formula interfering with HSC-T6 cell activation by regulating HIF-1α signaling pathway based on computer aided drug design / 药学学报

In this study, we investigated the effect of Cigu Xiaozhi formula on HSC-T6 activity in hypoxic microenvironment based on network pharmacology and computer-aided drug design, and predicted and verified its possible targets and related signaling pathways. The potential active components and targets of Cigu Xiaozhi formula were screened by searching Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), Encyclopaedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM) and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM) databases, and the liver fibrosis related targets retrieved from Gene Cards and Pharm GK database were integrated to obtain the potential targets of Cigu Xiaozhi formula in the treatment of liver fibrosis. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed on Omic Share platform, and Cytoscape software was used to construct the "potential active ingredient-key target-pathway" network. The active components and target proteins were subjected to molecular docking analysis by Auto Dock software. According to the results of molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculation, the top 5 active components with degree were scored. The active components stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were subjected to molecular docking. CoCl2 was used to induce HSC-T6 cells to construct hypoxia model in vitro. The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay, and the optimal time and concentration of hypoxia model of HSC-T6 cells was determined to be 100 µmol·L-1 CoCl2 for 24 h. Under hypoxia condition, HSC-T6 cells were activated, the wound healing rate was significantly increased, and the fluorescence signal of activation marker protein α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was significantly enhanced. However, 6% drug-containing serum could inhibit the activation of HSC-T6 cells, and the wound healing rate was significantly decreased, and the fluorescence signal of α-SMA was significantly weakened. Further studies showed that the expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), α-SMA and key proteins of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in HSC-T6 cells were up-regulated under hypoxia, while the expressions of HIF-1α, α-SMA, Patched-1 (Ptch-1) and glioma related oncogene homology-1 (Gli-1) were down-regulated in 6% drug-containing serum group, the YC-1 group and the cyclopamine group. These results indicated that HIF-1α and Hh signaling pathways were involved in the activation of HSC-T6 cells, and the traditional Chinese medicine Cigu Xiaozhi formula could inhibit the activation of HSC-T6 cells, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of HIF-1α expression and the blocking of Hh signaling pathway. In conclusion, Cigu Xiaozhi formula can inhibit the activation of HSC-T6 cells by directly acting on HIF-1α and Hh signaling pathway, and exert an anti-hepatic fibrosis effect. The animal experimental protocol has been reviewed and approved by Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, in compliance with the Institutional Animal Care Guidelines.

Study on the mechanism of galangin promoting fracture in osteoporosis model rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To preliminarily investigate the impacts of galangin （Gal） on fracture healing in osteoporosis （OP） model rats by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） signaling pathway. METHODS The OP rat model was constructed by using bilateral ovariectomy surgery. The model rats were randomly divided into sham operation group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， Gal low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （2.5， 5， 10 mg/kg）， inhibitor group （10 mg/kg Gal+100 mg/kg HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway inhibitor PX-478）， with 12 rats in each group. They were given relevant medicine intraperitoneally， once a day， for 90 consecutive days. The microstructure of rat bones was observed， the biomechanical status of rat femurs was evaluated， and the pathological damage and neovascularization of rat callus tissue were observed. The expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （PECAM-1） in the femur was detected. The contents of osteocalcin （OCN）， C-terminal telopeptides of type Ⅰ collagen （CTX-Ⅰ） and bone morphogenetic protein 2 （BMP-2） in serum were detected as well as the expressions of alkaline phosphatase （ALP） and HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway- related proteins in callus tissue. RESULTS Compared with the sham operation group， the BMD， BV/TV， Tb.N， Tb.Th， maximum load， the number and area of blood vessels， the average fluorescence intensity of PECAM-1， the contents of OCN and BMP-2， and the expression levels of ALP， HIF-1α and VEGF proteins in the model group were reduced significantly （P＜0.05）， while the content of CTX-Ⅰ increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the above indexes of rats were reversed significantly in Gal low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （P＜0.05）， in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the Gal high-dose group， the above indexes of rats were reversed significantly in the inhibitor group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Gal can regulate bone metabolism， improve bone density of OP model rats and promote fracture healing， the mechanism of which may be associated with activating the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway and promoting angiogenesis.

