Effect of South African Herb Hoodia gordonii on Liver Glucolipid Metabolism and PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 Signalling Pathway in db/db Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of the South African herb Hoodia gordonii （HG） on glucolipid metabolism in diabetic db/db mice and explore the possible mechanisms of HG on the liver of db/db mice based on the phosphoinositide-3 kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/factor forkhead protein O1 （FoxO1） signaling pathway. MethodA total of 30 db/db mice were randomly divided into five groups according to fasting blood glucose： model group， metformin group （0.195 g·kg-1）， and low dose （0.39 g·kg-1）， medium dose （0.78 g·kg-1）， and high dose （1.56 g·kg-1） HG groups， with six m/m mice in each group， and another six m/m mice were set as normal group. The mice in the normal and model groups were given saline of 9 mL·kg-1 by gavage. Body weight， water intake， and fasting blood glucose of the mice in each group were measured weekly. After six weeks of continuous administration， serum insulin （FINS）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， urea， and creatinine （CREA） were measured， and liver sections were embedded and stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， periodic acid-Schiff （PAS）， and oil red O. Protein expression of PI3K p85， p-Akt， and p-FoxO1 in liver was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of PI3K， Akt， and FoxO1 in liver tissue was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultAfter six weeks of administration intervention， it was found that fasting blood glucose was significantly downregulated in mice in the three HG groups （P<0.05）. The level of islet resistance index was significantly reduced in both the low and medium dose HG groups （P<0.05）. The expression levels of TC， TG， and LDL were reduced in all HG groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Pathologically， HG could alleviate hepatocyte steatosis， reduce the volume and content of lipid droplets in liver， and increase the distribution of glycogen granules in liver to some extent in mice. Immunohistochemical assays revealed that PI3K p85 protein expression was significantly increased in the low， medium， and high dose HG groups compared with the model group （P<0.01）. p-Akt protein expression was significantly increased in the medium and high dose HG groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. p-FoxO1 protein expression was significantly increased in the low， medium， and high dose HG groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， PI3K mRNA was increased in low dose， medium dose， and high dose HG groups （P<0.05）， and Akt mRNA was increased in high dose HG group （P<0.05）. FoxO1 mRNA was decreased in low dose， medium dose， and high dose HG groups （P<0.05）. ConclusionHG can ameliorate the disorder of glucolipid metabolism in db/db mice， which may be related to its activation of the hepatic PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

