Yinxieling decoction ameliorates psoriasis by regulating the differentiation and functions of Langerhans cells via the TGF-ß1/PU.1/IL-23 signal axis.

Langerhans cells (LCs) play a critical role in skin immune responses and the development of psoriasis. Yinxieling (YXL) is a representative Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of psoriasis in South China. It was found to improve psoriasis without obvious side effects in the clinic. Here we attempted to clarify whether and how YXL regulates the differentiation and functions of LCs in Imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis in vivo and induced LCs in vitro. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score was used to evaluate the efficacy of YXL for IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mice. Flow cytometry was utilized to analyze the effects of YXL, to regulate the differentiation, migration, maturation, and antigen presentation of LCs. The results show that YXL significantly alleviated skin inflammation, as reduced in PASI score and classic psoriasis characteristics in pathological sections. Although there was no effect on the proportion of total DCs in the skin-draining lymph nodes, the expression of epidermal LCs and its transcription factor PU.1 were both markedly inhibited. LCs were also prevented from migrating from epidermal to skin-draining lymph nodes and mature. In addition, the number of LCs carrying antigens in the epidermis increased, which suggested that YXL could effectively prevent LCs from presenting antigens. In vitro, YXL had a significant impact on inhibiting the differentiation of LCs. Further data showed that YXL decreased the relative expression of transforming growth factor-ß (TGFß) messenger RNA (mRNA) and interleukin-23 (IL-23) mRNAs. Thus, YXL alleviates psoriasis by regulating differentiation, migration, maturation, and antigen presentation via the TGFß/PU.1/IL-23 signal axis.

Punicalagin alleviates the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes in psoriasis through inhibiting SKP2 expression.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by abnormal keratinocytes proliferation and multiple immune cells infiltration in the dermis and epidermis. Although most psoriasis-related researches have been concentrated on the interleukin-23 (IL-23)/interleukin-17 (IL-17) axis, new data suggest that keratinocytes also play a pivotal role in psoriasis. Previously, we found that punicalagin (PUN), a bioactive ellagitannin extracted from Pericarpium Granati (the pericarpium of Punica granatum L.), exerts a therapeutic effect on psoriasis. However, the underlying mechanism, especially its potential modulatory effect on keratinocytes, remains obscure. Our study aims to reveal the potential regulatory effect and its underlying cellular mechanism of PUN on the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. We used tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-17A and interleukin-6 (IL-6) to induce abnormal proliferation of HaCaT cells (Human Keratinocytes Cells) in vitro. Then, we evaluated the effects of PUN through MTT assay, EdU staining and cell cycle detection. Finally, we explored the underlying cellular mechanisms of PUN via RNA-sequencing, WB in vitro and in vivo. Here, we found that PUN can directly and dose-dependently decrease TNF-α, IL-17A and IL-6-induced abnormal proliferation of HaCaT cells in vitro. Mechanically, PUN suppresses the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes through repressing S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) expression in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of SKP2 can partly abolish PUN-mediated inhibition of aberrantly proliferative keratinocytes. These results illustrate that PUN can reduce the severity of psoriasis through directly repressing SKP2-mediated abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes, which gives new insight into the therapeutic mechanism of PUN on psoriasis. Moreover, these findings imply that PUN might be a promising drug candidate for the treatment of psoriasis.