Protective Effect of Huangqi Baihe Granules on Acute Brain Injury in Rats with High Altitude Hypoxia Based on HIF-1α/NF-κB/NLRP3 Signal Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Huangqi Baihe granules on the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α （HIF-1α）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor hot protein domain related protein 3 （NLRP3） signaling pathway in a rat model of high altitude hypoxia. MethodSixty male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， dexamethasone group （5 mg·kg-1）， and high， middle， and low-dose groups of Huangqi Baihe granules （4.1， 2.05， 1.025 g·kg-1）. Among them， each Chinese medicine group was administrated orally for continuously 14 d， once a day， and the dexamethasone group was injected intraperitoneally for continuously 3 d as the positive control group. On the 15th d， the model group， dexamethasone group， and high， middle， and low dose groups of Huangqi Baihe granules were exposed to the simulated high altitude， low pressure， and low oxygen environment in the animal low-pressure simulation cabin， and the exposure lasted for 3 d. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta and serum was separated， and the brain tissue was taken after being killed. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in brain tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the content of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in rat serum. Western blot was used to detect HIF-1α， NLRP3， phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB （p-NF-κB）， NF-κB， desquamation D （GSDMD）， and cysteine aspartate-specitis protein-1（Caspase-1） in rats of each group. The mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultThe results of HE staining showed that as compared with the normal group， the pathological sections of brain tissues in the model group showed that pyramidal cells were loosely arranged and distributed in disorder， with different sizes. Compared with the model group， the pathological changes in pyramidal cells in the dexamethasone group and high and middle-dose groups of Huangqi Baihe granules were reduced. The results of ELISA showed that as compared with the normal group， the content of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β in the serum of rats in the model group was significantly higher （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the content of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β in the serum of rats in the dexamethasone group and high and middle-dose groups of Huangqi Baihe granules decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of Western blot showed that as compared with the normal group， the relative protein expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， p-NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of the model group were significantly higher （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the relative expressions of HIF-1α， NLRP3， p-NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of rats in the dexamethasone group and the high-dose group of Huangqi Baihe granules were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The relative protein expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， p-NF-κB p65， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of rats in the middle-dose group of Huangqi Baihe granules decreased significantly （P<0.01）， and the relative protein expression of HIF-1α in the brain tissue of rats in the low-dose group of Huangqi Baihe granules was reduced （P<0.05）. The Real-time PCR analysis showed that as compared with the normal group， the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of rats in the dexamethasone group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， NF-κB p65， GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in the brain tissue of rats in the high-dose group of Huangqi Baihe granules decreased significantly （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， NLRP3， and Caspase-1in the brain tissue of rats in the middle-dose group of Huangqi granules decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe protective effect of Huangqi Baihe granules on acute brain injury in low-pressure hypoxic rats may be related to the HIF-1α/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Shikonin induces hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis by suppressing PKM2/PHD3/HIF-1α signaling pathway / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanism of shikonin-induced death of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells.@*METHODS@#Cultured SMMC-7721 cells and normal hepatocytes (L-02 cells) were treated with 4, 8, or 16 μmol/L shikonin, and the changes in cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. The levels of ATP and lactic acid in the cell cultures were detected using commercial kits. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining were used to determine the relationship among pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), prolyl hydroxylase 3 (PHD3), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). The expressions of PHD3, PKM2, HIF-1α, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and Bcl-2 in SMMC-7721 cells were detected with Western blotting, and cell apoptosis was analyzed with annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The effects of RNA interference of PKM2 on PHD3 and HIF-1α expressions in SMMC-7721 cells were detected using Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#The IC50 of shikonin against SMMC-7721 and L-02 cells was 8.041 μmol/L and 31.75 μmol/L, respectively. Treatment with shikonin significantly inhibited the protein expressions of PKM2, HIF-1α and PHD3 and nuclear translocation of PKM2 and HIF-1α in SMMC-7721 cells. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining confirmed that shikonin inhibited the formation of PKM2/PHD3/HIF-1α complex and significantly reduced the contents of lactic acid and ATP in SMMC-7721 cells (P < 0.05). The expressions of PHD3 and HIF-1α decreased significantly after PKM2 knockdown (P < 0.05). Shikonin treatment significantly increased the apoptosis rate, enhanced the expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, and decreased Bcl-2 expression in SMMC-7721 cells (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Shikonin induces apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells possibly by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis through the PKM2/PHD3/HIF-1α signaling pathway to cause energy supply dysfunction in the cells.

Aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer is repressed by naringin via the HIF1Α pathway / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Metabolic reprogramming is a common phenomenon in cancer, with aerobic glycolysis being one of its important characteristics. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1Α) is thought to play an important role in aerobic glycolysis. Meanwhile, naringin is a natural flavanone glycoside derived from grapefruits and many other citrus fruits. In this work, we identified glycolytic genes related to HIF1Α by analyzing the colon cancer database. The analysis of extracellular acidification rate and cell function verified the regulatory effects of HIF1Α overexpression on glycolysis, and the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells. Moreover, naringin was used as an inhibitor of colon cancer cells to illustrate its effect on HIF1Α function. The results showed that the HIF1Α and enolase 2 (ENO2) levels in colon cancer tissues were highly correlated, and their high expression indicated a poor prognosis for colon cancer patients. Mechanistically, HIF1Α directly binds to the DNA promoter region and upregulates the transcription of ENO2; ectopic expression of ENO2 increased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Most importantly, we found that the appropriate concentration of naringin inhibited the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α, which in turn decreased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Generally, naringin reduces glycolysis in colon cancer cells by reducing the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α and the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells. This study helps to elucidate the relationship between colon cancer progression and glucose metabolism, and demonstrates the efficacy of naringin in the treatment of colon cancer.

Protective effect of 4-hydroxy-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine on lung injury with intermittent hypoxia in premature rats / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of 4-hydroxy-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine (Tempol) on the expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and lung development in premature neonatal rats under intermittent hypoxia (achieved by supplying a low concentration of oxygen).Methods:The intermittent hypoxia model was established.Caesarean section of rats was performed at 21 days of gestation when the fetal rats were estimated to be in labor.A total of 192 premature neonatal rats survived and were randomly divided into 6 groups according to random number table method: air control+ saline group, air control+ Tempol group, constant oxygen + saline group, constant oxygen + Tempol group, intermittent hypoxia + saline group, and intermittent hypoxia + Tempol group, 32 rats in each group.On the 7 th, 14 th and 21 st day of birth, the lung tissues of 8 neonatal preterm rats in each group were taken.Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were detected by chemical analysis.The mRNA and protein levels of HIF-1α and VEGF were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.Another 8 neonatal rats in each group were taken for pulmonary function test on the 21 st day after birth. One- way ANOVA and SNK- q test were used for comparison among and between groups, respectively. Results:Compared with the constant oxygen + saline group, the intermittent hypoxia + saline group showed mild pulmonary septal thickening, increased MDA, decreased TAOC, elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF and HIF-1 α, and decreased lung function indexes.The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Compared with the corresponding saline group, the intermittent hypoxia + Tempol group had decreased MDA and increased TAOC, and the differences were statistically significant at 14 d[MDA(3.09±0.45) nmol/(mg·pr) vs.4.02±0.30) nmol/(mg·pr), TAOC(3.13±0.31) U/(mg·pr) vs.(2.44±0.22) U/(mg·pr)]and 21 d[MDA(2.87±0.43) nmol/(mg·pr) vs.(4.47±0.56) nmol/(mg·pr), TAOC(3.47±0.35) U/(mg·pr) vs.(2.31±0.32) U/(mg·pr)] (all P<0.05). Compared with the corresponding saline group, the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1 α and VEGF decreased in the intermittent hypoxia+ Tempol group, and the decrease in the mRNA expression of HIF-1 α was statistically significant at 14 d (2.11±0.60 vs.2.88±0.59) (all P<0.05). Lung function indexes, including tidal volume[(0.41 ± 0.01) mL vs.(0.36±0.02) mL], minute respiratory ventilation[(35.48 ± 2.95) mL vs.(30.62±2.27) mL], maximum expiratory flow[(2.19 ± 0.19) mL/s vs.(1.51±0.19) mL/s]and dynamic lung compliance[(2.65 ± 0.40) mL/cmH 2O vs.(1.83±0.34) mL/cmH 2O, 1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa]increased (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Tempol can alleviate the lung injury induced by intermittent hypoxia under the intervention of a low concentration of oxygen to premature newborn rats and improve their lung function.

Effects of pre-pregnancy PM2.5 exposure on vascular remodeling in mother-fetal interface of mice via HIF-1α/VEGF axis / 环境与职业医学