Effect of downregulating proline-rich protein 11 expression on drug resistance of esophageal cancer drug resistant cell EC9706/DDP and its mechanism / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To discuss the effect of downregulating the proline-rich protein 11(PRR11)expression on drug resistance of the esophageal cancer drug resistant cells,and to clarify the related mechanism.Methods:The drug resistant cells EC9706/cisplatin(DDP)were established by incrementally stimulating the human esophageal cancer EC9706 cells with the increasing concentrations of DDP.The drug sensitivity of the EC9706/DDP cells was detected by MTT assay;the expression levels of PRR11 mRNA and protein in the EC9706/DDP cells and their parent EC9706 cells were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting methods.The EC9706/DDP cells were divided into control group,sh-NC group(infected with sh-NC),sh-PRR11 group(infected with sh-PRR11),sh-NC+DDP group(infected with sh-NC and treated with 4 mg·L-1 DDP),and sh-PRR11+DDP group(infected with sh-PRR11 and treated with 4 mg·L-1 DDP).The expression levels of PRR11 mRNA in the cells in various groups were detected by RT-qPCR method;the expression levels of PRR11,phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)p110α,protein kinase B(AKT),phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT),P-glycoprotein(P-gp),and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1(MRP1)proteins in the cells in various groups were detected by Western blotting method;the apoptotic rates of the cells in various groups were detected by flow cytometry.Results:The DDP-resistant cell line EC9706/DDP was successfully obtained,and the drug resistance index was 7.23±0.86.Compared with the EC9706 cells,the expression levels of PRR11 mRNA and protein in the EC9706/DDP cells were increased(P<0.05).Compared with control and sh-NC groups,the expression levels of PRR11 mRNA and protein in the cells in sh-PRR11 group were decreased(P<0.05),and the 50%inhibitory concentration(IC50)of DDP was decreased(P<0.05).Compared with sh-NC group,the expression levels of PI3K p110α,p-AKT,P-gp,and MRP1 proteins in the cells in sh-NC+DDP and sh-PRR11 groups were decreased(P<0.05),and the apoptotic rate of the cells was increased(P<0.05).Compared with sh-NC+DDP group and sh-PRR11 group,the expression levels of PI3K p110α,p-AKT,P-gp,and MRP1 proteins in the cells in sh-PRR11+ DDP group were increased(P<0.05),and the apoptotic rate of the cells was increased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Downregulating the expression of PRR11 gene in the drug resistant EC9706/DDP cells can inhibit the expressions of drug resistance-related proteins,reverse the resistance to DDP,and induce the apoptosis;its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Attenuation of Airway Inflammation and Airway Remodeling in Ovalbumin Asthmatic Rats by Artemisinin through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanism of action of artemisinin in attenuating asthmatic airway inflammation and airway remodeling through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway. MethodFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， and low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of artemisinin， with 10 rats in each group. The ovalbumin （OVA）-induced asthma model of the rats was established， and after successful modeling， the blank group and model group received tail vein injection of 1.0 mL·kg-1 normal saline， while the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of artemisinin received tail vein injection of 12.5， 25， and 50 mg·kg-1 artemisinin daily for seven days. Airway resistance was measured by the acetylcholine chloride method. Cell number and species changes in the alveolar lavage fluid of each group were determined by flow cytometry. Morphological changes in airway endothelial tissue were determined by the hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining method. Apoptosis was determined by CytoTox 96 method， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） method was used to determine the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10） expression. Western blot method was used to detect the （p）-PI3K/p-Akt level in the alveolar bronchial tissue of each group. ResultCompared with the blank group， the total number of cells， total number of macrophages， total number of eosinophils， total number of lymphocytes， and total number of neutrophils were significantly higher in the model group （P<0.05）. HE staining showed that the airway mucosa of the rats had obvious edema， and a large number of inflammatory cells were infiltrated （P<0.05）. The rate of apoptosis was significantly higher （P<0.05）， and the levels of the inflammasome NLRP3， IL-1β， and IL-10 increased significantly （P<0.05）. p-PI3K/p-Akt level increased significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the total number of cells， total number of macrophages， total number of eosinophils， total number of lymphocytes， and total number of neutrophils were significantly decreased after the intervention of artemisinin at low， medium， and high concentrations （P<0.05）. HE staining showed that the degree of edema of the airway mucosa of the rats was reduced， and the area of the inflammatory cell infiltration was drastically reduced （P<0.05）. The apoptosis rate was significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the levels of the inflammasome NLRP3， IL-1β， and IL-10 decreased significantly （P<0.05）. p-PI3K/p-Akt level decreased significantly （P<0.05）. ConclusionArtemisinin significantly inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation， reduces cellular pyroptosis and inflammatory cell expression， and attenuates airway inflammatory manifestations and airway remodeling in asthmatic rats， which may be related to the regulation of p-PI3K/p-Akt， and the results may provide laboratory insights and basis for the treatment of bronchial asthma with artemisinin.

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.

Protective Effects of Danmu Extract Syrup on Acute Lung Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Mice through Endothelial Barrier Repair / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of Danmu Extract Syrup (DMS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and explore the mechanism.@*METHODS@#Seventy-two male Balb/C mice were randomly divided into 6 groups according to a random number table (n=12), including control (normal saline), LPS (5 mg/kg), LPS+DMS 2.5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 10 mL/kg, and LPS+Dexamethasone (DXM, 5 mg/kg) groups. After pretreatment with DMS and DXM, the ALI mice model was induced by LPS, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected to determine protein concentration, cell counts and inflammatory cytokines. The lung tissues of mice were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of lung tissue was calculated. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 β in BALF of mice were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of Claudin-5, vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phospho-protein kinase B (p-Akt) and Akt were detected by Western blot analysis.@*RESULTS@#DMS pre-treatment significantly ameliorated lung histopathological changes. Compared with the LPS group, the W/D ratio and protein contents in BALF were obviously reduced after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The number of cells in BALF and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity decreased significantly after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). DMS pre-treatment decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 β (P<0.01). Meanwhile, DMS activated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway and reversed the expressions of Claudin-5, VE-cadherin and VEGF (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#DMS attenuated LPS-induced ALI in mice through repairing endothelial barrier. It might be a potential therapeutic drug for LPS-induced lung injury.

