积雪草苷通过抑制NF-κB/p38通路减轻小鼠低氧性肺动脉高压

Asiaticoside attenuates hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in mice by inhibiting NF-κB/p38 signaling pathway

目的:观察积雪草苷对小鼠低氧性肺动脉高压的影响,并测定小鼠肺组织p38和NF-κB的变化,研究积雪草苷是否通过抑制NF-κB/p38信号通路防治低氧性肺动脉高压。方法:将30只BALB/c小鼠随机分为常氧(normoxia,N)组、低氧(hypoxia,H)组和低氧+积雪草苷组。低氧造模结束后检测右心室收缩压(RVSP)、平均颈动脉压(mCAP)、右心室/(左心室+室间隔)[RV/(LV+S)]、右心室/体重(RV/BW)、血管壁面积/血管总面积(WA/TA)和血管壁直径/血管壁总直径(WT/TT);测量肺组织中p38、p-p38、NF-κB和p-NF-κB的相对表达量以及p-p38和p-NF-κB的荧光强度,同时检测血清中白细胞介素6(IL-6)和肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)的浓度。结果:与N组相比,H组的RVSP、RV/(LV+S)、RV/BW、WA/TA和WT/TT显著升高( P <0.05),而低氧+积雪草苷组的RVSP、RV/(LV+S)、RV/BW、WA/TA和WT/TT显著降低( P <0.05)。同时H组的p-p38和p-NF-κB蛋白水平较N组显著升高,IL-6和TNF-α浓度亦较N组显著升高( P <0.05),而低氧+积雪草苷组的p-p38和p-NF-κB蛋白水平及IL-6和TNF-α浓度均较H组显著降低( P <0.05)。结论:抑制p38/NF-κB信号通路和减轻炎症反应可能是积雪草苷减轻低氧性肺动脉高压的重要机制之一。

AIM: To investigate whether asiaticoside attenuates hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by inhibiting p38/NF-κB signaling pathway. METHODS: BALB/c mice ( n =30) were randomly divided into normoxia (N) group, hypoxia (H) group, and hypoxia+asiaticoside group. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), mean carotid artery pressure (mCAP), the weight ratio of right ventricle/(left ventricle+ventricular septum)[RV/(LV+S)], the ratio of right ventricle/body weight (RV/BW), vessel wall area/vessel total area (WA/TA) and vessel wall diameter/vessel wall total diameter (WT/TT) were determined after the model was established. The protein levels of p38, p-p38, NF-κB and p-NF-κB in the lung tissues were detected by Western blot. The fluorescence intensity of p-p38 and p-NF-κB were measured by immunofluorescence method. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with N group, the levels of RVSP, RV/(LV+S), RV/BW, WA/TA and WT/TT were significantly increased in H group, while administration of asiaticoside decreased the levels of RVSP, RV/(LV+S), RV/BW, WA/TA and WT/TT ( P<0.05 ). Compared with N group, the relative protein levels of p-p38 and p-NF-κB in H group were significantly increased ( P<0.05 ), and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased, which were apparently attenuated by asiaticoside injection. CONCLUSION: Inhibition of p38/NF-κB signaling pathway and reduction of inflammatory responses may be the important mechanisms of asiaticoside in the prevention and treatment of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.