Mechanism of Radix Scutellariae in the treatment of influenza A based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Background: Radix Scutellariae (RS) has been used to treat influenza for thousands of years in China. However, its mechanisms of action remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to use a network pharmacology and molecular docking-based approach to explore active components and potential molecular mechanisms of RS for influenza A. Methods: Target genes of RS and influenza A were attained by accessing network databases. We then determined the intersection of both genes through bioinformatics using R and Perl language. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by the STRING website (https://cn.string-db.org). The network analysis was done using Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were applied for the above genes. Effective components as core targets were screened out based on the condition that the interaction must come first. These core targets were combined with 3D structures of main RNA coding proteins of influenza A virus. Molecular docking was used to visualize drug-target interaction via AutoDock Vina and PyMOL. Results: Twenty-eight active components and 40 target genes were acquired through the regulatory network of active components of RS and the PPI network. Seventy-one bioinformatics expressions were obtained through GO enrichment analysis (P<0.05). A total of 124 signaling pathways were screened by KEGG enrichment analysis (P<0.05). Acacetin, wogonin, baicalein, oroxylin A, and beta-sitosterol, which are rich in RS, are closely related to hemagglutinin (HA), NeurAminidase (NA), nucleoprotein (NP), polymerase basic protein 1 (PB1), polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2), polymerase acidic (PA), matrix protein 1 (M1), matrix protein 2 (M2), and non-structural protein (NS), which are the main RNA coding proteins of influenza A virus. The binding energies of these 8 proteins were less than -5 kJ/mol, indicating that the ligands had strong affinity with receptor proteins. Conclusions: RS is rich in core target compounds, and its mechanism of action is further expressed. It could have a good therapeutic effect for influenza A through multi-compound and multi-target regulation of these specific protein targets, and targets and pathways related to immunity and inflammation.

Isolable Tin(II) Hydrides Featuring Sterically Undemanding Pincer-Type Ligands and Their Dehydrogenative Sn-Sn Bond Forming Reactions to Distannynes Promoted by Lewis Acidic Tri-sec-butylborane.

Unlike isolable tin(II) hydrides supported by bulky ligands reported in the literature, this research describes the synthesis and characterization of thermally stable tin(II) hydrides LPhSnH (1-H) and MeLSnH (2-H) stabilized by sterically undemanding N,N,N-coordinating pincer-type ligands (LPh = 2,5-dipyridyl-3,4-diphenylpyrrolato; MeL = 2,5-bis(6-methylpyridyl)pyrrolato). The results from previous reports reveal that attempts to access tin(II) hydrides containing less-bulky ligands have had limited success, and decomposition to tin(I) distannynes often occurs. The key to the successful isolation of 1-H and 2-H is the identification of the role of Lewis acidic BsBu3, generated upon delivering hydride from commonly used hydride reagents M[BsBu3H] ("selectrides", M = Li or K). This study details compelling experimental evidence and theoretical results of the role played by BsBu3, which catalyzes the dehydrocoupling reactions of 1-H and 2-H to yield tin(I) distannynes LPhSn-SnLPh (12) and MeLSn-SnMeL (22) with the liberation of H2. To avoid the interference of BsBu3, 1-H and 2-H can be isolated in pure forms using pinacolborane as the hydride donor with LPhSnOMe (1-OMe) and MeLSnOMe (2-OMe) as reactants, respectively. DFT calculations and experimental observations indicate that the coordination of the Sn-H bond of 1-H to BsBu3 leaves an electrophilic tin center, rendering the nucleophilic attack by the second equivalent of 1-H forming a Sn-Sn bond.

Danlou Tablets Inhibit Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice by Inducing Macrophage Autophagy: The Role of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR Pathway.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a type of chronic vascular disease, and its etiology is not yet fully understood. AS is characterized by lipid deposition, atherosclerotic plaque formation, vascular stenosis or even complete blockage of the blood vessel wall. Clinical studies have shown that Danlou tablets (DLTs) can improve the heart function, quality of life, and prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction. However, its mechanism of action remains unknown. Our study revealed that DLTs ameliorated ApoE-/-AS mouse aortic atherosclerotic plaques [hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and small animal ultrasound] and reduced CD68+ macrophage infiltration, the expression of the inflammatory factor interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), vascular smooth muscle α-actin, and serum lipid levels. In vitro, in the macrophage foaming model, DLTs partially restored the activity of RAW264.7 cells, reduced the uptake of lipid droplets, and inhibited lipid droplet accumulation and apoptosis within BMDMs. We also found that Torin1, an autophagy agonist, reduced intracellular lipid deposition in BMDMs, as did DLTs. Moreover, DLTs upregulated the expression of the autophagy-related protein LC3II and decreased p62 accumulation in RAW264.7 cells. DLTs also inhibited the phosphorylation of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR, leading to upregulated autophagy in RAW264.7 cells. In summary, our results suggested that DLTs can promote autophagy in macrophages by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby reducing foam cell formation and improving atherosclerosis.