Investigation of Efficacy and Mechanism of Zukamu Granules on Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension / 医药导报

Objective To explore and verify the protective and therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms of Zukamu granules on hypoxia alone and hypoxia+Su5416-induced hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPH)in mice.Methods Multiple databases and related literature were used to collect the active ingredients data in Zukamu granules and the HPH-related targets were predicted and obtained.The network construction and enrichment analysis were performed.The HPH mouse models were es-tablished by two-week hypoxia and four-week hypoxia+Su5416 induction,and the relevant indicators and the main pharmacodyna-mic indexes such as right ventricular pressure were tested.Masson staining was used to observe the pathological changes in lung tissues,and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of bax,bcl-2,PI3K,p-PI3K,eNOS,and HIF-1α in lung tis-sues.Results A total of 167 active ingredients of Zukamu granules were screened,with 179 intersecting targets with HPH,in-cluding targets like PIK3CA and HIF-1.The validation experimental results showed that Zukamu granules could significantly re-duce right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy in HPH mice,and down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 and HIF-1α and up-regulate the expression of bax,PI3K,p-PI3K and eNOS in mice lung tissues.Conclusion Zukamu gran-ules may act against HPH by modulating bax/bcl and PI3K-eNOS/HIF-1α signaling pathways.

Research progress on the regulation of endometriosis by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the intervention effect of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Endometriosis(Endometriosis,EMs)is a disease caused by abnormal colonization of the endometrial stroma or glands to sites other than the coated mucosa of the uterine cavity.Phospho-lipid inositol 3 kinase(phosphoinositide 3-kinase,PI3K)/protein kinase B(protein kinase B,Akt)sig-naling pathway is involved in the process of focal blood vessel formation,cell autophagic apoptosis,migration and invasion,and is one of the classic pathways regulating the pathological characteris-tics of EMs.The characteristics of multi-compo-nent,multi-target and multi-pathway of TCM have significant advantages in the treatment of EMs.Some TCM active components and TCM com-pounds can interfere with the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,thus inhibiting the treatment of endome-triotic tissues,reducing pain and alleviating fibrotic lesions.By explaining the connection between the key targets of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and EMs,this paper summarizes and summarizes the re-search status of EMs by regulating PI3K/Akt signal pathway in home and abroad,aiming to provide a new perspective and idea for the use of traditional Chinese medicine and compound to treat EMs.

Effect of miR-130a targeting phosphase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten/phosphoinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B axis on apoptosis of renal tissue cells in rats with diabetic kidney disease / 中国糖尿病杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of miR-130a targeting phosphase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN)/phosphoinositide 3 kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway on renal tissuecell apoptosis in diabetic kidney disease(DKD)rats.Methods The DKD rat model was constructed by feeding high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ).72 rats were divided into normal control group(NC),DKD model group(DKD),miR-130a agonist negative control group(NC agomir),and miR-130a agonist group(miR-130a agomir),miR-130a agomir+ PTEN overexpression negative control group(miR-130a agomir+pcDNA),and miR-130a agomir+ PCDNA-PTEN overexpression group(miR-130a Agomir + PCDNA-PTEN),with12 rats in each group.Urinary microalbumin kit was used to detect 24 h urine albumin(UAlb).Fasting blood glucose(FBG),serum creatinine(Scr)and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer.Pathological changes of renal tissue were detected by HE staining.The levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA.The apoptosis of renal tissue was detected by TUNEL staining.The expression of miR-130a was detected by qRT-PCR,and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein(Bax),B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway were detected by Western blot.Dual luciferase reporter gene experiment was used to verify the targeting relationship between miR-130a and PTEN.Results Compared with DKD and NC agomir groups,24 h UAlb,FPG,Scr,BUN,IL-6,TNF-α,renal cell apoptosis rate,Bax protein expression and PTEN protein expression in miR-130a agomir group were decreased(P＜0.05).The expressions of miR-130a,Bcl-2,p-Akt/AKT protein were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with miR-130a agomir group,24 h UAlb,FPG,Scr,BUN,IL-6,TNF-α,renal cell apoptosis rate,Bax protein expression and PTEN protein expression were increased in miR-130a agomir+pcDNA-PTEN group(P＜0.05).The expression of Bcl-2,p-Akt/AKT protein decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Overexpression of miR-130a may inhibit renal cell apoptosis in DKD rats by down-regulating PTEN to activate PI3K/AKT pathway.

