Protective mechanism of Yinchenzhufu decoction against cholestatic liver injury induced by lithic acid based on network pharmacology / 药学学报

Yinchenzhufu decoction (YCZFD) is a classic formula for treating Yin Huang syndrome, which can improve liver injury caused by cholestasis. However, the mechanism of action of YCZFD still remains unclear. This article used network pharmacology, molecular docking, animal experiments, and molecular biology methods to explore the mechanism of YCZFD in treating liver injury caused by cholestasis. A mouse model of acute cholestasis induced by lithocholic acid was used to investigate the effects of YCZFD on liver injury. The experimental procedures described in this paper were reviewed and approved by the Ethical Committee at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval NO. PZSHUTCM190823002). The results showed that YCZFD could reduce the levels of blood biochemical indicators and improve hepatocyte damage of cholestatic mice. Then, multiple databases were used to predict the corresponding targets of YCZFD active components on cholestatic liver injury. An intersection target protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks based on String database and Cytoscape software was used to demonstrate the possible core targets of YCZFD against cholestatic liver injury. The results indicated that core targets of YCZFD include tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1β, non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src, interleukin-6, etc. GO (gene ontology) and KEGG (kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) enrichment analysis indicated that YCZFD may regulate the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, bile secretion, and other related factors to ameliorate the cholestatic liver injury. AutoDockTools software was used to perform molecular docking verification on the core targets and components of YCZFD. To verify the results of network pharmacology, UPLC-MS/MS method was used to determine the effect of YCZFD on levels of bile acid profiles in mouse liver tissues. It was found that treatment with YCZFD significantly reduced the content of free bile acids, taurine bound bile acids, and total bile acids in the liver tissues of cholestatic mice. Then, results from real time PCR and Western blot also found that YCZFD can upregulate the expression of hepatic nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor, metabolizing enzyme (UDP glucuronidase transferase 1a1), and efflux transporters (bile salt export pump, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2, multidrug resistance-associated protein 3, etc) in cholestasis mice, promote bile acid metabolism and excretion, and improve bile acid homeostasis. Moreover, YCZFD can also inhibit pyroptosis and inflammation by regulating NOD-like receptors 3 pathway, thereby inhibiting cholestatic liver injury.

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxystibane-2-O-β-D-glucoside induces liver injury by disrupting bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux / 中国中药杂志

Polygonum multiflorum is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and has many biological activities such as hair-blacking, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging. However, the liver injury induced by P. multiflorum has aroused wide attention in recent years. 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystibane-2-O-β-D-glucoside(TSG) is a main component of P. multiflorum, but the role of TSG in inducing liver injury is unclear. The aim of present study was to evaluate TSG's potential liver injury and effects on bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux. C57 BL/6 J mice received intraperitoneal administration of 400 mg·kg~(-1) of TSG daily for 15 days, and then biochemical indexes of liver injury and changes of phospholipid content were detected. The changes of bile acid compositions were detected by LC-MS/MS. The results showed TSG 400 mg·kg~(-1) significantly increased the content of serum total bile acid(TBA) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP). Elevated free bile acid levels were observed in TSG-treated groups, including β-muricholic acid(β-MCA), ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), hyodeoxycholic acid(HDCA), chenodeoxycholic acid(CDCA), deoxcholic acid(DCA) in serum and β-MCA, CDCA in liver. TSG inhibited the protein expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR) and down stream bile salt export pump(BSEP), which may result in the accumulation of bile acid. TSG also inhibited the expression of 25-hydroxycholesterol-7 alpha-hydroxylase(CYP7 B1), which may disturb the alternative pathway for bile acid synthesis. In addition, intraperitoneal injection of TSG 400 mg·kg~(-1) significantly decreased the content of phospholipids in bile. The research showed that TSG significantly inhibited the expression of multidrug resistance protein 2(MDR2) and destroyed the regular distribution of MDR2 on the bile duct membrane of liver. In vitro results showed that the IC_(50) of TSG on HepG2 cells was about 1 500 μmol·L~(-1) and TSG at 500 μmol·L~(-1)(for 24 h) could destroy the distribution of MDR2 on the bile duct membrane of liver. In conclusion, TSG induced liver injury by disrupting bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux.

Tight junctions-associated proteins:a novel therapeutic target for cholestatic liver injury / 中国药科大学学报

@#The occurrence of cholestatic liver injury is accompanied by the alterations of hepatocyte polarization and bile acid homeostasis. Located in epithelial cells, tight junctions(TJs)are a special barrier structure which are important in maintaining permeability and bile acid homeostasis. Based on the fully analysis and discussion of TJs, the latest therapeutic drugs for cholestasis were summaried, which may provide new perspectives and potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of cholestatic liver injury.