Rosmarinic acid protects mice from imiquimod induced psoriasis-like skin lesions by inhibiting the IL-23/Th17 axis via regulating Jak2/Stat3 signaling pathway.

IL-23/Th17 (IL-17) axis plays a critical role in psoriasis. Rosmarinic acid (RA) was proved the inhibitory effect of T cell infiltration in the skin. However, whether and how RA has beneficial effects on psoriasis did not really know yet. So lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced abnormal proliferation Hacat cell line and Imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse dermatitis were used to assess the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of RA by Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score, histopathology, flow cytometry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting. The results showed that RA inhibited LPS-induced aberrant expression of Hacat cell line, and significantly alleviated IMQ-induced skin inflammation. Although RA had no obviously effect on the ratio of epidermal Langerhans cell (LC) and LC migration from the skin to the skin draining lymph nodes, RA inhibited the expression of IL-23 in skin lesions, as well as reduced the differentiation of Th17 cells and producing of IL-17A by down regulating the transcriptor factor RORγt and JAK2/Stat3 signal pathway, comparing to IMQ treated group. The findings suggest that RA inhibits psoriasis-like skin inflammation in vivo and in vitro by reducing the expression of IL-23, inhibiting Th17 dominated inflammation and down regulating the Jak2/Stat3 signal pathway.

Analysis of miRNA-mRNA Interaction Network Reveals Gap Junction Beta 2 as a Potential Candidate Gene Involved in Psoriatic Hearing Loss Pathogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that patients with psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that may accompany the serious systemic disease, are at risk of developing sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The pathogenesis remains unclear, and the mechanisms of this disorder are difficult to explore in the clinical setting due to psoriasis hearing loss's infrequent incidence. Here, we aimed to identify key candidate genes that may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriatic hearing loss. METHODS: In the present study, through online databases and literature review, we utilized microRNA-mRNA network analysis and gene ontology annotation analysis, coupled with experimental data from clinical samples, to investigate the relationship between psoriasis and hearing loss. RESULTS: We identified nine miRNAs implicated in both psoriasis and the auditory system. By using bioinformatics techniques, 12 target genes were identified. Finally, the gap junction beta-2 protein (GJB2) was found to be relevant to both psoriasis and hearing loss. Also, the expression of connexin 26 (Cx26), encoded by GJB2, was significantly downregulated in psoriatic patients' plasma (p < 0.0001) and was negatively correlated with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) clinical score (r, -0.286; p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: GJB2 is a potential candidate gene for hearing loss in psoriasis.

Taxifolin attenuates IMQ-induced murine psoriasis-like dermatitis by regulating T helper cell responses via Notch1 and JAK2/STAT3 signal pathways.

Psoriasis is a T cells mediated chronic skin inflammation in which helper T (Th) cells play in critical roles in its pathogenesis. Taxifolin (TXL) has been discovered to exert various pharmacological activities. In this study, we wished to observe whether TXL had potential activities on psoriasis, and how it works. We found that TXL can inhibit LPS-induced abnormal proliferation in Hacat cell line, ant also significantly alleviate the IMQ-induced psoriasis in BALB/c mice, comparing with the control group. Although TXL has no significant effects on the ratio of total T cells in skin draining lymph nodes (SDLN), it decreases the ratio of pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells, both in skin lesions and SDLN. Our results also disclosed that TXL may regulate Th cells differentiation by inhibiting the transcript factors, including T-bet, GATA-3 and RORγt. Further data show that TXL can inhibit Notch1 and Jak2/Stat3 signal pathways. In summary, TXL may be able to treat psoriasis by regulating Th cells differentiation via inhibiting Notch1 and Jak2/Stat3 pathways.