Effect mechanism research of procyanidin on gingivitis rats by regulating the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signal pathway / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential mechanism of procyanidin on rats with gingivitis by regulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） signaling pathway. METHODS The rat model of gingivitis was constructed by sewing the neck of the first maxillary molar with silk thread+applying maltose on the gum+feeding with 20% sucrose solution and soft food. Forth-eight model rats were randomly divided into model group， procyanidin group （160 mg/kg）， 740Y-P group （PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activator， 0.02 mg/kg）， and procyanidin+ 740Y-P group （procyanidin 160 mg/kg+740Y-P 0.02 mg/kg）， with 12 rats in each group； another 12 rats were selected as control group； each medication group was treated with corresponding drugs intragastrically or/and intraperitoneally， once a day， for 7 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， the gingival index of rats was measured； the levels of interleukin- 18 （IL-18）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and alkaline phosphatase （ALP） in gingival crevicular fluid， as well as the levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， catalase （CAT） and reactive oxygen species （ROS） in gingival tissues of rats were detected； the pathological changes in gingival tissues were observed； the expression levels of PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway- related proteins in gingival tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with control group， the gingival tissues of rats in the model group had severe pathological damage，which was manifested as local tissue expansion and congestion， new capillaries， degeneration and loss of collagen fibers and disorder of arrangement， and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration in the gingival sulcus wall. The gingival index， the levels of IL-18， iNOS， ALP in gingival crevicular fluid， the level of ROS in gingival tissues， the phosphorylations of PI3K and Akt， as well as the protein expression of VEGF in gingival tissues were significantly increased； the levels of SOD and CAT in gingival tissues of rats in model group were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the pathological damage to the gingival tissues of rats in procyanidin group was reduced， and all quantitative indicators were significantly improved （P＜0.05）； 740Y-P could reverse the improvement effect of procyanidin on various indicators （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Procyanidin may alleviate gingival tissue damage， and improve gingival inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with gingivitis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway.

Study on the pharmacodynamics and mechanism of Blumea balsamifera total flavonoids against acute myocardial infarction model rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study pharmacodynamics and potential mechanism of Blumea balsamifera total flavonoids against acute myocardial infarction （AMI） model rats. METHODS AMI model of SD rats was established by ligating anterior descending branch of left coronary artery. Fifty model rats were randomly divided into model group （0.8% carboxymethyl cellulose solution）， positive control group （Compound danshen tablet， 300 mg/kg）， B. balsamifera total flavonoids low-dose， medium-dose and high- dose groups （3， 10， 30 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Other 10 rats were included in sham operation group （0.8% carboxymethyl cellulose solution）. After 1 day of surgery， they were given relevant medicine 3 mL/kg intragastrically， once a day， for 4 consecutive weeks. The changes of S-T segment were recorded before and after operation， after weekly intragastric administration. The hemodynamic indexes of rats were all determined， i.e. systolic blood pressure （SBP）， diastolic blood pressure （DBP）， mean arterial pressure （MAP）， left ventricular systolic pressure （LVSP）， left ventricular end diastolic blood pressure （LVEDP）， maximal left ventricular pressure rising rate （+LVdp/dtmax）， maximal left ventricular pressure decreasing rate （－LVdp/ dtmax）. The levels of serum myocardial enzymes [lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB （CK-MB）] and inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β] were determined. The myocardial infarction rate of rats and the phosphorylation levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K） and protein kinase B （Akt） proteins in myocardial tissue were determined. RESULTS Compared with model group， S-T segments of electrocardiogram were all decreased significantly in administration groups （P＜0.05）. SBP， DBP， MAP， LVSP， +LVdp/dtmax， －LVdp/dtmax， and ratio of p-PI3KTyr607/ PI3K， p-AktThr308/Akt， p-Aktser473/Akt were increased significantly in B. balsamifera total flavonoids medium-dose and high-dose groups （P＜0.05）. The levels of LVEDP， serum myocardial enzymes and inflammatory factors， myocardial infarction rate were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS balsamifera total flavonoids can improve cardiac function of AMI model rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factor and activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Effect of hydrogen-rich water on brain injury in rats with acute radiation based on PI3K/AKT/Caspase-9 signaling pathway / 环境与职业医学