Background Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can induce abnormal early embryo development, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes such as embryo damage and spontaneous abortion. The vascular remodeling of maternal-fetal interface regulated by hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) axis is a key link in early embryo development. Objective To investigate the effects of pre-pregnancy PM2.5 exposure on the uterine state of mice before conception and the vascular remodeling of maternal-fetal interface after conception, and to further explore the regulatory role of the HIF-1α/VEGF axis. Methods Forty eight-week-old C57BL/6J sexually mature female mice and several males (for mating, without any treatment) were adaptive fed for 1 week. The female mice were divided into a PM2.5 exposure group and a control group, 20 mice per group. The PM2.5 exposure group was given 3 mg·kg−1 PM2.5 suspension by nasal instillation, once every other day for four weeks; the control group were treated with the same dose of blank sampling membrane suspension. Body weight of the mice was recorded every week during the experimental period. At the end of the exposure, six mice from each group were sacrificed. Then the uterus was weighted and its organ coefficients were calculated, a histopathological morphology evaluation was conducted by HE staining, and the mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1 in the uterus samples were further examined. The remaining 14 female mice in each group were caged with male mice overnight with a sex ratio of 2:1, then we calculated the pregnancy rate. On gestation day 10 (GD10), the female mice were decapitated and the uterus was dissected, the histopathological morphology of embryo and placenta were observed by HE staining, and the mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1 were detected as well in the uterus samples. Results Compared with the control group, the pre-pregnancy PM2.5 exposure had no significant effect on body weight gain of the female mice, but decreased uterine organ coefficient, accompanied by pathological damage such as endometrium thinning as well as decreased mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1 (all Ps<0.05). After mating, the pre-pregnancy PM2.5 exposure induced a decrease of the pregnancy rate (control group: 9/14; exposure group: 5/14) and abnormal embryo arrangement, small placenta, narrowing of spiral arteries (control group: 1.00±0.06; exposure group: 0.86±0.08; P=0.01), as well as significant decreases in HIF-1α, VEGF and its receptor Flk-1 mRNA expressions. (all Ps <0.05). Conclusion Pre-pregnancy PM2.5 exposure has adverse effects on the pathological structure and angiogenesis in female mice uterus, leading to abnormal vascular network remodeling at the mother-fetal interface after conception, and the HIF-1α/VEGF axis may play a regulatory role.

Study on the effect and mechanism of modified Yijing decoction on the decrease of ovarian reserve function in rats / 中国药房

OBJ ECTIVE To study the effect a nd mechanism of modified Yijing decoction on the decrease of ovarian reserve function（DOR）in rats. METHODS A total of 140 SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into control group ，model group ， positive control group （Estradiol valerate tablets 0.09 mg/kg），inhibitor group [modified Yijing decoction 23.6 g/kg+transcriptional inhibitor for hypoxia inducible factor- 1α（HIF-1α）YC-1 2 mg/kg] and modified Yijing decoction low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （5.9，11.8，23.6 g/kg）. Except for control group ，rats in other groups were given cyclophosphamide via femoral vein to induce DOR model ；after successful modeling for 2 h，rats in each group were given normal saline or relevant medicine intragastrically，once a day ，for 8 consecutive weeks.The estrous cycle of rats in each group was recorded ，and the ovarian index was calculated to observe the histopathological changes and autophagy in the ovary ；serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone （FSH），luteinizing hormone （LH），anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）and estrogen （E2）were measured ；protein and mRNA levels of HIF-1α，B lymphoblastoma 2 gene/adenovirus E 1B interacting protein 3 recombinant protein （Bnip3）and yeast Atg 6 homolog of autophagy key molecule （Beclin1）in ovarian tissues of rats were all detected. RESULTS Compared with control group ，the ovarian indexes of model group and administration groups were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Model group possessed disturbed estrous cycle and the ovary tissues showed pathological morphology ，the autophagolysosomes appeared in ovary cells ，AMH and E 2 levels were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）；FSH and LH levels ，protein and mRNA expressions of HIF- 1α，Bnip3 and Beclin 1 were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，the estrous cycle of rats in positive control group and modified Yijing decoction groups gradually returned to normal ，the pat hological morphology of ovarian tissue and the autophagy of ovarian cells were improved ；the ovarian index ，AMH and E 2 levels were significantly increased （P＜0.05）；the levels of FSH and LH ，protein and mRNA expressions of HIF- 1 α ， Bnip3 and Beclin 1（except for protein of HIF- 1α，protein and wanyunhui188@163.com mRNA of Bnip 3 in modified Yijing decoction low-dose group ） were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The protein expressions of H IF-1α，Bnip3 and Beclin 1，mRNA expressions of HIF- 1α and Beclin 1 were decreased significantly in the inhibitor group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Modified Yijing decoction can improve ovarian function ，regulate the secretion of sex hormone ，and protect ovarian tissue in DOR model rats ，and the mechanism of which may be related to the inhibition of HIF- 1α/ Bnip3/Beclin1 pathway.

