scholarly journals Astragali Radix Contributes to the Inhibition of Liver Fibrosis via High-Mobility Group Box 1-Mediated Inflammatory Signaling Pathway

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Jianxia Wen ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Ruilin Wang ◽  
Shizhang Wei ◽  
...  

Astragali Radix (AR), the dried root of Astragali Radix membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. or Astragali Radix membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge) Hsiao, is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver diseases. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the pharmacological action and explore the potential mechanism of AR on liver fibrosis. Rats were administered with carbon tetrachloride for eight weeks, followed by oral treatment with AR for six weeks. The efficacy was confirmed by measuring liver function and liver fibrosis levels. The underlying mechanisms were explored by detecting the expression of related proteins. AR significantly decreased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), collagen IV (COL-IV), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), and precollagen type III (PCIII). In addition, AR inhibited the deposition of collagen and the activation of hepatic stellate cells. Those data strongly demonstrated that AR alleviated liver fibrosis by CCl4. In order to illustrate the potential inflammatory, the mRNA levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β were detected. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to further verify the expression of type I collagen. Finally, the expression of key proteins in the inflammatory signaling pathway was detected. AR significantly reduced the expression of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), TLR4, Myd88, RAGE, and NF-κ B p65 genes and proteins. In addition, western blotting showed AR decreased the protein expression of RAGE, p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, and p-c-Jun. Taken together, our data reveal that AR significantly inhibits liver fibrosis by intervening in the HMGB1-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway and secretion signaling pathway. This study will provide valuable references for the in-depth research and development of Astragali Radix against liver fibrosis.

2013 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 101-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghulam Mohammad ◽  
Mohammad Mairaj Siddiquei ◽  
Amira Othman ◽  
Mohamed Al-Shabrawey ◽  
Ahmed M. Abu El-Asrar

2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. G582-G592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeon-OK Moon ◽  
Timothy P. Welch ◽  
Frank J. Gonzalez ◽  
Bryan L. Copple

Liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in the liver during chronic injury. During early stages of this disease, cells begin to synthesize and secrete profibrotic proteins that stimulate matrix production and inhibit matrix degradation. Although it is clear that these proteins are important for development of fibrosis, what remains unknown is the mechanism by which chronic liver injury stimulates their production. In the present study, the hypothesis was tested that hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is activated in the liver during chronic injury and regulates expression of profibrotic proteins. To investigate this hypothesis, mice were subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL), an animal model of liver fibrosis. HIF-1α protein was increased in the livers of mice subjected to BDL by 3 days after surgery. To test the hypothesis that HIF-1α is required for the development of fibrosis, control and HIF-1α-deficient mice were subjected to BDL. Levels of type I collagen and α-smooth muscle actin mRNA and protein were increased in control mice by 14 days after BDL. These levels were significantly reduced in HIF-1α-deficient mice. Next, the levels of several profibrotic mediators were measured to elucidate the mechanism by which HIF-1α promotes liver fibrosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A, PDGF-B, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 mRNA levels were increased to a greater extent in control mice subjected to BDL compared with HIF-1α-deficient mice at 7 and 14 days after BDL. Results from these studies suggest that HIF-1α is a critical regulator of profibrotic mediator production during the development of liver fibrosis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (1) ◽  
pp. G226-G235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Rullier ◽  
Jennifer Gillibert-Duplantier ◽  
Pierre Costet ◽  
Gaëlle Cubel ◽  
Valérie Haurie ◽  
...  