Background At present, radiation therapy is widely used in clinical treatment of tumors. However, while radiation therapy damages tumor cells, it also injures surrounding normal tissues. Studies have shown that hydrogen is a potential radiation-protective agent. Objective To investigate the neuroprotective mechanisms of hydrogen-rich water activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/cysteinyl aspartate specificproteinase-9 (Caspase-9) signaling pathway in acute radiation-induced brain injury. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, irradiation only group (IR), high-dose hydrogen-rich water intervention group (IR+HHRW), and low-dose hydrogen-rich water intervention group (IR+LHRW), 10 rats in each group. Except for the control group, animals in each group received a single 20 Gy whole brain irradiation. Animals in all groups were gavaged once a day from 3 d before irradiation to 7 d after irradiation, pure water (20 mL·kg−1) was given to the control and the IR groups, and hydrogen-rich water (20 mL·kg−1, 10 mL·kg−1) was given to the IR+HHRW and the IR+LHRW groups. After 7 d of intervention, 5 rats in each group were selected for the Morris water maze experiment for behavioral evaluation. Autopsies were conducted after anesthesia for the remaining animals and blood samples were collected for hematological analysis. Rat brains were harvested for TUNEL staining to observe neuronal apoptosis. HE staining was performed to observe histopathological changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was adopted to detect oxidative stress-related indicators, and real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to measure the expressions of PI3K/AKT/Caspase-9 pathway-related genes and proteins. Results The body weight of rats receiving irradiation decreased after 7 d of irradiation compared with the control group (P<0.05), and the symptoms such as arched back and malaise occurred to varying degrees, and the symptoms of rats in the IR+HHRW group were significantly milder than those in the IR group. The behavioral test results showed that the escape latency of rats in the IR+HHRW group or the IR+LHRW group was shorter than that in the IR group from day 2 to day 5 (P<0.05), and it took less time for rats in the IR+HHRW group to reach the original position after removing the platform on day 6 (P<0.05). The hematological test results showed that red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (HGB) level, and white blood cell (WBC) count were significantly decreased in the IR group (P<0.05), and the changes in the IR+HHRW group were improved (P<0.05). The HE staining results showed that the number of abnormal nerve cells, broken and dissolved nuclei, and the degree of damage in the IR+HHRW group were significantly reduced than those in the IR group. The results of oxidative stress evaluation showed that the ability of the IR group to inhibit free radicals decreased, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased (P<0.01); the MDA level decreased after LHRW intervention (P<0.05); the SOD activity was elevated after HHRW intervention (P<0.05). The TUNEL staining results showed that the apoptosis signals in the IR+HHRW group were sparser than those in the IR group (P<0.05). The real-time PCR results showed that compared with the IR group, the mRNA expression levels of PI3K and AKT in the IR+HHRW group and the IR+LHRW group increased (P<0.05), while the mRNA expression levels of Cytc and Caspase-9 decreased (P<0.05). The Western blotting results showed that compared with the IR group, the phospho-AKT (pAKT) protein expression level in the IR+HHRW group increased significantly (P<0.05), while the expression of Caspase-9 and Cytc proteins decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion Hydrogen-rich water can significantly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by acute irradiation-induced brain injury, and decrease neuronal apoptosis. The mechanism may be related to the PI3K/AKT/Caspase-9 signaling pathway.

