Insight into Lotusine and Puerarin in Repairing Alcohol-Induced Metabolic Disorder Based on UPLC-MS/MS

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and NETosis in alcohol-associated diseases: A systematic review

Heavy alcohol consumption is implicated in the alteration of the antimicrobial function of neutrophils, such as phagocytosis, chemotaxis, the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and the occurrence of NETosis. NETosis is an endogenous process of elimination of invading microbes, autoantibodies, and inflammatory elements such as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated patterns (PAMPs). However, both exaggeration and suppression of NETosis modulate normal physiological and metabolic processes by influencing events at the molecular and cellular levels. Recent research shows that binge alcohol consumption induces NETosis, leading to tissue damage and inflammation. Binge alcohol consumption, chronic alcohol intake, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) can affect immunity and often lead to alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and/or other organ damage. Alcohol can lead to detrimental consequences in multiple organs, including the brain, liver, pancreas, and gut. Gut-derived microbial substances, such as endotoxins in the circulation, induce systemic inflammation. Sterile danger signals from damaged cells, cytokines, and prostaglandins act as proinflammatory stimuli and are involved in multiple signaling pathways. The alcohol-induced proinflammatory cytokines chemoattract neutrophils, which interact and coordinate with other immune cells to exaggerate or suppress inflammation within the inflammatory milieu, depending on the alcohol effects. Several proteins, including different receptors, play important roles in the activation and formation of NETs as well as the initiation and execution of NETosis. This review article specifically gathers the current information on NETosis, its biological components, and signaling pathways relating to the formation of NETs and the occurrence of NETosis associated with ALD and AUD in multiorgans, specifically in the brain, liver, and gut. We also briefly describe various therapeutic strategies against AUD-associated NETosis in experimental models and human disease states.

Pueraria Extract Ameliorates Alcoholic Liver Disease via the Liver-Gut-Brain Axis: Focus on Restoring the Intestinal Barrier and Inhibiting Alcohol Metabolism

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the causes of hepatocellular carcinoma, accompanied by intestinal leakage and microbial changes. Pueraria has protective effects on liver injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of pueraria in the treatment of ALD. UPLC-Q/TOF-MS was used to analyze the composition of the pueraria extract (PUE). Acute and chronic ALD models were established to evaluate the antialcoholic and hepatoprotective effects of PUE. As a result, PUE treatment reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, and TG and inflammatory factors and alleviated liver inflammation and drunk state. PUE decreased the gene expression of ADH1 and the serum level of acetaldehyde (ACH) to inhibit the generation of ACH from ethanol metabolism, increased the gene level of ALDH2 to accelerate the decomposition of ACH, and thereby alleviated liver inflammation and intestinal barrier damage. Meanwhile, 16 S rDNA revealed that PUE altered the microbiota composition, reduced the amount of Proteobacteria and Desulfobacterota, and thus inhibited the generation of lipopolysaccharide and its downstream-like TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. PUE also increased the abundance of Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella and producted short-chain fatty acids to protect the intestinal wall. Treatment with fecal microbiota transplantation further confirmed that PUE gut microbiota dependently alleviated ALD. Therefore, PUE regulated gut microbiota and inhibited ethanol metabolism to alleviate ALD through the liver-gut-brain axis. It has good prospects in the future.

Bioactive sphingolipids as emerging targets for signal transduction in cancer development

Sphingolipids, crucial components of cellular membranes, play a vital role in maintaining cellular structure and signaling integrity. Disruptions in sphingolipid metabolism are increasingly implicated in cancer development. Key bioactive sphingolipids, such as ceramides, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P), and glycosphingolipids, profoundly impact tumor biology. They influence the behavior of tumor cells, stromal cells, and immune cells, affecting tumor aggressiveness, angiogenesis, immune modulation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Furthermore, abnormal expression of sphingolipids and their metabolizing enzymes modulates the secretion of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TDEs), which are key players in creating an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, remodeling the extracellular matrix, and facilitating oncogenic signaling within in situ tumors and distant pre-metastatic niches (PMNs). Understanding the role of sphingolipids in the biogenesis of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TDEs) and their bioactive contents can pave the way for new biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, ultimately enhancing comprehensive tumor treatment strategies.

