Effect of Chaishao Liujuntang on Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Rats with Chronic Atrophic Gastritis of Liver Depression and Spleen Deficiency Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Chaishao Liujuntang on Hedgehog signaling pathway in rats with chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） of liver depression and spleen deficiency. MethodWistar rats were randomized into normal group and modeling group. CAG with the liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome was induced in rats in the modeling group with a compound method. After modeling， they were classified into the model group， vitacoenzyme group， Chaishao Liujuntang group， GDC-0449 （blocker） group， and Chaishao Liujuntang + GDC-0449 group. Normal group and model group were given （ig） normal saline. Vitacoenzyme and Chaishao Liujuntang group received （ig） corresponding drugs at 240 mg·kg-1·d-1 and 5.1 g·kg-1·d-1， respectively， and GDC-0449 group was treated （ip） with GDC-0449 at 50 mg·kg-1·d-1. For the Chaishao Liujuntang + GDC-0449 group， rats received GDC-0449 （ip） at 50 mg·kg-1·d-1 and Chaishao Liujuntang （ig） at 5.1 g·kg-1·d-1. The administration lasted 4 weeks. The pathological morphology of rat gastric mucosa was observed based on hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. mRNA and protein expression of sonic hedgehog （Shh）， 12th transmembrane receptor Patched1 （Ptch1）， and glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 （Gli1） in gastric mucosa tissues was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Content of serum interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultCompared with normal group， the model group demonstrated decrease in gland cells， glandular atrophy， large lumen volume， plasma cell infiltration， intestinal metaplasia， decrease in the mRNA and protein expression of Shh， Ptch1， and Gli1 in gastric mucosa （P<0.01）， and rise of serum IL-1β and TNF-α content （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， vitacoenzyme group and Chaishao Liujuntang group showed ordered cells， alleviation of gland atrophy， and no obvious inflammatory infiltration， and GDC-0499 group and Chaishao Liujuntang + GDC-0449 showed no significant improvement. Significant rise in the mRNA and protein expression of Shh， Ptch1， and Gli1 in gastric mucosa tissues of vitacoenzyme group and Chaishao Liujuntang group （P<0.01）， no significant difference in serum IL-1β content and significant decrease in TNF-α content in vitacoenzyme group （P<0.01）， significant reduction in content of serum IL-1β and TNF-α in Chaishao Liujuntang group （P<0.05， P<0.01） were observed compared with those in the model group. The mRNA and protein expression of Shh， Ptch1， and Gli1 in gastric mucosa and the content of serum IL-1β and TNF-α were insignificantly different between the GDC-0449 group and Chaishao Liujuntang + GDC-0449 group. ConclusionChaishao Liujuntang can effectively improve the pathological state of gastric mucosa in CAG rats with liver depression and spleen deficiency， which may be related to the activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway and the decrease of IL-1β and TNF-α content.