Background:The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of action underlying the therapeutic effects of the national patent Chinese medicine compound“Qiangxinhuoli prescription(QXHLF)”on chronic heart failu...Background:The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of action underlying the therapeutic effects of the national patent Chinese medicine compound“Qiangxinhuoli prescription(QXHLF)”on chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:In vitro,the H_(9)C_(2) cell model was induced by ANGII,and cell proliferation and related protein expression were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 and Western blot.In vivo,A rat model of CHF was prepared by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery.The effects of QXHLF on cardiac function in CHF rats were evaluated by cardiac index,hemodynamic changes,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,hematoxylin-eosin staining,immunohistochemistry,Western blot and RT-PCR.The expression of pro-apoptotic factors and anti-apoptotic factors,as well as TGFβ1,p-p38,TAK 1 mRNA,and protein,were detected.Results:In vitro,QXHLF has a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of H_(9)C_(2) cells.QXHLF can reduce the expression levels of TAK 1,TGFβ1,p-p38,Caspase3 and BAX proteins in H_(9)C_(2) cells,and increase the expression level of BCL_(2) protein.In vivo,QXHLF has the potential to increase left ventricular systolic pressure,m aximum rate of change in left ventricular pressure while decreasing left ventricular end diastolic pressure,and inhibiting the serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide.Moreover,QXHLF exhibits significant improvements in the pathological alterations of myocardial cells and fibers in CHF rats,leading to enhanced myocardial tissue morphology and notable advantages in combating myocardial fibrosis.QXHLF can reduce the levels of BAX and Caspase3 and up-regulate the expression of BCL_(2),thereby inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Furthermore,QXHLF demonstrates inhibitory effects on the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGFβ_(1),TAK_(1),and p-p38 in the heart tissue of the CHF rat model.Conclusion:These findings indicate that QXHLF has a therapeutic effect on CHF by inhibiting the p38-MAPK signaling pathway,reducing myocardial fibrosis,preventing apoptosis,inhibiting cell proliferation,and restoring myocardial injury.展开更多
Both glial cells and glia scar greatly affect the development of spinal cord injury and have become hot spots in research on spinal cord injury treatment.The cellular deposition of dense extracellular matrix proteins ...Both glial cells and glia scar greatly affect the development of spinal cord injury and have become hot spots in research on spinal cord injury treatment.The cellular deposition of dense extracellular matrix proteins such as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans inside and around the glial scar is known to affect axonal growth and be a major obstacle to autogenous repair.These proteins are thus candidate targets for spinal cord injury therapy.Our previous studies demonstrated that 810 nm photo biomodulation inhibited the formation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans after spinal cord injury and greatly improved motor function in model animals.However,the specific mechanism and potential targets involved remain to be clarified.In this study,to investigate the therapeutic effect of photo biomodulation,we established a mouse model of spinal cord injury by T9 clamping and irradiated the injury site at a power density of 50 mW/cm~2 for 50 minutes once a day for 7 consecutive days.We found that photobiomodulation greatly restored motor function in mice and down regulated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan expression in the injured spinal cord.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that photobiomodulation inhibited the expression of proteoglycan-related genes induced by spinal cord injury,and versican,a type of proteoglycan,was one of the most markedly changed molecules.Immunofluorescence staining showed that after spinal cord injury,versican was present in astrocytes in spinal cord tissue.The expression of versican in primary astrocytes cultured in vitro increased after inflammation induction,whereas photobiomodulation inhibited the expression of ve rsican.Furthermore,we found that the increased levels of p-Smad3,p-P38 and p-Erk in inflammatory astrocytes were reduced after photobiomodulation treatment and after delivery of inhibitors including FR 180204,(E)-SIS3,and SB 202190.This suggests that Sma d 3/Sox9 and MAP K/Sox9 pathways may be involved in the effects of photobiomodulation.In summary,our findings show that photobiomodulation modulates the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans,and versican is one of the key target molecules of photo biomodulation.MAPK/Sox9 and Smad3/Sox9 pathways may play a role in the effects of photo biomodulation on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan accumulation after spinal cord injury.展开更多
F-2 toxin is an estrogenic mycotoxin that causes reproductive disorders in animals.Betulinic acid(BA)is a natural pentacyclic lupane-structure triterpenoid that has diverse pharmacological activities.In this study,the...F-2 toxin is an estrogenic mycotoxin that causes reproductive disorders in animals.Betulinic acid(BA)is a natural pentacyclic lupane-structure triterpenoid that has diverse pharmacological activities.In this study,the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of BA and its underlying mechanism are explored in F-2 toxin-triggered mouse ovarian damage.We found that BA alleviated the F-2 toxin-induced ovarian impairment by stimulating follicle growth,reducing inflammatory cell infiltration,repairing damaged mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.Simultaneously,BA not only reversed F-2 toxin-induced reduction of follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and luteinizing hormone(LH)levels in the serum,but also restrained the protein expression of the estrogen receptors a(ERa)and ERβ.Moreover,BA restored the balance of F-2 toxin-induced ovarian redox system disorders.Subsequently,we found that 0.25 mg/kg BA played an anti-inflammatory role in the F-2 toxin-induced ovarian impairment by decreasing interleukin-1β(IL-1β).IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)mRNA expression,as well as inhibiting p38 protein expression.These data demonstrated that BA exerts its protective effect on F-2 toxin-induced ovarian oxidative impairment and inflammation by inhibiting p38 expression,which implies a natural product-based medicine to ameliorate F-2 toxin-caused female reproductive toxicity and provides a detoxifying method for food contaminated by mycotoxin.展开更多
基金the Science and Technology Research Project of the Education Department of Jilin Province(No.JJKH20220862KJ)the Jilin Province higher education teaching reform research topic(No.20224BRFI7U003M)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82074324).
