Bufei huoxue capsule alleviates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice via TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling

Integrated serum metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis on the bioactive metabolites and mechanism exploration of Bufei huoxue capsule on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Bufei Huoxue capsule (BHC) as a classic Chinese patent medicine formula, has the efficacy of tonifying the lungs and activating the blood. It has been extensively used in China for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinically. However, its mechanism is still unclear, which hampers the applications of BHC in treating COPD.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate the protective efficacy and mechanism of BHC on COPD model rats by integrating serum metabolomics analysis and network pharmacology study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A COPD rat model was established by cigarette fumigation combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) airway drip for 90 consecutive days. After oral administration for 30 days, the rats were placed in the body tracing box of the EMKA Small Animal Noninvasive Lung Function Test System to determine lung function related indexes. Histopathological alteration was observed by H&E staining and Masson staining. The serum levels of inflammatory cytokine, matrix metalloprotein 9, and laminin were determined by ELISA kits. Oxidative stress levels were tested by biochemical methods. UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis of serum metabolomics and network pharmacology were performed to reveal the bioactive metabolites, key components and pathways for BHC treating COPD. WB and ELISA kits were used to verify the effects of BHC on key pathway.

RESULTS

BHC could improve lung function, immunity, lung histopathological changes and collagen deposition in COPD model rats. It also could significantly reduce inflammatory response in vivo, regulate oxidative stress level, reduce laminin content, and regulate protease-antiprotease balance. Metabolomics analysis found 46 biomarkers of COPD, of which BHC significantly improved the levels of 23 differential metabolites including arachidonic acid, leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2. Combined with the results of network pharmacology, the components of BHC, such as calycosin, oxypaeoniflora, (S)-bavachin and neobavaisoflavone could play therapeutic roles through the arachidonic acid pathway. In addition, the results of WB and ELISA indicated that BHC could suppress the expressions of COX2 and 5-LOX in lung tissues and inhibit the generation of AA and its metabolites in serum samples. Regulation of arachidonic acid metabolic pathway may be the crucial mechanism for BHC treating COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the studies indicated that BHC exhibited the protective effect on COPD model rats by anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties through arachidonic acid metabolism pathway. This study provided beneficial support for the applications of BHC in treating COPD.

AP39 through AMPK-ULK1-FUNDC1 pathway regulates mitophagy, inhibits pyroptosis, and improves doxorubicin-induced myocardial fibrosis

Doxorubicin induces myocardial injury and fibrosis. Still, no effective interventions are available. AP39 is an H2S donor that explicitly targets mitochondria. This study investigated whether AP39 could improve doxorubicin-induced myocardial fibrosis. Doxorubicin induced significant myocardial fibrosis while suppressing mitophagy-related proteins and elevating pyroptosis-related proteins. Conversely, AP39 reverses these effects, enhancing mitophagy and inhibiting pyroptosis. In vitro experiments revealed that AP39 inhibited H9c2 cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, improved doxorubicin-induced impairment of mitophagy, reduced ROS levels, ameliorated the mitochondrial membrane potential, and upregulated AMPK-ULK1-FUNDC1 expression. In contrast, AMPK inhibitor (dorsomorphin) and ULK1 inhibitor (SBI-0206965) reversed AP39 antagonism of doxorubicin-induced FUNDC1-mediated impairment of mitophagy and secondary cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. These results suggest that mitochondria-targeted H2S can antagonize doxorubicin-induced pyroptosis and impaired mitophagy in cardiomyocytes via AMPK-ULK1-FUNDC1 and ameliorated myocardial fibrosis and remodeling.

Bufei Huoxue capsule attenuates COPD-related inflammation and regulates intestinal microflora, metabolites

Background: Bufei Huoxue capsule (BFHX) is widely used for the clinical treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China. Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the effects on COPD and the underlying mechanism of BFHX. The process and methods: In this study, we established a COPD mouse model through cigarette smoke (CS) exposure in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intratracheal instillation. Subsequently, BFHX was orally administrated to COPD mice, and their pulmonary function, lung pathology, and lung inflammation, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell count and classification and cytokines, were analyzed. In addition, the anti-oxidative stress ability of BFHX was detected by Western blotting, and the bacterial diversity, abundance, and fecal microbiome were examined using 16S rRNA sequencing technology. Outcome: BFHX was shown to improve pulmonary function, suppress lung inflammation, decrease emphysema, and increase anti-oxidative stress, whereas 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that BFHX can dynamically regulate the diversity, composition, and distribution of the intestinal flora microbiome and regulate the lysine degradation and phenylalanine metabolism of COPD mice. These results highlight another treatment option for COPD and provide insights into the mechanism of BFHX.

