Paeoniflorin suppresses IL-33 production by macrophages

Abstract

Objective: Interleukin (IL)-33 has been attracting more and more attention as a new member of theIL-1 cytokine family in recent years. However, the underlying mechanisms referred to the regulation of endogenous IL-33 production are not fully illustrated. Paeoniflorin (PF) has been reported to possess multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammation and anti-allergy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of PF on IL-33 production by macrophages and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: In vivo, IL-33 production in mice after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection together with PF application was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In vitro, MTT, Real-time PCR, ELISA, Calcium (Ca²⁺) imaging and Western blot were used to assess the cytotoxicity of PF, IL-33 expression at mRNA and protein levels, Ca²⁺ influx, protein kinase C (PKC) activity, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages with PF administration.

Results: Our results indicated that PF (5 and 25?mg/kg) significantly reduced the production of TNF-a, IL-1β, and IL-33 in the peritoneal exudate of LPS-treated mice. In vitro assay, upregulation of PF concentration (≥ 20?μM) showed an increased cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells during the 24-h cell culture. PF (10?μM) inhibited IL-33 production, Ca²⁺ influx, PKC activity, NF-κB (p65) activation, and P38MAPK phosphorylation in LPS-treated macrophages. Notably, NF-κB inhibitor (BAY 11-7085), P38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580), and Ca²⁺ blocker (NiCl₂) also curbed LPS-induced IL-33 production, respectively.

Conclusions: PF suppresses IL-33 production by macrophages via inhibiting NF-κB and P38MAPK activation associated with the regulation of Ca²⁺ mobilization.     

芍药苷对大鼠术后肠粘连影响及其作用机制探讨

目的 探讨芍药苷对SD大鼠术后肠粘连的作用效果。方法 选取40只雄性SD大鼠,采用电脑抽号随机分配成4组：空白对照组（Sham组）、对照组（Control组）、透明质酸钠盐阳性对照组（hyaluronate,HA组）以及芍药苷（paeoniflorin）组,每组10只大鼠。Sham组正常开腹后找到盲肠向外拉出然后放回;其余各组均采用盲肠摩擦+对应腹壁损伤模型进行肠粘连造模。芍药苷组术后给予芍药苷灌胃;透明质酸钠组术中腹腔放置透明质酸钠。造模成功后第10天处死所有动物,评估并比较4组大鼠形成粘连的程度及范围,进而进行粘连评分;病理学分析炎症渗出;取粘连组织进行蛋白质印迹（Western blot）分析肿瘤生长因子β（TGF-β）、白细胞介素8（IL-8）的表达;通过ELISA试剂盒检测各组血TGF-β、IL-8的表达水平。结果 术后第10天开腹后肉眼宏观评估粘连程度及范围,与对照组比较,芍药苷组中粘连等级及评分均降低,差异有统计学意义（P<0.50）;HE病理学分析显示芍药苷组炎症渗出显著降低;ELISA检测结果显示,芍药苷组TGF-β、IL-8低于Control组,差异有统计学（P<0.05）;进一步Western blot定量分析检测TGF-β、IL-8的表达在芍药苷组中显著降低（P<0.05）。结论 芍药苷可显著降低术后TGF-β、IL-8的表达,较临床常用的透明质酸钠效果更显著,有望成为术后用于预防肠粘连的药之一。     