PSORI-CM02 alleviates IMQ-induced mouse dermatitis via differentially regulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines targeting of Th2 specific transcript factor GATA3.

The IL-17-producing CD4+ T cell and γδT cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis (PS). PSORI-CM02 is a representative herbal formula for the treatment for PS in South China. It was confirmed to improve PS without obvious side effects in the clinic. Here we sought to clarify whether and how PSORI-CM02 regulates T cell differentiation and functions in IMQ-induced psoriasis-like BALB/c mouse model. Mice pre-treated 3 days with PSORI-CM02 significantly alleviated skin inflammation, as reduced in PASI score and classic psoriatic characteristics in pathological sections. CD3 and CD4 positive T cells were also fewer in the skin lesions of PSORI-CM02 groups, comparing to control group. PSORI-CM02 also decreased pro-inflammatory IFNγ mRNA and IL-17 A mRNA, while increased IL-4 mRNA in mouse skin lesions. In skin draining lymph nodes (DLN), PSORI-CM02 reduced the ratio of γδT cells and inhibited their function of producing IL-17 A. Nevertheless PSORI-CM02 had no effects on the ratio of total TCRß+T cells and CD4 + T cells. But it regulated CD4 + T helper cells differentiation, and resulted in the decreasing percentage of IFNγ producing Th1 cells and IL-17 A producing Th17 cells, while increasing the ratio of IL-4 producing Th2 cells in DLN. Further data showed that PSORI-CM02 promote expression of Th2 specific transcript factor GATA3, but had no effects on T-bet and RORγ. Thus, we tentatively interpret that PSORI-CM02 impairs IMQ-induced psoriasis by promoting Th2 cell response targeting of GATA3.

An Essential Role of Maspin in Embryogenesis and Tumor Suppression.

Maspin (SerpinB5) is an epithelial-specific tumor suppressor gene product that displays context-dependent cellular functions. Maspin-deficient mouse models created to date have not definitively established maspin functions critical for cancer suppression. In this study, we generated a mouse strain in which exon 4 of the Maspin gene was deleted, confirming its essential role in development but also enabling a breeding scheme to bypass embryonic lethality. Phenotypic characterization of this viable strain established that maspin deficiency was associated with a reduction in maximum body weight and a variety of context-dependent epithelial abnormalities. Specifically, maspin-deficient mice exhibited pulmonary adenocarcinoma, myoepithelial hyperplasia of the mammary gland, hyperplasia of luminal cells of dorsolateral and anterior prostate, and atrophy of luminal cells of ventral prostate and stratum spinosum of epidermis. These cancer phenotypes were accompanied by increased inflammatory stroma. These mice also displayed the autoimmune disorder alopecia aerate. Overall, our findings defined context-specific tumor suppressor roles for maspin in a clinically relevant model to study maspin functions in cancer and other pathologies. Cancer Res; 77(4); 886-96. ©2017 AACR.

Roles of microRNAs in psoriasis: Immunological functions and potential biomarkers.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, which function in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by the dysfunction of keratinocytes, with the immune dysregulation. We reviewed the recent studies on the roles of miRNAs in psoriasis and showed that miRNAs play key roles in psoriasis, including the regulation of hyperproliferation, cytokine and chemokine production in keratinocyte, as well as mediating immune dysfunction in psoriasis. Furthermore, miRNAs, particularly, circulating miRNAs may serve as novel biomarkers for diagnosis, monitoring therapy response and reflecting the disease severity. Thus, targeting specific miRNAs may be used to develop new therapeutic methods for psoriasis.