Mechanism of Buyang Huanwutang Combined with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury Based on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Buyang Huanwutang combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell （BMSC） transplantation in the treatment of spinal cord injury （SCI）. MethodDifferent concentrations （12.5， 25， 50 g·kg-1） of Buyang Huanwutang were administrated to rats by gavage. The spinal cord function of rats was measured by modified Tarlov score， and the most suitable concentration of Buyang Huanwutang was screened out. SD rats were then divided into 6 groups， namely， the sham operation group （gavage of equal amount of normal saline）， the model group （gavage of equal amount of normal saline）， the Buyang Huanwutang group （gavage of 25 g·kg-1 Buyang Huanwutang）， the BMSC transplantation group （tail vein injection of BMSCs 1 mL）， the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC group （gavage of 25 g·kg-1 Buyang Huanwutang and tail vein injection of BMSCs 1 mL）， the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC+LY294002 group （gavage of 25 g·kg-1 Buyang Huanwutang and tail vein injection of BMSCs 1 mL and 40 mg·kg-1 LY294002）， with 10 rats in each group. The spinal cord function was measured by the modified Tarlov score， inclined plate test， and latency of cortical somatosensory evoked potential. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the number of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuracil nucleoside （Brdu）-labeled positive cells in the spinal cord tissue. The protein expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， glycoprotein 130 （gp130）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in spinal cord were detected by Western blot. ResultAs compared with the sham operation group， the Tarlov score and the critical angle of tilt plane in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the latency of cortical somatosensory evoked potential wave and the protein expression levels of p-Akt， gp130， and IL-6 were significantly increased （P<0.05）. As compared with the model group， the Tarlov score and the critical angle of tilt plane in the sham operation group and each treatment group were significantly increased （P<0.05）， and the latency of cortical somatosensory evoked potential wave and the protein expression levels of p-Akt， gp130， and IL-6 were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. As compared with the BMSC group， the Tarlov score and the critical angle of inclined plane in the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC group increased （P<0.05）， the latency of cortical somatosensory evoked potential wave and the protein expression levels of p-Akt， gp130， and IL-6 decreased （P<0.05）， and the number of Brdu-labeled positive cells increased 5 weeks after transplantation （P<0.05）. As compared with the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC group， the Tarlov score and the critical angle of the inclined plane in the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC+LY294002 group increased （P<0.05）， and the latency of cortical somatosensory evoked potential wave and the protein expression levels of p-Akt， gp130， and IL-6 decreased significantly （P<0.05）. Five weeks after transplantation， the number of Brdu-labeled positive cells increased significantly in the Buyang Huanwutang+BMSC+LY294002 group （P<0.05）. ConclusionBuyang Huanwutang can promote BMSCs migration and restore spinal cord function by inhibiting phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signal.

Repair Mechanism of Jianpi Huogu Prescription on Vascular Injury in Alcohol-induced Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head Based on VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

MethodIn the experiment， 46% vol Red Star Erguotou （10 mL·kg·d-1） was used to establish the AONFH rat model， and the intervention effect of JPHGP at different doses （2.5， 5.0， 10.0 g·kg-1） was observed. Jiangusheng pill （JGS， 1.53 g·kg-1） was selected as the positive control. After 8 weeks of administration， the bone histomorphometry of the femoral head was analyzed by Micro-CT imaging， and the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was detected by ink perfusion. The pathological change was observed by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining. The protein expressions of Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （CD31）， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， phosphor-Akt （p-Akt） and phosphatase and Tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 （PTEN） in the femoral head were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. ResultCompared with normal group， the model group presented the fracture and thinning of trabeculae in the femoral head， increased empty bone lacunae， and elevated number and diameter of adipocytes （P<0.01）. Micro-CT imaging revealed a decrease in bone mineral density （BMD）， bone volume fraction （BV/TV）， trabecular thickness （Tb.Th） and trabecular number （Tb.N） （P<0.05， P<0.01） while an increase in bone surface-to-volume ratio （BS/BV） and trabecular separation （Tb.Sp） （P<0.01）. The results of ink perfusion showed that the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， JPHGP lowered the empty bone lacunae rate as well as the number and diameter of adipocytes in the femoral head of AONFH rats. Micro-CT imaging indicated that JPHGP low-dose group had elevated BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01） while decreased BS/BV （P<0.01）， and there was an upward trend in BMD while a downward trend in Tb.Sp， but without statistical difference. In addition， JPHGP medium- and high-dose groups had a rise in BMD， BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01）， a decrease in BS/BV and Tb.Sp （P<0.05， P<0.01） and enlarged area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of CD31， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， p-Akt in the model group were lower than those in the normal group （P<0.01）， and after medium and high doses of JPHGP treatment， the expressions of CD31， PI3K and p-Akt in the femoral head of rats were up-regulated （P<0.01） while the protein expression of PTEN was down-regulated （P<0.01）. Moreover， JPHGP up-regulated the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can repair the vascular injury in AONFH， and its mechanism may be related to the activation of VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study provides certain scientific basis and reference for the clinical application of JPHGP. ObjecctiveTo observe the repair effect of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） on vascular injury in experimental alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head （AONFH）， and to explore its mechanism based on vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）/VEGFR2/phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway.

