A Scd1-mediated metabolic alteration participates in liver responses to low-dose bavachin

Hepatotoxicity induced by bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicines or herbs,such as bavachin(BV)in Fructus Psoraleae,has a prolonged latency to overt drug-induced liver injury in the clinic.Several studies have described BV-induced liver damage and underlying toxicity mechanisms,but little attention has been paid to the deciphering of organisms or cellular responses to BV at no-observed-adverse-effect level,and the underlying molecular mechanisms and specific indicators are also lacking during the asymptomatic phase,making it much harder for early recognition of hepatotoxicity.Here,we treated mice with BV for 7 days and did not detect any abnormalities in biochemical tests,but found subtle steatosis in BV-treated hepatocytes.We then profiled the gene expression of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells at single-cell resolution and discovered three types of hepatocyte subsets in the BV-treated liver.Among these,the hepa3 subtype suffered from a vast alteration in lipid metabolism,which was characterized by enhanced expression of apolipoproteins,carboxylesterases,and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1(Scd1).In particular,increased Scd1 promoted monounsaturated fatty acids(MUFAs)synthesis and was considered to be related to BV-induced steatosis and polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFAs)generation,which participates in the initiation of ferroptosis.Additionally,we demonstrated that multiple intrinsic transcription factors,including Srebf1 and Hnf4a,and extrinsic signals from niche cells may regulate the above-mentioned molecular events in BV-treated hepatocytes.Collectively,our study deciphered the features of hepatocytes in response to BV insult,decoded the underlying molecular mechanisms,and suggested that Scd1 could be a hub molecule for the prediction of hepatotoxicity at an early stage.

Network pharmacological study of Zuogui pill and Yougui pill for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Background:Postmenopausal osteoporosis(PMO)is the most common primary osteoporosis in older women.This condition imposes a huge economic and medical burden on society.Aside from western medicine,traditional Chinese medicine is also widely used for the treatment of PMO,especially in Asian countries.Zuogui pill(ZGP)and Yougui pill(YGP)are classical formulas for the treatment of PMO with potent clinical effects.This study aimed to explore the potential active compounds,potential targets,and potential mechanisms of ZGP and YGP for the treatment of PMO.Methods:Compounds from ZGP and YGP were collected from three online databases,and these compounds were screened by oral bioavailability and drug-likeness.Their corresponding targets were determined from the Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis platform.The corresponding targets for PMO were obtained from two disease databases.The target protein-protein interaction was identified through the STRING platforms and the core targets were ascertained by analyzing the protein-protein interaction network by using Cytoscape software.PMO-related genes were identified via Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses to identify specific biological processes,cellular components,molecular functions and key signalling pathways of ZGP and YGP for PMO treatment.Results:A total of 68 compounds were screened from ZGP with 168 putative potential target genes,whereas 99 compounds were screened from YGP with 214 potential target genes associated with PMO.Most of the core components included quercetin and kaempferol,and most of the core targets were TP53,AKT1,MAPK1,JUN,TNF,HSP90AA1,APP,IL6,VEGFA,RELA,MAPK8,NR3C1,EGFR,CXCL8,ESR1,FOS and MAPK14.Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that ZGP and YGP treat PMO primarily via regulation of bone formation and resorption,anti-inflammatory immunity and hormonal regulation.Conclusion:Our data provided insights into the mechanisms,by which ZGP and YGP treat PMO.This study points out a direction for further research into ZGP and YGP monomers and pathways and offers a new clinical treatment option for non-traditional Chinese medicine clinicians in the treatment of PMO.