Thrombin inhibition protects against liver fibrosis. However, it is not known whether the thrombin profibrogenic effect is due to effects on blood coagulation or to signaling via protease-activated receptors (PARs). We took advantage of the lack of blood coagulation defects in PAR-1-knockout mice. Acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) toxicity was similar in wild-type (WT), PAR-1−/−, and PAR-1+/−mice as judged by aminotransferase levels, area of liver necrosis, and liver peroxidation measured by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. Fifteen mice/group received CCl4or its solvent for 6 wk (300 μl/kg, 3 times a week). Fibrosis area was increased 10-fold by CCl4treatment in WT mice. PAR-1 deficiency protected against fibrosis, with 36% and 56% decrease in PAR-1+/−and PAR-1−/−mice, respectively ( P < 0.001). Similar results were obtained for area of activated fibrogenic cells (64% and 79% decrease in PAR-1+/−and PAR-1−/−mice, respectively, P < 0.001). These findings were corroborated by measurements of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and PDGF-β receptor mRNA levels. There was also a significant decrease in T lymphocyte infiltration in PAR-1-deficient mice. Altogether, these results suggest that thrombin profibrogenic effects are independent of effects on blood coagulation and are instead due to direct effects on fibrogenic cells and possibly on T lymphocytes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Liu ◽  
Youwei Xu ◽  
Xu Han ◽  
Lianhong Yin ◽  
Lina Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract The present work aimed to investigate the activities and underlying mechanisms of dioscin against alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF). In vivo liver fibrosis in mice was induced by an alcoholic liquid diet and in vitro studies were performed on activated HSC-T6 and LX2 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide. Our results showed that dioscin significantly attenuated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation, improved collagen accumulation and attenuated inflammation through down-regulating the levels of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α by decreasing Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 expression both in vivo and in vitro. TLR4 overexpression was also decreased by dioscin, leading to the markedly down-regulated levels of MyD88, NF-κB, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen (COL1A1) in cultured HSCs. Suppression of cellular MyD88 by ST2825 or abrogation of NF-κB by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate eliminated the inhibitory effects of dioscin on the levels of TGF-β1, α-SMA and COL1A1. In a word, dioscin exhibited potent effects against ALF via altering TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, which provided novel insights into the mechanisms of this compound as an antifibrogenic candidate for the treatment of ALF in the future.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Morine ◽  
Vikram Paruchuri ◽  
Xiaoying Qiao ◽  
Emily Mackey ◽  
Mark Aronovitz ◽  
...  

Introduction: Activin receptor like kinase 1 (ALK1) mediates signaling via transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1), a pro-fibrogenic cytokine. No studies have defined a role for ALK1 in heart failure. We tested the hypothesis that reduced ALK1 expression promotes maladaptive cardiac remodeling in heart failure. Methods and Results: ALK1 mRNA expression was quantified by RT-PCR in left ventricular (LV) tissue from patients with end-stage heart failure and compared to control LV tissue obtained from the National Disease Research Interchange (n=8/group). Compared to controls, LV ALK1 mRNA levels were reduced by 85% in patients with heart failure. Next, using an siRNA approach, we tested whether reduced ALK1 levels promote TGFb1-mediated collagen production in human cardiac fibroblasts. Treatment with an ALK1 siRNA reduced ALK1 mRNA levels by 75%. Compared to control, TGFb1-mediated Type I collagen and pSmad-3 protein levels were 2.5-fold and 1.7-fold higher, respectively, after ALK1 depletion. To explore a role for ALK1 in heart failure, ALK1 haploinsufficient (ALK1) and wild-type mice (WT; n=8/group) were studied 2 weeks after thoracic aortic constriction (TAC). Compared to WT, baseline LV ALK1 mRNA levels were 50% lower in ALK1 mice. Both LV and lung weights were higher in ALK1 mice after TAC. Cardiomyocyte area and LV mRNA levels of BNP, RCAN, and b-MHC were increased similarly, while SERCa levels were reduced in both ALK1 and WT mice after TAC. Compared to WT, LV fibrosis (Figure) and Type 1 Collagen mRNA and protein levels were higher among ALK1 mice. Compared to WT, LV fractional shortening (48±12 vs 26±10%, p=0.01) and survival (Figure) were lower in ALK1 mice after TAC. Conclusions: Reduced LV expression of ALK1 is associated with advanced heart failure in humans and promotes early mortality, impaired LV function, and cardiac fibrosis in a murine model of heart failure. Further studies examining the role of ALK1 and ALK1 inhibitors on cardiac remodeling are required.