Effects of berberine on immune regulation and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in rats with lung cancer / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of berberine on immune regulation and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signal pathway in lung cancer rats.Methods:The lung cancer rat model was established by perfusing a carcinogenic lipiodol solution. The 36 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the model group ( n = 12), the berberine group ( n = 12), and the normal group ( n = 12). The rats in the berberine group were ig berberine 15 mg/kg, once daily. The rats in the model group and the normal group were ig the same dose of normal saline, once daily. The intervention was conducted continuously for 16 weeks for each group. The spleen index and lung index, tumor inhibition rate, T lymphocyte subgroup level, PI3K, and Akt protein expression of rats in each group were compared. Results:The spleen index of the model group and berberine group was lower than that of the normal group, while the lung index was higher than that of the normal group (all P < 0.05). The spleen index of the berberine group was higher than that of the model group, while the lung index was lower than that of the model group (all P < 0.05). The tumor weight of the berberine group was lower than that of the model group ( P < 0.05). The tumor inhibition rate of the berberine group was 43.12%. The CD3 +, CD4 +, and CD4 +/CD8 + levels of the model group and berberine group were lower than those of the normal group, CD8 + level was higher than that of the normal group (all P < 0.05), and the CD3 +, CD4 + and CD4 +/CD8 + levels of the berberine group higher than those of the model group, while CD8 + level was opposite (all P < 0.05). The gray values of PI3K and Akt protein of the model group and berberine group were higher than those of the normal group (all P < 0.05), and this value of the berberine group was lower than that of the model group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:Berberine can effectively inhibit tumor growth in lung cancer rats, promote spleen development and differentiation, regulate immune function, and downregulate the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Inhibitory effects of formononetin on lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis and inflammatory response in alveolar epithelial cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the inhibitory effects of formononetin on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced apoptosis and inflammatory response in alveolar epithelial cells through phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. METHODS Human lung cancer alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 were cultured in vitro and divided into control group （no intervention）， model group （1 μg/mL LPS）， different concentrations of formononetin groups （1 μg/mL LPS+6.25， 12.5， 25， 50 μmol/L formononetin）. The levels of inflammatory factors （interleukin-8， tumor necrosis factor-α） and cell viability were detected in each group. Another A549 cells were divided into control group， model group （1 μg/mL LPS）， LPS+25 group （1 μg/mL LPS+25 μmol/L formononetin）， inhibitor group （1 μg/mL LPS+20 μmol/L LY294002）， formononetin+inhibitor group （1 μg/mL LPS+25 μmol/L formononetin+20 μmol/L LY294002） and formononetin+activator group （1 μg/mL LPS+25 μmol/L formononetin+ 10 μmol/L SC79）. The secretion levels and mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors， cell apoptosis， and expressions of the key proteins of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were detected in each group. RESULTS Compared with model group， the levels of inflammatory factors were decreased significantly after the intervention of 25 μmol/L of formononetin， and the cell viability was increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the control group， the secretion levels and mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors， apoptotic rate， and relative expressions of phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated PI3K of the model group were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the above indexes of the LPS+25 group and the inhibitor group were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the LPS+25 group， the above indicators of formononetin+inhibitor group were further decreased， while those of formononetin+activator group were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Formononetin can inhibit LPS-induced epithelial cell apoptosis and improve inflammatory response， and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Dissecting the novel abilities of aripiprazole: The generation of anti-colorectal cancer effects by targeting Gαq via HTR2B

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a type of malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health and life, and its treatment has always been a difficulty and hotspot in research. Herein, this study for the first time reports that antipsychotic aripiprazole (Ari) against the proliferation of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo, but with less damage in normal colon cells. Mechanistically, the results showed that 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor (HTR2B) and its coupling protein G protein subunit alpha q (Gαq) were highly distributed in CRC cells. Ari had a strong affinity with HTR2B and inhibited HTR2B downstream signaling. Blockade of HTR2B signaling suppressed the growth of CRC cells, but HTR2B was not found to have independent anticancer activity. Interestingly, the binding of Gαq to HTR2B was decreased after Ari treatment. Knockdown of Gαq not only restricted CRC cell growth, but also directly affected the anti-CRC efficacy of Ari. Moreover, an interaction between Ari and Gαq was found in that the mutation at amino acid 190 of Gαq reduced the efficacy of Ari. Thus, these results confirm that Gαq coupled to HTR2B was a potential target of Ari in mediating CRC proliferation. Collectively, this study provides a novel effective strategy for CRC therapy and favorable evidence for promoting Ari as an anticancer agent.

