Scutellaria barbata attenuates diabetic retinopathy by preventing retinal inflammation and the decreased expression of tight junction protein

AIM： To observe the attenuation of ethanol extract of Herba Scutellaria barbata （SE） against diabetic retinopathy （DR） and its engaged mechanism. METHODS： C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin （STZ, 55 mg/kg） for 5 consecutive days to induce diabetes, The diabetic mice were orally given with SE （100, 200 mg/kg） for lmo at lmo after STZ injection. Blood-retinal barrier （BRB） breakdown was detected by using Evans blue permeation assay. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）, Western blot and immunofiuorescence staining were used to detect mRNA and protein expression. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect serum contents of tumor necrosis factor-e （TNF-a） and interleukin （IL）-II. RESULTS： SE （100, 200 mg/kg） reversed the breakdown of BRB in STZ-induced diabetic mice. The decreased expression of retinal claudin-1 and claudin-19, which are both tight junction （T J） proteins, was reversed by SE. SE decreased the increased serum contents and retinal mRNA expression of TNF-a and IL-113. SE also decreased the increased retinal expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1）. SE reduced the increased phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B （NFKB） p65 and its subsequent nuclear translocation in retinas from STZ- induced diabetic mice. Results of Western blot and retinal immunofluorescence staining of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 （Ibal） demonstrated that SE abrogated the activation of microglia cells in STZ-induced diabetic mice. CONCLUSION： SE attenuates the development of DR by inhibiting retinal inflammation and restoring the decreased expression of TJ proteins including claudin-1 and claudin-19.

Alterations in serotonin, transient receptor potential channels and protease-activated receptors in rats with irritable bowel syndrome attenuated by Shugan decoction

AIM:To determine the molecular mechanisms of Shugan decoction(SGD) in the regulation of colonic motility and visceral hyperalgesia(VHL) in irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).METHODS:The chemical compounds contained in SGD were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.A rat model of IBS was induced by chronic water avoidance stress(WAS).The number of fecal pellets was counted after WAS and the pain pressure threshold was measured by colorectal distension.Morphological changes in colonic mucosa were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The contents of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αin colonic tissue and calcitonin-gene-related peptide(CGRP)in serum were measured by ELISA.The protein expression of serotonin[5-hydroxytryptamide(5-HT)],serotonin transporter(SERT),chromogranin A(Cg A)and CGRP incolon tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:SGD inhibited colonic motility dysfunction and VHL in rats with IBS.Blockers of transient receptor potential(TRP)vanilloid 1(TRPV1)(Ruthenium Red)and TRP ankyrin-1(TRPA1)(HC-030031)and activator of protease-activated receptor(PAR)4 increased the pain pressure threshold,whereas activators of PAR2and TRPV4 decreased the pain pressure threshold in rats with IBS.The effect of SGD on pain pressure threshold in these rats was abolished by activators of TRPV1(capsaicin),TRPV4(RN1747),TRPA1(Polygodial)and PAR2(AC55541).In addition,CGRP levels in serum and colonic tissue were both increased in these rats.TNF-αlevel in colonic tissue was also significantly upregulated.However,the levels of 5-HT,SERT and Cg A in colonic tissue were decreased.All these pathological changes in rats with IBS were attenuated by SGD.CONCLUSION:SGD alleviated VHL and attenuated colon motility in IBS,partly by regulating TRPV1,TRPV4,TRPA1,PAR2,5-HT,Cg A and SERT,and reducing CGRP and TNF-αlevel.

Bofutsushosan ameliorates obesity in mice through modulating PGC-1α expression in brown adipose tissues and inhibiting inflammation in white adipose tissues

The inducible co-activator PGC-1α plays a crucial role in adaptive thermogenesis and increases energy expenditure in brown adipose tissue(BAT). Meanwhile, chronic inflammation caused by infiltrated-macrophage in the white adipose tissue(WAT) is a target for the treatment of obesity. Bofutsushosan(BF), a traditional Chinese medicine composed of 17 crude drugs, has been widely used to treat obesity in China, Japan, and other Asia countries. However, the mechanism underlying anti-obesity remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrated that BF oral administration reduced the body weight of obese mice induced by high-fat diet(HFD) and alleviated the level of biochemical markers(P < 0.05), including blood glucose(Glu), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein(LDL-C) and insulin. Our further results also indicated that oral BF administration increased the expression of PGC-1α and UCP1 in BAT. Moreover, BF also reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines in WAT, such as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6). These findings suggested that the mechanism of BF against obesity was at least partially through increasing gene expression of PGC-1α and UCP1 for energy consumption in BAT and inhibiting inflammation in WAT.