1990 ◽  
Vol 265 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
A H Ang ◽  
G Tachas ◽  
J H Campbell ◽  
J F Bateman ◽  
G R Campbell

Enzymically isolated rabbit aortic smooth-muscle cells (SMC) in the first few days of primary culture express a ‘contractile phenotype’, but with time these cells modulate to a ‘synthetic phenotype’. Synthetic-state SMC are able to proliferate, and, provided that they undergo fewer than 5 cumulative population doublings, return to the contractile phenotype after reaching confluency [Campbell, Kocher, Skalli, Gabbiani & Campbell (1989) Arteriosclerosis 9, 633-643]. The present study has determined the synthesis of collagen, at the protein and mRNA levels, by cultured SMC as they undergo a change in phenotypic state. The results show that, upon modulating to the synthetic phenotype, SMC synthesized 25-30 times more collagen than did contractile cells. At the same time, non-collagen-protein synthesis increased only 5-6-fold, indicating a specific stimulation of collagen synthesis. Steady-state mRNA levels are also elevated, with alpha 2(I) and alpha 1(III) mRNA levels 30 times and 20 times higher respectively, probably reflecting increased transcriptional activity. Phenotypic modulation was also associated with an alteration in the relative proportions of type I and III collagens synthesized, contractile SMC synthesizing 78.1 +/- 3.6% (mean +/- S.D.) type I collagen and 17.5 +/- 4.7% type III collagen, and synthetic cells synthesizing 90.3 +/- 2.0% type I collagen and 5.8% +/- 1.8% type III collagen. Enrichment of type I collagen was similarly noted at the mRNA level. On return to the contractile state, at confluency, collagen production and the percentage of type I collagen decreased. This further illustrates the close association between the phenotypic state of SMC and their collagen-biosynthetic phenotype.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-175
Author(s):  
Tianlong Quan ◽  
Chunhua Zhang ◽  
Xin Song ◽  
Lu Wang

As a common malignant tumor in neurosurgery, glioma is characterized as high incidence rate, easy to invade, metastasize and recurrent. It is difficult to treat and has a poor prognosis. The gliomas pathogenesis is complex and has not been fully resolved. Therefore, finding effective molecular targets for glioma is beneficial to improve therapeutic effect. The SRY-related high mobility group box 9 (SOX9) gene involves in mammalian development and is significantly increased in glioma. However, SOX9’s role in gliomas is unclear. The glioma cell line U87 was assigned into control group, scramble group that was transfected with siRNA negative control, and SOX9 siRNA group that was transfected with SOX9 siRNA followed by analysis of SOX9 mRNA and protein level by qPCR and Western blot, cell proliferation by MTT assay, cell apoptosis by Caspase 3 activity assay, cell invasion by Transwell assay, and MMP-9 level by ELISA. SOX9 siRNA transfection significantly downregulated SOX9 mRNA and protein expressions, inhibited U87 cell proliferation, enhanced Caspase 3 activity, suppressed cell invasion of U87, decreased the secretion of MMP-9 in the supernatant, and reduced ERK1/2 and P38 phosphorylation levels (P < 0.05). SOX9 can regulate the progression of glioma by regulating ERK/P38 signaling pathway, promoting cell apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, and restraining cell invasion.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4714-4723
Author(s):  
J L Slack ◽  
M I Parker ◽  
V R Robinson ◽  
P Bornstein

Although transformation of rodent fibroblasts can lead to dramatic changes in expression of extracellular matrix genes, the molecular basis and physiological significance of these changes remain poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism(s) by which ras affects expression of the genes encoding type I collagen. Levels of both alpha 1(I) and alpha 2(I) collagen mRNAs were markedly reduced in Rat 1 fibroblasts overexpressing either the N-rasLys-61 or the Ha-rasVal-12 oncogene. In fibroblasts conditionally transformed with N-rasLys-61, alpha 1(I) transcript levels began to decline within 8 h of ras induction and reached 1 to 5% of control levels after 96 h. In contrast, overexpression of normal ras p21 had no effect on alpha 1(I) or alpha 2(I) mRNA levels. Nuclear run-on experiments demonstrated that the transcription rates of both the alpha 1(I) and alpha 2(I) genes were significantly reduced in ras-transformed cells compared with those in parental cells. In addition, the alpha 1(I) transcript was less stable in transformed cells. Chimeric plasmids containing up to 3.6 kb of alpha 1(I) 5'-flanking DNA and up to 2.3 kb of the 3'-flanking region were expressed at equivalent levels in both normal and ras-transformed fibroblasts. However, a cosmid clone containing the entire mouse alpha 1(I) gene, including 3.7 kb of 5'- and 4 kb of 3'-flanking DNA, was expressed at reduced levels in fibroblasts overexpressing oncogenic ras. We conclude that oncogenic ras regulates the type I collagen genes at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and that this effect, at least for the alpha 1(I) gene, may be mediated by sequences located either within the body of the gene itself or in the distal 3'-flanking region.


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