Lotusine ameliorates propionic acid-induced autism spectrum disorder-like behavior in mice by activating D1 dopamine receptor in medial prefrontal cortex

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neuropsychiatric condition for which effective drug therapy for core clinical symptoms remains elusive. Lotusine, known for its neuroprotective properties in the treatment of neurological disorders, holds potential in addressing ASD. Nevertheless, its specific efficacy in ASD remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of lotusine in ASD and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. We induced an ASD mouse model through intracerebroventricular-propionic acid (ICV-PPA) injection for 7 days, followed by lotusine administration for 5 days. The efficacy of lotusine was evaluated through a battery of behavioral tests, including the three-chamber social test. The underlying mechanisms of lotusine action in ameliorating ASD-like behavior were investigated in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, molecular docking, and cellular thermal shift assay. The efficacy and mechanisms of lotusine were further validated in vitro. Lotusine effectively alleviated social deficits induced by ICV-PPA injection in mice by counteracting the reduction in miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency within the mPFC. Moreover, lotusine enhanced neuronal activity and ameliorated α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor dysfunction in ICV-PPA infusion mice by upregulating c-fos, p-GluA1 Ser 845, and p-GluA1 Ser 831 protein levels within the mPFC. Our findings also suggest that lotusine may exert its effects through modulation of the D1 dopamine receptor (DRD1). Furthermore, the rescuing effects of lotusine were nullified by a DRD1 antagonist in PC12 cells. In summary, our results revealed that lotusine ameliorates ASD-like behavior through targeted modulation of DRD1, ultimately enhancing excitatory synaptic transmission. These findings highlight the potential of lotusine as a nutritional supplement in the treatment of ASD.

Tiaogan Jiejiu Tongluo Formula attenuated alcohol-induced chronic liver injury by regulating lipid metabolism in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tiaogan Jiejiu Tongluo Formula (TJTF), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is modified from the well-known ancient prescription Danzhi-Xiaoyao Powder (DXP). Owing to its ability to regulate liver, strengthen spleen, detoxicating, and dredge collaterals in Chinese medicine, TJTF is usually used to treat anxiety, hypertension, alcoholic fatty liver disease in clinical application. However, the protective effect and potential molecular mechanism of TJTF on alcoholic liver injury has not fully been clarified.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the effect of TJTF on chronic alcoholic liver injury and figure out whether its effects were due to the regulation of lipid metabolism.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

75 male SD rats were divided into the following five groups, control group, EtOH group, TJTF high dose group, TJTF low dose group and silybin group. Then a chronic alcoholic liver injury model was established by increasing concentration of 56% ethanol in rats. The rats in each TJTF group were given the corresponding dose of TJTF, the rats in the silybin group were given silybin, the rats in the control group and the EtOH group were given distilled water by gavage, once a day for 8 consecutive weeks. The components of TJTF were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) was used to assess the severity of liver injury. in the pathological examination. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and oil red O staining were used to evaluate the degree of the liver glycogen accumulation and lipid deposition, respectively. The serum ALT, AST, T-CHO, TG, LDL-C, ADH, HDL-C, and ALDH levels as well as liver tissue GSH, MDA, and SOD levels were analyzed in rats. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to detect lipid metabolism-related proteins expressed in rat liver.

RESULTS

TJTF significantly alleviated the chronic liver injury caused by alcohol in rats, and enhanced liver function. TJTF significantly decreased AST, ALT, ADH levels and increased ALDH level of serum, and increased GSH, SOD levels and decreased MDA level of liver tissue. In addition, TJTF significantly decreased the serum T-CHO, TG and LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C level in chronic alcoholic liver injury rats by regulating the expression of lipid metabolism associated proteins including p-LKB1, p-AMPKα, p-ACC, FAS, HMGCR, SREBP-1c, PPARα and CPT-1A. The results of western blot and immunohistochemical staining confirmed that TJTF can inhibit lipid production and promote fatty acid oxidation in the liver tissue of chronic alcoholic liver injury rats by activating the LKB1-AMPKα axis and then downregulating the protein expressions of p-ACC, FAS, HMGCR and SREBP-1c, as well as promoting the protein expressions of PPARα and CPT-1A. Meanwhile, TJTF also increased the glycogen content of liver and alleviated the liver damage.

CONCLUSION

According to current research, TJTF is effective in treating chronic liver damage induced by alcohol in rats. Additionally, TJTF exhibits the protective benefits by modulating LKB1-AMPKα signal axis, which in turn inhibits the synthesis of lipids and promotes the oxidation of fatty acids.