文摘Background:The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of action underlying the therapeutic effects of the national patent Chinese medicine compound“Qiangxinhuoli prescription(QXHLF)”on chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:In vitro,the H_(9)C_(2) cell model was induced by ANGII,and cell proliferation and related protein expression were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 and Western blot.In vivo,A rat model of CHF was prepared by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery.The effects of QXHLF on cardiac function in CHF rats were evaluated by cardiac index,hemodynamic changes,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,hematoxylin-eosin staining,immunohistochemistry,Western blot and RT-PCR.The expression of pro-apoptotic factors and anti-apoptotic factors,as well as TGFβ1,p-p38,TAK 1 mRNA,and protein,were detected.Results:In vitro,QXHLF has a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of H_(9)C_(2) cells.QXHLF can reduce the expression levels of TAK 1,TGFβ1,p-p38,Caspase3 and BAX proteins in H_(9)C_(2) cells,and increase the expression level of BCL_(2) protein.In vivo,QXHLF has the potential to increase left ventricular systolic pressure,m aximum rate of change in left ventricular pressure while decreasing left ventricular end diastolic pressure,and inhibiting the serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide.Moreover,QXHLF exhibits significant improvements in the pathological alterations of myocardial cells and fibers in CHF rats,leading to enhanced myocardial tissue morphology and notable advantages in combating myocardial fibrosis.QXHLF can reduce the levels of BAX and Caspase3 and up-regulate the expression of BCL_(2),thereby inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Furthermore,QXHLF demonstrates inhibitory effects on the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGFβ_(1),TAK_(1),and p-p38 in the heart tissue of the CHF rat model.Conclusion:These findings indicate that QXHLF has a therapeutic effect on CHF by inhibiting the p38-MAPK signaling pathway,reducing myocardial fibrosis,preventing apoptosis,inhibiting cell proliferation,and restoring myocardial injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81070996(to ZW),81572151(to XH)Shaanxi Provincial Key R&D Program,Nos.2020ZDLSF02-05(to ZW),2021ZDLSF02-10(to XH)+1 种基金Everest Project of Military Medicine of Air Force Medical University,No.2018RCFC02(to XH)Boosting Project of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University,No.XJZT19Z22(to ZW)。
文摘Both glial cells and glia scar greatly affect the development of spinal cord injury and have become hot spots in research on spinal cord injury treatment.The cellular deposition of dense extracellular matrix proteins such as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans inside and around the glial scar is known to affect axonal growth and be a major obstacle to autogenous repair.These proteins are thus candidate targets for spinal cord injury therapy.Our previous studies demonstrated that 810 nm photo biomodulation inhibited the formation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans after spinal cord injury and greatly improved motor function in model animals.However,the specific mechanism and potential targets involved remain to be clarified.In this study,to investigate the therapeutic effect of photo biomodulation,we established a mouse model of spinal cord injury by T9 clamping and irradiated the injury site at a power density of 50 mW/cm~2 for 50 minutes once a day for 7 consecutive days.We found that photobiomodulation greatly restored motor function in mice and down regulated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan expression in the injured spinal cord.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that photobiomodulation inhibited the expression of proteoglycan-related genes induced by spinal cord injury,and versican,a type of proteoglycan,was one of the most markedly changed molecules.Immunofluorescence staining showed that after spinal cord injury,versican was present in astrocytes in spinal cord tissue.The expression of versican in primary astrocytes cultured in vitro increased after inflammation induction,whereas photobiomodulation inhibited the expression of ve rsican.Furthermore,we found that the increased levels of p-Smad3,p-P38 and p-Erk in inflammatory astrocytes were reduced after photobiomodulation treatment and after delivery of inhibitors including FR 180204,(E)-SIS3,and SB 202190.This suggests that Sma d 3/Sox9 and MAP K/Sox9 pathways may be involved in the effects of photobiomodulation.In summary,our findings show that photobiomodulation modulates the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans,and versican is one of the key target molecules of photo biomodulation.MAPK/Sox9 and Smad3/Sox9 pathways may play a role in the effects of photo biomodulation on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan accumulation after spinal cord injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32273084)the Special Funds for Construction of Innovative Provinces in Hunan Province,China (2020NK2032)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China (2020JJ4368)Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate of Hunan Province,China (CX20220670)Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate of Hunan Agricultural University,China (2022XC010)。
文摘F-2 toxin is an estrogenic mycotoxin that causes reproductive disorders in animals.Betulinic acid(BA)is a natural pentacyclic lupane-structure triterpenoid that has diverse pharmacological activities.In this study,the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of BA and its underlying mechanism are explored in F-2 toxin-triggered mouse ovarian damage.We found that BA alleviated the F-2 toxin-induced ovarian impairment by stimulating follicle growth,reducing inflammatory cell infiltration,repairing damaged mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.Simultaneously,BA not only reversed F-2 toxin-induced reduction of follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and luteinizing hormone(LH)levels in the serum,but also restrained the protein expression of the estrogen receptors a(ERa)and ERβ.Moreover,BA restored the balance of F-2 toxin-induced ovarian redox system disorders.Subsequently,we found that 0.25 mg/kg BA played an anti-inflammatory role in the F-2 toxin-induced ovarian impairment by decreasing interleukin-1β(IL-1β).IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)mRNA expression,as well as inhibiting p38 protein expression.These data demonstrated that BA exerts its protective effect on F-2 toxin-induced ovarian oxidative impairment and inflammation by inhibiting p38 expression,which implies a natural product-based medicine to ameliorate F-2 toxin-caused female reproductive toxicity and provides a detoxifying method for food contaminated by mycotoxin.