Bile acid nuclear receptor FXR and digestive system diseases

Bile acids(BAs) are not only digestive surfactants but also important cell signaling molecules,which stimulate several signaling pathways to regulate some important biological processes. The bileacid-activated nuclear receptor, farnesoid X receptor(FXR), plays a pivotal role in regulating bile acid,lipid and glucose homeostasis as well as in regulating the inflammatory responses, barrier function and prevention of bacterial translocation in the intestinal tract. As expected, FXR is involved in the pathophysiology of a wide range of diseases of gastrointestinal tract, including inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of the roles of FXR in physiology of the digestive system and the related diseases. Better understanding of the roles ofFXR in digestive system will accelerate the development of FXR ligands/modulators for the treatment of digestive system diseases.

槲皮素对四氯化碳引起的小鼠急性肝损伤治疗作用及其机理(英文)

研究目的:本研究旨在观察槲皮素对四氯化碳(CCl4)诱导的肝损伤的治疗解毒作用及其机理。创新要点:首次发现槲皮素对CCl4诱导的肝损伤有治疗作用,并且首次发现Prx和Trx家族参与其中。研究方法 :检测小鼠血清转氨酶含量,并检测肝组织中丙二醛(MDA)、谷胱甘肽(GSH)和4-羟基壬烯醛(4-HNE)含量,并用实时聚合酶链式反应(PCR)检测肝组织中Prx 1–6、Trx R1/2、Trx1/2、Nrf2和HO-1的mR NA表达情况。重要结论:CCl4造模成功后口服槲皮素对其造成的急性肝损伤有治疗作用,给药组小鼠血清中的转氨酶与模型组相比均有显著下降,通过MDA和免疫组化分析其机理可能和保护氧化应激损伤有关,通过实时PCR分析发现CCl4抑制了抗氧化酶Prx家族、Trx Rd1、TrxR d2、Trx1、Trx2和Nrf2及其下游HO-1的基因表达,而槲皮素可以逆转CCl4降低的这些基因的表达。

Notoginsenoside Ft1 acts as a TGR5 agonist but FXR antagonist to alleviate high fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice

Obesity and its associated complications are highly related to a current public health crisis around the world.A growing body of evidence has indicated that G-protein coupled bile acid(BA) receptor TGR5(also known as Gpbar-1) is a potential drug target to treat obesity and associated metabolic disorders.We have identified notoginsenoside Ftl(Ftl) from Panax notoginseng as an agonist of TGR5 in vitro.However,the pharmacological effects of Ftl on diet-induced obese(DIO) mice and the underlying mechanisms are still elusive.Here we show that Ftl(100 mg/100 diet) increased adipose lipolysis,promoted fat browning in inguinal adipose tissue and induced glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) secretion in the ileum of wild type but not Tgr5^(-/-) obese mice.In addition,Ftl elevated serum free and taurineconjugated bile acids(BAs) by antagonizing Fxr transcriptional activities in the ileum to activate Tgr5 in the adipose tissues.The metabolic benefits of Ftl were abolished in Cyp27 al^(-/-) mice which have much lower BA levels.These results identify Ftl as a single compound with opposite activities on two key BA receptors to alleviate high fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice.

阿魏酸降低黄独素B肝毒性并提高其抗肿瘤活性(英文)

研究目的:观察阿魏酸对黄独素B诱导肝毒性的抑制活性及其机理,同时探索阿魏酸对黄独素B抗肿瘤活性的增效作用。创新要点:黄独素B为中药黄药子抗肿瘤的主要药效活性成分,但同时又是其致肝毒性的主要毒性成分。本研究立足于中医药配伍减毒增效理论,试图通过试验考察配伍阿魏酸对黄独素B肝毒性/抗肿瘤活性的减毒增效作用,为黄独素B与阿魏酸联合应用于抗肿瘤提供了一定的临床前试验依据。研究方法:荷瘤小鼠(S180肉瘤)连续12天灌胃给药阿魏酸和黄独素B。通过对血清丙氨酸/天冬氨酸转氨酶活性(见图2)、肝脂质过氧化(见图3)和肝组织病理分析(见图4)考察阿魏酸对黄独素B肝毒性的抑制作用;通过对铜锌-超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶的活性(见图5a、5b)和基因表达分析(见图5c)探讨阿魏酸抑制黄独素B肝毒性的机理;通过对瘤重、抑瘤率的统计分析阿魏酸增加的黄独素B抗肿瘤活性。重要结论:阿魏酸可以通过改善黄独素B诱导的氧应激损伤从而抑制其肝毒性,同时还可以协同增加黄独素B的抗肿瘤活性。