Design, synthesis and anti-tumor activity of combretastatin A-4 derivatives / 中国药科大学学报

@#Based on the structure of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4), a microtubulin inhibitor, eight novel compounds were designed and synthesized by introducing different substituents into the benzimidazole backbone which substituted B ring of CA-4, and the structures were characterized by NMR and HRMS. Proliferation inhibition of six tumor cells including A549, HepG2, HCT-116, MCF-7, PC-3 and Siha was measured by MTT method.The effect of active compound on cell migration was evaluated by scratch test.Molecular docking technique was applied to investigate the interaction between the most active compound with the tubulin and PI3K kinases respectively.Compound 4e showed prominent inhibition against six strains of tumor cells, especially with the strongest inhibitory effect on Siha cells (IC50 = 12.18 ± 1.17 μmol/L).Moreover, compound 4e could effectively inhibit cell migration, which deserves further study.Molecular docking study showed that the binding energy to the tubulin of compound 4e was stronger than that of CA-4, and the affinity with PI3Ks displayed that the PI3Kδ subtype kinase was the strongest; its binding energy was -37.2 kJ/mol.This study lays a foundation for the development of anti-tumor drug based on PI3K and microtubulin.

Clinical features and diagnostic progress of activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome / 中国综合临床

Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome(APDS) is an autosomal dominant inherited primary immunodeficiency disease that is caused by mutations in PIK3CD or PIK3R1 genes leading to overactivation of the PI3Kδ signaling pathway, first reported by Angulo et al in 2013. The clinical manifestations of the disease are recurrent respiratory tract infections, benign lymph node hyperplasia, autoimmune diseases, lymphoma and so on. Although most patients develop the disease in childhood, there are also reports of adult onset and asymptomatic patients. In addition, the immunophenotype of activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome is changeable, usually the IgA levels are reduced, the IgM levels can be normal or elevated, and the IgG levels are variable, so it is easy to be misdiagnosed at first diagnosis. There is no unified diagnostic standard at present, and timely genetic testing is required to confirm the diagnosis.

Effect of Shengjiang Tonglong Prescription Hollow Suppository on Rats with Prostatic Hyperplasia Based on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository on rats with prostate hyperplasia， and the effect of the proteins related to phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway in the prostate， thus exploring the mechanism of Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository in the treatment of rats with prostate hyperplasia. MethodTen SD male rats were randomly selected from 60 SD male rats to form a sham operation control group， and the rest rats were subcutaneously injected with testosterone propionate for 4 consecutive weeks after castration to induce the rat model of prostatic hyperplasia. According to the random number table method， the 50 rats were randomly divided into a model group， a finasteride group （0.45 mg·kg-1）， and three high， middle， and low-dose Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository groups （3.98， 1.99， 0.99 g·kg-1）， with ten rats in each group. After castration for 7 d， the sham operation control group and the model group used the blank hollow suppositories， and the finasteride group and the Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository groups used the corresponding hollow suppositories. The drugs were given to the rats by anal plugs continuously for 28 d. The rats were then killed， and the prostate tissues were separated and weighed to observe the effects of drugs on the prostate index of rats in each group. The hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used for the pathological observation of the prostate tissues. The level of dihydrotestosterone （DHT） was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway protein， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， cysteine aspartate-specific protease-3 （Caspase-3）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and αB-crystallin （CRYAB） protein in the prostate tissues. ResultAs compared with the sham operation control group， the protein expression levels of prostate index， DHT level， CRYAB， Bcl-2， PI3K， and Akt in the model group were increased， and the protein expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the prostate index in the high-dose Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository group was decreased （P<0.05）， and the level of DHT and the protein expression levels of CRYAB， Bcl-2， PI3K， and Akt in the prostate of the Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository groups were decreased， and the protein expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionShengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository decreases the expression of CRYAB protein， negatively regulates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， down-regulates the level of DHT and the protein expression levels of Bcl-2， PI3K， and Akt， and up-regulates the protein expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax， thereby inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis， which plays a therapeutic role in the benign prostate hyperplasia （BPH）. The high-dose Shengjiang Tonglong prescription hollow suppository significantly improves prostatic hyperplasia in rats.