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Hu Y, Liu J, Qi Y, Zhou Q, Li Y, Cong C, Chen Y. Integrating clinical data mining, network analysis and experimental validation reveal the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 329:118077. [PMID: 38556141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule (HQC) is a Chinese medicinal compound used for the treatment of damp-heat pattern rheumatism, guided by the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation practice. HQC has been used in the clinical treatment of rheumatic diseases for more than 20 years with remarkable efficacy. HQC has been experimentally shown to exert anti-arthritic effects via the Wnt signaling pathway. AIM OF THE STUDY This study used clinical data mining, network analysis, and in vitro and in vivo tests to investigate the anti-arthritic and possible anti-inflammatory mechanism of HQC. Specifically, emphasis was placed on the function of the hsa_circ_0091,685/EIF4A3/IL-17 axis in the anti-inflammatory process. MATERIALS AND METHODS A random walk model was used to evaluate the effects of HQC on clinical immune inflammatory marker function in patients with RA. Network analysis was used to predict the potential target genes and pathways of HQC. Hematoxylin & eosin, safranin O-fast green and toluidine blue staining, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy were performed to evaluate the anti-arthritic effects of HQC in rat models. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and RNA pull-down were used to study the anti-proliferation and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of HQC. RESULTS Patients with RA who underwent HQC treatment showed a significant reduction in inflammatory response levels, according to retrospective clinical study. Network analysis revealed that HQC potentially targeted genes and pathways related to inflammation, especially IL-6, IL-17, TNF-α, IL-23, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Animal experiments showed that HQC inhibits inflammation through the IL-17 signaling pathway in rat models. Cellular experiments showed that HQC-containing serum inhibited the inflammatory response in patients with RA-FLS or RA by blocking hsa_circ_0091,685 and EIF4A3 expression. CONCLUSION In RA patients, HQC reduces the inflammatory response. The antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory qualities of HQC are responsible for its therapeutic impact. The suppression of the hsa_circ_0091,685/EIF4A3/IL-17 axis was linked to these favorable outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedi Hu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; College of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.350, Longzihu Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Institute of Rheumatology, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.350, Longzihu Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Yajun Qi
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Qiao Zhou
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Chengzhi Cong
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Yiming Chen
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No.117, Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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Zhang J, Fan W, Wu H, Yao Y, Jin L, Chen R, Xu Z, Su W, Wang Y, Li P. Naringenin attenuated airway cilia structural and functional injury induced by cigarette smoke extract via IL-17 and cAMP pathways. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155053. [PMID: 38359483 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoke impairs mucociliary clearance via mechanisms such as inflammatory response and oxidative injury, which in turn induces various respiratory diseases. Naringenin, a naturally occurring flavonoid in grapes and grapefruit, has exhibited pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and antioxidant properties. However, it is still unclear whether naringenin protects airway cilia from injury caused by cigarette smoke. PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the effect of naringenin on cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced structural and functional abnormalities in airway cilia and highlight the potential regulatory mechanism. METHODS Initially, network pharmacology was used to predict the mechanism of action of naringenin in ciliary disease. Next, HE staining, immunofluorescence, TEM, qRT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA were performed to assess the effects of naringenin on airway cilia in tracheal rings and air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures of Sprague Dawley rats after co-exposure to CSE (10% or 20%) and naringenin (0, 25, 50, 100 μM) for 24 h. Finally, transcriptomics and molecular biotechnology methods were conducted to elucidate the mechanism by which naringenin protected cilia from CSE-induced damage in ALI cultures. RESULTS The targets of ciliary diseases regulated by naringenin were significantly enriched in inflammation and oxidative stress pathways. Also, the CSE decreased the number of cilia in the tracheal rings and ALI cultures and reduced the ciliary beat frequency (CBF). However, naringenin prevented CSE-induced cilia damage via mechanisms such as the downregulation of cilia-related genes (e.g., RFX3, DNAI1, DNAH5, IFT88) and ciliary marker proteins such as DNAI2, FOXJ1, and β-tubulin IV, the upregulation of inflammatory factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-8, IL-13), ROS and MDA. IL-17 signaling pathway might be involved in the protective effect of naringenin on airway cilia. Additionally, the cAMP signaling pathway might also be related to the enhancement of CBF by naringenin. CONCLUSION In this study, we first found that naringenin reduces CSE-induced structural disruption of airway cilia in part via modulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway. Furthermore, we also found that naringenin enhances CBF by activating the cAMP signaling pathway. This is the first report to reveal the beneficial effects of naringenin on airway cilia and the potential underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiashuo Zhang
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiyang Fan
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Yao
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linlin Jin
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiqi Chen
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziyan Xu
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Su
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yonggang Wang
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peibo Li
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Quality and Efficacy Re-evaluation of Post-marketed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Chen Y, Liu J, Cong C, Li Y, Hu Y. Traditional Chinese Medicine is Associated with the Reduction in Endpoint Events in Patients with Gouty Arthritis: Cohort Study and Association Rule Analysis. Int J Gen Med 2024; 17:525-539. [PMID: 38371521 PMCID: PMC10874188 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s451097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on endpoint events in patients with gouty arthritis (GA). Methods and Materials A total of 2091 hospitalized GA patients were followed up by telephone, and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce potential bias in the study design. Cox proportional risk model and Kaplan-Meier survival curve were utilized to analyze the impact and time effect of factors on the readmission of GA patients. The differences of laboratory indexes before and after treatment between the low and high exposure groups were compared, and the types and frequencies of medicines in all patients were counted. Association rule analysis was performed to investigate the association between TCM and test indexes or endpoint events. Results After 1:1 PSM, 187 patients were enrolled in the TCM group and 187 patients in the non-TCM group. The incidence of readmission, new tophus, and all-cause death was lower in the TCM group than that in the non-TCM group (P < 0.05). Cox proportional risk regression analysis showed that TCM, NSAIDs and uric acid lowering drug were independent protective factors for GA readmission. The protective effect was enhanced by the prolongation of TCM treatment and the drug combinations. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated a significantly lower readmission rate in the high exposure group than in the low exposure group (P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment, NLR, hs-CRP, UA, TC and other laboratory indexes of the low and high exposure groups were improved after treatment (P < 0.01); The improvement of TG and TC in the high exposure group was more significant than the low exposure group (P < 0.01). The analysis of medicines used by all patients identified the top 20 Chinese herbal medicines and the top 2 Chinese patent medicines. The core drugs identified through association rule analysis that can improve test index and reduce the incidence of endpoint events include Yiyiren, Danshen, and HQC, among others. The network diagram of association rule analysis intuitively shows the relationship between core drugs and "improvement of indicators" and "the absence of endpoint events". Conclusion TCM is associated with a reduced incidence of endpoint events in patients with GA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Application and Development of Internal medicine of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Application and Development of Internal medicine of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengzhi Cong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuedi Hu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China
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Chen M, Huang S, Weng S, Weng J, Guo R, Shi B, Liu D. Songorine ameliorates LPS-induced sepsis cardiomyopathy by Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-mediated mitochondrial biosynthesis. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00210-023-02897-5. [PMID: 38133657 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02897-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is manifested by impairment of cardiac contractile function with myocardial mitochondrial dysregulation. Natural product, songorine (SGR), a diterpenoid alkaloid derived from the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaeli, has been reported for the treatment of heart failure. Here, the protective role of SGR in heart injury of SCM was investigated and its underlying action of mechanism was explored. Firstly, the mouse and cardiomyocytes (H9C2 cell) SCM model induced by LPS were established to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SGR. The in vivo results exhibited that SGR rescued the survival rate of SCM mice, restored the loss of ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS), and reduced left ventricular systolic diameter and left ventricular diastole diameter (LVIDs, LVIDd) by echocardiography. SGR improved the mitochondrial biosynthesis and myocardial fiber structure and arranged them neatly by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Further, SGR inhibited inflammatory targets myeloperoxidase (MPO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). And SGR activated the mitochondrial biosynthesis-related peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), β-catenin, and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) proteins. Meanwhile, the in vitro results showed that SGR promoted the increased the myocardial H9C2 cell viability, and mitochondrial biosynthesis and structure. SGR also blocked the inflammatory factors and reversed PGC-1α, β-catenin, and MMP2 in vitro, while SGR alleviated the myocardial cell apoptosis via flow cytometry. The findings indicate that SGR mitigates sepsis-caused myocardial damage by Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-mediated mitochondrial biosynthesis. SGR may be a promising candidate for treatment of SCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Shanjiao Huang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Shuoyun Weng
- School of Ophthalmology&Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Junting Weng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Rongjie Guo
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Bingbing Shi
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Danjuan Liu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, No. 999 Dongzhen East Road, Licheng District, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China.
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Hu Y, Liu J, Xin L, Wan L, Qi Y, Li Y, Chen Y. Huangqin Qingre Chubi Capsule is Associated with Reduced Risk of Readmission in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:4819-4834. [PMID: 37908759 PMCID: PMC10615257 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s431124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The therapeutic effects of Huangqin Qingre Chubi (HQC) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been documented. However, there is a lack of real-world clinical evidence supporting its efficacy. Methods Patients diagnosed with RA were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of the Anhui University of Chinese Medicine. Patient information was obtained from the hospital's database. Propensity score matching (PSM), Kaplan-Meier curve, and Cox proportional hazards model were used to control confounding factors and analyze the factors influencing readmission. Association rule analysis and random walk evaluation models were used to evaluate the correlations among HQC treatment, inflammation indicators, and self-perception of patients (SPP) scale. Results After PSM, 3423 patients were enrolled, with 1142 in the HQC group and 2281 in the non-HQC group. The readmission risk of the HQC group was significantly lower than that of the non-HQC group. Combined univariate and multivariate analysis results revealed that risk factors for readmission were age >60 years, female sex, hypertension, chronic gastritis, and elevated levels of laboratory indices, including anticyclic citrullinated peptide and complement component 3 (C3) and C4. HQC, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoid therapy were protective factors for readmission. HQC treatment was closely associated with improvements in many factors, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, C3, rheumatoid factor levels, visual analog scale, depression self-assessment scale, and patient-reported activity index scores with RA. Conclusion HQC treatment can reduce the risk of readmission and significantly improve immune inflammatory indicators and SPP in patients with RA, with no risk of hepatorenal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedi Hu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- College of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Rheumatology, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Internal Medicine Application Foundation Research and Development, Anhui Province—Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Xin
- Institute of Rheumatology, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Internal Medicine Application Foundation Research and Development, Anhui Province—Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Wan
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Rheumatology, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Internal Medicine Application Foundation Research and Development, Anhui Province—Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yajun Qi
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiming Chen
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
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