miRNA miR-17-92 cluster is differentially regulated in the imiqumod-treated skin but is not required for imiqumod-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis in mice.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play very important roles in the control of immune cell and keratinocyte development and function and are implicated in skin inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. miRNA miR-17-92 was reported to promote the differentiation of Th1 and Th1 cells and to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Here we showed that imiquimod (IMQ) differentially regulates the expression of miR-17-92 cluster in the mouse skin, upregulating miR-17 and miR-19 families and downregulating miR-92. To investigate whether miR-17-92 cluster is functionally involved in the psoriasis, we have generated three mutant mice with specific deletion or overexpression of miR-17-92 cluster in keratinocytes, or with deletion of miR-17-92 cluster in T cells. Interestingly, deletion or overexpression of miR-17-92 cluster in keratinocytes, or deletion of miR-17-92 in T cells did not significantly affect IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis development in the mutant mice compared with wild-type littermates. Thus, miRNA miR-17-92 cluster may not be a key factor regulating imiqumod-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis.

LC-MS/MS determination and interaction of the main components from the traditional Chinese drug pair Danshen-Sanqi based on rat intestinal absorption.

The Chinese drug pair Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)-Sanqi (Panax ginseng) has been widely used for centuries treating various cardiovascular disorders, among which salvianlic acid B (SAB), ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1 ), ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1 ) and notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1 ) were identified as the major components. The present study focused on the interaction between these components based on investigating their intestinal absorption using the Ussing chamber technique. The concentrations of SAB, GRg1 , GRb1 and NGR1 in the intestinal perfusate were determined by LC-MS/MS method, followed by Q (accumulative quantity) and Papp (apparent permeability). The results showed that all these four main components displayed very low permeabilities, which implied their poor absorption in the rat intestine. The intestinal absorption level of SAB displayed regioselectivity: duodenum < jejunum < ileum. However, there was no significant difference in the absorption of GRg1 and GRb1 in the different segments. The Q and Papp values of the four main components were obviously increased in jejunum when co-administrating Danshen extract with Sanqi extract. In conclusion, compatibility of Danshen and Sanqi could remarkably improve the intestinal absorption level of the main components in the pair. To some extent, this might explain the nature of the compatibility mechanisms of composite formulae in TCMs.

[In silico pharmacology of Chinese herbs for chronic kidney diseases].

Tonifying herbs and evil expelling herbs of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for chronic kidney diseases in molecular level were studied by computer aided drug design, including analysis of molecular similarity, predictive ADME simulation and predictive toxic simulation. It was found that this technology could distinguish the structure diversity of compounds from TCM, and screen the lead compounds rapidly.

[Primary study on the SPE-HPLC fingerprint of Gaoli ginseng injection].

OBJECTIVE: To study on the fingerprint of Gaoli ginseng Injection. METHODS: SPE was used to purify samples. HPLC with DAD detector was used to analysis the samples of Gaoli ginseng Injection. Then the analogical degree of the chromatography was estimated by the software. RESULTS: The fingerprints had 14 communal chromatsogram peaks, and the analogical degrees of all samples were greater than 0.95. CONCLUSION: The method is credible. It provides a scientific basis to control the quality of Gaoli ginseng Injection more effectively.

Fingerprint quality control of Tianjihuang by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection.

A novel, simple and accurate fingerprint method was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for the quality control of Hypericum japonicum thunb (Tianjihuang), a Chinese herbal medicine used for the treatment of several bacterial diseases, infectious hepatitis, gastrointestinal disorder, internal hemorrhage and tumors. For the first time, the feasibility and advantages of employing chromatographic fingerprint were investigated and demonstrated for the evaluation of Tianjihuang by systematically comparing chromatograms with a professional analytical software recommended by State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). Our results revealed that the chromatographic fingerprint combining similarity evaluation could efficiently identify and distinguish raw herbs of Tianjihuang from different sources. The effects resulted from collecting locations, harvesting time and storage time on herbal chromatographic fingerprints were also examined.