Mechanism of action of Orthosiphon stamineus against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Insights from systems pharmacology and molecular docking approaches

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common complications of a metabolic syndrome caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. Orthosiphon stamineus also known as Orthosiphon aristatus is a medicinal plant with possible potential beneficial effects on various metabolic disorders. This study aims to investigate the in vitro inhibitory effects of O. stamineus on hepatic fat accumulation and to further use the computational systems pharmacology approach to identify the pharmacokinetic properties of the bioactive compounds of O. stamineus and to predict their molecular mechanisms against NAFLD. Methods: The effects of an ethanolic extract of O. stamineus leaves on cytotoxicity, fat accumulation and antioxidant activity were assessed using HepG2 cells. The bioactive compounds of O. stamineus were identified using LC/MS and two bioinformatics databases, namely the Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID) and the Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for the Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM). Pathway enrichment analysis was performed on the predicted targets of the bioactive compounds to provide a systematic overview of the molecular mechanism of action, while molecular docking was used to validate the predicted targets. Results: A total of 27 bioactive compounds corresponding to 50 potential NAFLD-related targets were identified. O. stamineus exerts its anti-NAFLD effects by modulating a variety of cellular processes, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial β-oxidation, inflammatory signalling pathways, insulin signalling, and fatty acid homeostasis pathways. O. stamineus is significantly targeting many oxidative stress regulators, including JNK, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), NFKB1, PPAR, and AKT1. Molecular docking analysis confirmed the expected high affinity for the potential targets, while the in vitro assay indicates the ability of O. stamineus to inhibit hepatic fat accumulation. Conclusion: Using the computational systems pharmacology approach, the potentially beneficial effect of O. stamineus in NAFLD was indicated through the combination of multiple compounds, multiple targets, and multicellular components.     

何首乌致药物性肝损伤的病理学特点

目的了解何首乌致药物性肝损伤(Polygonum multiflorum-associated drug induce liver injury,PM-DILI)的临床病理学特点。方法收集2019年3月1日至2021年3月1日深圳市第三人民医院收治的8例PM-DILI患者临床资料。肝穿组织进行苏木素-伊红染色、网状纤维染色、Masson三色染色、铁、铜特殊染色和免疫组织化学染色,显微镜下观察分析。结果8例PM-DILI患者男女比为1∶1,平均年龄43岁,其中6例为急性PM-DILI,2例慢性为PM-DILI。入院血清学检查异常主要包括转氨酶升高和淤胆均为7例。主要组织病理学改变为点灶状坏死8例、界面炎5例、融合坏死4例,融合坏死以肝腺泡3带为主,不伴或伴少数炎细胞浸润;胆汁淤积5例,为肝腺泡3带的肝细胞、毛细胆管内淤胆,不伴或伴少数炎细胞浸润;中央静脉炎3例;病程长者可发生肝纤维化,甚至肝硬化2例。结论肝腺泡3带为主的急性淤胆和肝细胞坏死是PM-DILI主要组织学表现,严重者可发生静脉炎等血管损伤。     

Analysis on internal mechanism of zedoary turmeric in treatment of liver cancer based on pharmacodynamic substances and pharmacodynamic groups

Zedoary tumeric (Curcumae Rhizoma, Ezhu in Chinese) has a long history of application and has great potential in the treatment of liver cancer. The anti liver cancer effect of zedoary tumeric depends on the combined action of multiple pharmacodynamic substances. In order to clarify the specific mechanism of zedoary tumeric against liver cancer, this paper first analyzes the mechanism of its single pharmacodynamic substance against liver cancer, and then verifies the joint anti liver cancer mechanism of its "pharmacodynamic group". By searching the research on the anti hepatoma effect of active components of zedoary tumeric in recent years, we found that pharmacodynamic substances, including curcumol, zedoarondiol, curcumenol, curzerenone, curdione, curcumin, germacrone, β-elemene, can act on multi-target and multi-channel to play an anti hepatoma role. For example, curcumin can regulate miR, GLO1, CD133, VEGF, YAP, LIN28B, GPR81, HCAR-1, P53 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR, HSP70/TLR4 and NF-κB. Wnt/TGF/EMT, Nrf2/Keap1, JAK/STAT and other pathways play an anti hepatoma role. Network pharmacological analysis showed that the core targets of the "pharmacodynamic group" for anti-life cancer are AKT1, EGFR, MAPK8, etc, and the core pathways are neuroactive live receiver interaction, nitrogen metabolism, HIF-1 signaling pathway, etc. At the same time, by comparing and analyzing the relationship between the specific mechanisms of pharmacodynamic substance and "pharmacodynamic group", it is found that they have great reference significance in target, pathway, biological function, determination of core pharmacodynamic components, formation of core target protein interaction, in-depth research of single pharmacodynamic substance, increasing curative effect and so on. By analyzing the internal mechanism of zedoary tumeric pharmacodynamic substance and "pharmacodynamic group" in the treatment of liver cancer, this paper intends to provide some ideas and references for the deeper pharmacological research of zedoary tumeric and the relationship between pharmacodynamic substance and "pharmacodynamic group".     

Immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma,intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma: Relationship with histopathological and molecular classifications

Tumor tissue is composed of tumor cells and tumor stroma. Tumor stroma contains various immune cells and non-immune stromal cells, forming a complex tumor microenvironment which plays pivotal roles in regulating tumor growth. Recent successes in immunotherapies against tumors, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, have further raised interests in the immune microenvironment of liver carcinoma. The immune microenvironment of tumors is formed because of interactions among tumor cells, immune cells and non-immune stromal cells, including fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Different patterns of immune microenvironment are observed among different tumor subtypes, and their clinicopathological significance and intertumor/intratumor heterogeneity are being intensively studied. Here, we review the immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma, focusing on its histopathological appearance, clinicopathological significance, and relationship with histological and molecular classifications. Understanding the comprehensive histopathological picture of a tumor immune microenvironment, in addition to molecular and genetic approaches, will further potentiate the effort for precision medicine in the era of tumor-targeting immunotherapy.     

Fluoxetine-induced hepatic lipid accumulation is mediated by prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 1 and is linked to elevated 15-deoxy-Δ12,14PGJ2

Major depressive disorder and other neuropsychiatric disorders are often managed with long-term use of antidepressant medication. Fluoxetine, an SSRI antidepressant, is widely used as a first-line treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, fluoxetine has also been shown to increase the risk of metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fluoxetine has been shown to increase hepatic lipid accumulation in vivo and in vitro. In addition, fluoxetine has been shown to alter the production of prostaglandins which have also been implicated in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of fluoxetine exposure on the prostaglandin biosynthetic pathway and lipid accumulation in a hepatic cell line (H4-II-E-C3 cells). Fluoxetine treatment increased mRNA expression of prostaglandin biosynthetic enzymes (Ptgs1, Ptgs2, and Ptgds), PPAR gamma (Pparg), and PPAR gamma downstream targets involved in fatty acid uptake (Cd36, Fatp2, and Fatp5) as well as production of 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14PGJ₂ a PPAR gamma ligand. The effects of fluoxetine to induce lipid accumulation were attenuated with a PTGS1 specific inhibitor (SC-560), whereas inhibition of PTGS2 had no effect. Moreover, SC-560 attenuated 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14PGJ₂ production and expression of PPAR gamma downstream target genes. Taken together these results suggest that fluoxetine-induced lipid abnormalities appear to be mediated via PTGS1 and its downstream product 15d-PGJ₂ and suggest a novel therapeutic target to prevent some of the adverse effects of fluoxetine treatment.     

健脾生血片治疗慢性心力衰竭伴贫血的临床效果

目的:探索健脾生血片治疗慢性心力衰竭伴贫血的疗效、安全性和作用机制。方法:选取2016年5月至2017年2月同济医院收治的慢性心力衰竭贫血患者144例,按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组,每组72例。观察组给予健脾生血片治疗,3片/次,3次/d,疗程3个月;对照组给予生血宝合剂治疗,15 m L/次,3次/d,3个月为1个疗程。比较2组患者治疗前与治疗后血红蛋白、红细胞计数、网织红细胞、血清铁、转铁蛋白饱和度、血清铁蛋白、血清铁调素(Hepcidin)、血清IL-1β、血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、血清C反应蛋白(CRP)、左室射血分数(LVEF)、6 min步行距离、明尼苏达心力衰竭生命质量量表(MLHFQ)和不良事件。并随访2组心血管事件次数,住院次数与全因死亡率。结果:观察组72例患者完成了前3个月的治疗,随访期间脱失2例;对照组治疗期间1例患者退出研究,随访期间脱失4例。2组一般资料比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05),具有可比性。观察组贫血有效率98. 6%,对照组有效率11. 3%,差异有统计学意义(P0. 05)。治疗后观察组红细胞计数和网织红细胞、均显著高于对照组(P 0. 05)。观察组血清铁、转铁蛋白饱和度水平均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05),但血清铁调素水平显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05),血清铁蛋白水平2组差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)。观察组IL-1β、血清TNF-α、血清CRP均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05)。观察组LVEF、6 min步行距离、明尼苏达心力衰竭生命质量量表(MLHFQ)均显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05)。2组不良事件总发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05),但对照组4例患者出现血清肌酐、尿素氮水平异常,发生率高于观察组,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05)。经1年随访,观察组心血管事件人均发生次数显著少于对照组(P 0. 05),但2组住院次数和全因死亡率比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)。结论:健脾生血片可有效治疗心力衰竭伴贫血,减少心血管发生次数,并且安全性良好,其作用机制与提供准确足量铁元素、抑制铁调素表达,抑制慢性炎性反应有关。