ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Guiqi Baizhu prescription combined with oxaliplatin on the intestinal barrier of tumor-bearing mice with gastric cancer by regulating downstream aquaporin 3 （AQP3） and aquaporin 4 （AQP4） through the vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）/cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP）/protein kinase A （PKA） signaling pathway. MethodThe gastric cancer cell lines MFC with a density of 1×107/mL were prepared into cell suspension. The tumor-bearing mouse model of gastric cancer was established by inoculating 0.2 mL cell suspension under the right axilla of mice. After successful modeling， mice were randomly divided into 5 groups， namely， model group， oxaliplatin group （10 mg·kg-1）， and high， medium， and low-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription groups （17.68， 8.84， 4.42 g·kg-1）， with 10 mice in each group， and the remaining 10 mice were set as a blank group. Mice in each group were treated with Chinese medicine， oxaliplatin， or normal saline by gavage or intraperitoneal injection for 14 d. The next day after the last dose， blood was taken from the eyeball to separate serum and take colonic samples. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the changes in tissue morphology. The content of D-lactate acid （D-LA） and diamine oxidase （DAO） in the serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein expressions of VIP， cAMP， PKA， AQP3， and AQP4 were detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed edema in the colonic submucosa， disordered arrangement of intestinal glands in the mucosal layer， loss of goblet cells， infiltration of inflammatory cells， and villus shedding. However， there were different degrees of improvement in each administration group. As compared with the blank group， the serum levels of DAO and D-LA in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the levels of DAO and D-LA in the high-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription group and the level of D-LA in the medium-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription group were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. As compared with the oxaliplatin group， the levels of D-LA in the high and medium-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription groups were decreased （P<0.05）， and the levels of DAO and D-LA in other administration groups were decreased as well， but the difference had no statistical significance. As compared with the blank group， the mRNA and protein expression levels of VIP， cAMP， PKA， AQP3， and AQP4 in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the mRNA and protein expression levels of VIP， cAMP， PKA， AQP3， and AQP4 in each administration group were increased， and those in the high-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the protein expression level of cAMP in the medium-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription group were increased （P<0.05）. As compared with the oxaliplatin group， the protein expression levels of cAMP in the high-dose oxaliplatin + Guiqi Baizhu prescription group were increased （P<0.05）， and the mRNA and protein expressions of these indexes in the other groups were also increased but the differences were not statistically significant. ConclusionGuiqi Baizhu prescription combined with oxaliplatin can regulate AQP3 and AQP4 through the VIP/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway to protect the intestinal barrier of tumor-bearing mice with gastric cancer.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Licoflavone A (LA) is a natural flavonoid compound derived from the root of Glycyrrhiza. This study investigated the antitumor effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of LA against gastric cancer (GC) in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods: A CCK8 assay was used to measure the antiproliferative activity of LA in human GC SGC-7901, MKN-45, MGC-803 cells, and human GES-1 cells. Target prediction and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis were used to identify the potential molecular targets of LA. The binding pattern of LA to VEGFR-2 was analyzed by molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD). The affinity of LA for VEGFR-2 was determined by microscale thermophoresis (MST). The protein tyrosine kinase activity of VEGFR-2 in the presence of LA was determined by an enzyme activity test. The effect of LA on the proliferation of VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells was measured with CCK8 assays, clone formation assays, and 3D microsphere models. Hoechst 33342 staining, FCM, MMP, and WB assays were used to investigate the ability of LA to block cell cycle and promote apoptosis of VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells. Transwell matrix assays were used to measure migration and invasion, and WB assays were used to measure EMT. Results: LA inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901, MKN-45, and MGC-803 cells and VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells. VEGFR-2 was identified as the target of LA. LA could also block cell cycle, induce apoptosis, and inhibit migration, invasion, and EMT of VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells. Functional analyses further revealed that the cytotoxic effect of LA on VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells potentially involved the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that LA has anti-GC potency in vitro and in vivo. LA affects the proliferation, cycle, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and EMT by targeting VEGFR-2 and blocks the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways in VEGF-stimulated MKN-45 cells.