Intervention Mechanism of Bushen Huoxuetang on Osteoporosis Related to Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Based on PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo predict the underlying mechanism of Bushen Huoxuetang in treating osteoporosis related to endocrine therapy in breast cancer by network pharmacology and to verify the results through in vitro cell model. MethodThe main effective components and targets of Bushen Huoxuetang were screened out through network pharmacology， and the targets of osteoporosis related to endocrine therapy in breast cancer were further obtained. The intersected targets were analyzed by Gene Ontology （GO） functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment. Kaplan Meier plotter was used to analyze the survival of crucial targets. Finally， the inhibitory activity against cell proliferation was evaluated by in vitro methye thiazolye telrazlium（MTT） assay. The key targets and pathways were verified by Western blot， and the mRNA expression of the key targets was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. ResultA total of 716 active components and 249 key targets of Bushen Huoxuetang were obtained from network pharmacology. There were 135 common targets， among which protein kinase B（Akt）1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） were two key targets. Additionally， 531 biological processes， 62 cellular components， 162 molecular functions， and 145 signaling pathways including breast cancer and endocrine resistance were involved. The key targets were effectively enriched in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases（PI3K）/Akt and HIF-1 signaling pathways. According to the MTT assay， the cell proliferation rate and cell motility of MCF-7 and T47D cells in the luminal A cell line were reduced by Bushen Huoxuetang treatment （22.5， 45， 90 g·L-1， and 45， 90， 180 g·L-1） for 48 h as compared with the blank group. As revealed by Western blot， MCF-7 cells were treated with Bushen Huoxuetang （0， 15， 60 g·L-1） for 48 h， and the relative expression of p-PI3K， PI3K， p-Akt， Akt， and HIF-1α was decreased in a dose-dependent manner as compared with the blank group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of the key target HIF-1α. The results showed that the mRNA expression of HIF-1α in MCF-7 cells was decreased with the increase in the dose （P<0.01）， and the change was in a concentration-dependent manner. ConclusionThe mechanism of Bushen Huoxuetang in the treatment of osteoporosis related to endocrine therapy in breast cancer may be related to the key targets including Akt1 and HIF-1α through the PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Regulation of Wenjingtang on HIF-1α Expression and Mitochondrial Function of Ectopic Endometrial Stromal Cells in Patients with Endometriosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveThis study investigated the mechanism of Wenjingtang in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis （EMT） from the perspective of regulating hypoxia stress and mitochondrial function. MethodPrimary human endometrial stromal cells （ESCs） form ectopic endometrial tissues were isolated and cultured， the cells were divided into control group （Control）， 5% control serum group （5% KBXQ）， 10% control serum group （10% KBXQ）， 5% Wenjingtang serum group （5% WJTXQ） and 10% Wenjingtang serum group （10% WJTXQ）. ESCs in different groups were detected for proliferation by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay， mRNA and protein expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot analysis， mitochondrial ultrastructure by transmission electron microscope， mitochondrial function ［mitochondrial membrane potential， mitochondrial membrane potential（MMP） and cytochrome C（Cyt C） content］ and apoptosis （cell membrane permeability， nuclear fluorescence intensity， nuclear size and cell counts） by high content screening （HCS） assay， apoptosis rate by flow cytometry， and proteins of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） associated X （Bax）， Bcl-2 and cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 （cleaved Caspase-3） by Western blot. ResultCompared with Control group， the 5% KBXQ and 10% KBXQ groups showed increased cell viability （P<0.01）， there was no significant change in HIF-1α mRNA and protein expression， transmission electron microscopy showed that the mitochondrial cristae were obvious and the inner and outer membranes of mitochondria were clear， HCS multichannel fluorescence staining showed that there were no significant changes in the expression of MMP， Cyt C and cell membrane permeability， and the nuclei showed uniform light staining， there were no significant changes in apoptosis rate， cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Compared with Control group and corresponding concentration KBXQ group， the 5% WJTXQ and 10% WJTXQ group showed decreased cell viability （P<0.01） and HIF-1α mRNA and protein levels （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the ultrastructure of mitochondria was destroyed， some mitochondria were swollen and the cristae were blurred， moreover， decreased MMP and up-regulated Cyt C release （P<0.05，P<0.01）， increased cell membrane permeability （P<0.01）， and apoptosis characteristics included nuclear pyknosis， DNA agglutination in nucleus and decrease of cell numbers were observed （P<0.05，P<0.01）， increased apoptosis rate （P<0.01）， which was consistent with the results of HCS analysis， and up-regulated expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3 protein and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionIn conclusion， the results suggest that Wenjingtang can improve hypoxia stress via down-regulating HIF-1α expression in ectopic ESCs， and inhibit cell proliferation， reduce mitochondrial biological activity and induce apoptosis， which might be the internal mechanism of Wenjingtang in preventing and treating EMT.