Advances in the application of traditional Chinese medicine during the COVID-19 recovery period: A review

Since the emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, significant advancements has been made in research, from limited knowledge about the disease to the development of a vaccine. Although the severity of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) appears to be decreasing and the threat of COVID-19 is waning, there have been widespread concerns about persistent symptoms or sequelae experienced by some patients even after recovering from COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown favorable treatment outcomes during the onset of COVID-19, and extensive studies have been carried out to explore the efficacy of TCM interventions during the COVID-19 recovery period. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively analyze these studies and provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of the post-COVID-19 condition.

Inhibitor of PD-1/PD-L1: a new approach may be beneficial for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a globally prevalent, progressive disease with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Because of its irreversible disease progression, IPF affects the quality and length of life of patients and imposes a significant burden on their families and social healthcare services. The use of the antifibrotic drugs pirfenidone and nintedanib can slow the progression of the disease to some extent, but it does not have a reverse effect on the prognosis. The option of lung transplantion is also limited owing to contraindications to transplantation, possible complications after transplantation, and the risk of death. Therefore, the discovery of new, effective treatment methods is an urgent need. Over recent years, various studies have been undertaken to investigate the relationship between interstitial pneumonia and lung cancer, suggesting that some immune checkpoints in IPF are similar to those in tumors. Immune checkpoints are a class of immunosuppressive molecules that are essential for maintaining autoimmune tolerance and regulating the duration and magnitude of immune responses in peripheral tissues. They can prevent normal tissues from being damaged and destroyed by the immune response. While current studies have focused on PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, PD-1/PD-L1 may be the only effective immune checkpoint IPF treatment. This review discusses the application of PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint in IPF, with the aim of finding a new direction for IPF treatment.

The Value of Micro-CT in the Diagnosis of Lung Carcinoma: A Radio-Histopathological Perspective

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a relatively new imaging modality and the three-dimensional (3D) images obtained via micro-CT allow researchers to collect both quantitative and qualitative information on various types of samples. Micro-CT could potentially be used to examine human diseases and several studies have been published on this topic in the last decade. In this study, the potential uses of micro-CT in understanding and evaluating lung carcinoma and the relevant studies conducted on lung and other tumors are summarized. Currently, the resolution of benchtop laboratory micro-CT units has not reached the levels that can be obtained with light microscopy, and it is not possible to detect the histopathological features (e.g., tumor type, adenocarcinoma pattern, spread through air spaces) required for lung cancer management. However, its ability to provide 3D images in any plane of section, without disturbing the integrity of the specimen, suggests that it can be used as an auxiliary technique, especially in surgical margin examination, the evaluation of tumor invasion in the entire specimen, and calculation of primary and metastatic tumor volume. Along with future developments in micro-CT technology, it can be expected that the image resolution will gradually improve, the examination time will decrease, and the relevant software will be more user friendly. As a result of these developments, micro-CT may enter pathology laboratories as an auxiliary method in the pathological evaluation of lung tumors. However, the safety, performance, and cost effectiveness of micro-CT in the areas of possible clinical application should be investigated. If micro-CT passes all these tests, it may lead to the convergence of radiology and pathology applications performed independently in separate units today, and the birth of a new type of diagnostician who has equal knowledge of the histological and radiological features of tumors.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for reverse bleomycin-induced experimental pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive respiratory disease. Arguably, the complex interplay between immune cell subsets, coupled with an incomplete understanding of disease pathophysiology, has hindered the development of successful therapies. Despite efforts to understand its pathophysiology and develop effective treatments, IPF remains a fatal disease, necessitating the exploration of new treatment options. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapy has shown promise in experimental models of IPF, but further investigation is needed to understand its therapeutic effect. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model. First, MSC cells were obtained from mice and characterized using flow cytometry and cell differentiation culture methods. Then adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed to endotracheal instillation of bleomycin and concurrently treated with MSCs for reversal models on day 14. Experimental groups were evaluated on days 14, 21, or 28. Additionally, lung fibroblasts challenged with TGF-β1 were treated with MSCs supernatant or MSCs to explore the mechanisms underlying of pulmonary fibrosis reversal. Mesenchymal stem cells were successfully isolated from mouse adipose tissue and characterized based on their differentiation ability and cell phenotype. The presence of MSCs or their supernatant stimulated the proliferation and migration of lung fibrotic cells. MSCs supernatant reduced lung collagen deposition, improved the Ashcroft score and reduced the gene and protein expression of lung fibrosis-related substances. Bleomycin-challenged mice exhibited severe septal thickening and prominent fibrosis, which was effectively reversed by MSCs treatment. MSC supernatant could suppress the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway and supernatant promotes fibroblast autophagy. In summary, this study demonstrates that MSCs supernatant treatment is as effective as MSCs in revert the core features of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The current study has demonstrated that MSCs supernatant alleviates the BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. In vitro experiments further reveal that MSC supernatant could suppress the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway to inhibit the TGF-β1-induced fibroblast activation, and promotes fibroblast autophagy by Regulating p62 expression. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the therapeutic application of MSCs in cell therapy medicine for IPF.