CYP450代谢酶和一些抗氧化信号参与调控了绿原酸抑制对乙酰氨基酚的肝毒性（英文）

目的:本研究旨在观察绿原酸对乙酰氨基酚诱导肝损伤的解毒作用及其机理。创新点:发现CYP450代谢酶和一些重要的抗氧化信号分子(如Prx家族蛋白等)参与调控了绿原酸抑制对乙酰氨基酚的肝毒性。方法:检测小鼠血清转氨酶含量,检测体外CYP2E1、CYP3A4和CYP1A2酶活性,检测肝组织中丙二醛(MDA)、谷胱甘肽(GSH)和活性氧(ROS)含量,用实时聚合酶链反应(real-time PCR)检测肝组织中Prx1-6、Ephx2、Polr2k、Fmo5、Nrf2等的m RNA表达情况。结论:绿原酸可以明显抑制对乙酰氨基酚造成的急性肝损伤。给药组小鼠血清中的转氨酶与模型组相比均有显著下降,绿原酸在体外可以微弱抑制CYP2E1和CYP1A2代谢酶的活性,通过MDA、GSH和ROS分析发现绿原酸可以抑制对乙酰氨基酚造成的氧化应激损伤。通过real-time PCR分析发现对乙酰氨基酚降低了抗氧化酶Prx家族、Ephx2、Polr2k和Nrf2的基因表达,而绿原酸可以逆转对乙酰氨基酚降低的这些基因的表达。

The Ethanol Extract Isolated from Weiqi Decoction(胃祺饮) Induces G_2/M Arrest and Apoptosis in AGS Cells

Objective： To evaluate the effects of the ethanol extract isolated from Weiqi Decoction （胃祺饮, WQD-EE） on AGS cell proliferation and apoptosis. Methods： By using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detectors （HPLC-UV） assay and MTT method, the main compounds in WQD-EE and cell viability were detected. And cell cycle distributions were determined by flow cytometry with propidium iodine （PI） staining while apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry with annexin V/PI double staining. Finally, caspase-3 activities were measured by colorimetric method and protein expression was determined by Western blotting. Results： HPLC analysis showed that naringin （35.92 μg/mg）, nobiletin （21.98 μ g/mg）, neohesperidin （17.98μg/mg） and tangeretin （0.756μ g/mg） may be the main compounds in WQD-EE. WQD-EE not only inhibited AGS and MCF 7 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, but also blocked cell cycle progression at G2/M stage as well as inducing cell apoptosis at concentrations triggering significant inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle arrest in AGS cells. While at 0.5 mg/mL, WQD-EE significantly increased caspase-3 activity by 2.75 and 7.47 times at 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Moreover, WQD-EE in one hand reduced protein expressions of p53 and cyclin B1, and in other hand enhanced protein expressions of cytochrome c and Bax. Protein levels of Bcl-2, Fas L and Fas were not significantly affected by WQD-EE. Conclusions： WQD-EE inhibits AGS cell proliferation through G2/M arrest due to down-regulation of cyclin B1 protein expression, and promotes apoptosis by caspase-3 and mitochondria-dependent pathways, but not by p53-dependent pathway.

Bile acids and metabolic surgery

The epidemic of obesity and its co-mortalities has reached an alarming level worldwide.Currently,metabolic surgeries,especially the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and vertical sleeve gastrectomy,are the most effective and sustainable treatments for obesity,type 2 diabetes,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,as well as other metabolic diseases.However,the invasive nature of the surgeries limits their broad ap-plications to the general public.Therefore,developing alternative non-invasive approaches to mimic metabolic surgery is an important direction of the field.Recent studies have identified several potential metabolic surgery-induced downstream endocrine mediators,among which bile acids are key candidate signaling molecules.Bile acids are profoundly altered by metabolic surgery,which contributes to the metabolic effects of the surgery.In this review,we focus on the most recent studies on the roles of bile acids and bile acid receptors farnesoid X receptor and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 in mediating the metabolic effects of metabolic surgery.We conclude that targeting bile acid pathways may be a promising pharmacological approach to mimic the beneficial effects of metabolic surgery.