芍药苷对椎间盘内紊乱兔Fas介导的凋亡通路的调节作用

目的 探讨芍药苷在兔椎间盘内紊乱（internal disc disruption,IDD）发生过程中,是否干预死亡受体介导的信号传导途径,影响髓核细胞的凋亡,及其发生的可能机制.方法 取新西兰大白兔96只,雌雄不限,体重（3.0±0.5） kg.随机分为4组,每组24只.其中3组行纤维环穿刺造模（分别在L3/L4,L4/L及L5/L6椎间盘进行穿刺）.造模后各组分别采用芍药苷高剂量每天120 mg/kg、低剂量每天30 mg/kg及生理盐水灌胃治疗,正常对照组采用生理盐水灌胃,分笼常规饲养.分别在术后的3周、6周和10周将各组大白兔处死取材,每个时间点8只,离断腰椎,分离椎间盘.免疫组化法检测Fas、FasL、Caspase-8的表达,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率.结果 造模组Fas、FasL、Caspase-8的表达较正常对照组升高（P＜0.05）.高、低剂量组Fas、FasL、Caspase-8的表达较生理盐水组降低（P＜0.05）.各造模组细胞凋亡率均高于正常对照组（P＜0.05）;高、低剂量组细胞凋亡率低于生理盐水组（P＜0.05）.结论 芍药苷可以抑制Fas表达,进而抑制Caspase-8的激活,最终起到抑制髓核细胞凋亡的作用.     

A precise and specific method for quick determinationof sulfur fumigation for moutan cortex

Objective: Establish a quick, precise and specific method to determine whether the moutan cortex obtained from market is processed with sulfur; provide a reliable method for the scientific evaluation.Methods: Three methods, including acid-base titration method, high-performance liquid-chromatography(HPLC) method, and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-TOF-MS) method were used to detect whether30 batches of samples were fumigated with sulfur.Results: The results of three methods were substantially the same. Fifteen batches were identified to have been processed with sulfur fumigation, while others were not.Conclusions: The HPLC method was found to be most appropriate for the determination of sulfur fumigation for moutan cortex.     

Paeoniflorin ameliorates collagen‐induced arthritis via suppressing nuclear factor‐κB signalling pathway in osteoclast differentiation

Paeoniflorin (PF), extracted from the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, exhibits anti‐inflammatory properties in several autoimmune diseases. Osteoclast, the only somatic cell with bone resorbing capacity, was the direct cause of bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its mouse model, collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA). The objective of this study was to estimate the effect of PF on CIA mice, and explore the mechanism of PF in bone destruction. We demonstrated that PF treatment significantly ameliorated CIA through inflammatory response inhibition and bone destruction suppression. Furthermore, PF treatment markedly decreased osteoclast number through the altered RANKL/RANK/OPG ratio and inflammatory cytokines profile. Consistently, we found that osteoclast differentiation was significantly inhibited by PF through down‐regulation of nuclear factor‐κB activation in vitro. Moreover, we found that PF suppressed nuclear factor‐κB activation by decreasing its translocation to the nucleus in osteoclast precursor cells. Taken together, our new findings provide insights into a novel function of PF in osteoclastogenesis and demonstrate that PF would be a new therapeutic modality as a natural agent for RA treatment and other autoimmune conditions with bone erosion.     

芍药苷对APP/PS1小鼠的神经细胞保护作用及机制研究

目的:探讨芍药苷(paeoniflorin,PF)通过抑制细胞凋亡通路而产生神经细胞保护作用的机制。方法:分别选用15只5月龄雄性APP/PS1非显性小鼠作为正常对照组,15只5月龄雄性APP/PS1双转基因小鼠为模型组和15只5月龄雄性APP/PS1双转基因小鼠为给药组(5 mg/kg的PF腹腔注射)。采用水迷宫实验检测各组小鼠的学习和记忆能力。采用TUNEL荧光染色法检测脑内神经细胞凋亡情况。采用Western Blot检测脑内皮层及海马区PI3K、Akt、p-PI3K、p-Akt、caspase-3、caspase-9、Bcl-2和Bax的蛋白表达水平,并用免疫组化分析caspase-3和caspase-9的蛋白表达水平及分布情况。结果:(1)与正常对照组相比,APP/PS1模型组小鼠的学习和记忆能力明显下降;与APP/PS1模型组相比,PF明显改善小鼠的学习和记忆能力。(2)与正常对照组相比,APP/PS1模型组小鼠脑内神经细胞凋亡明显增多,分布区域较广,而PF给药组小鼠凋亡细胞明显减少。(3)与APP/PS1模型组相比,PF给药组能显著下调促凋亡因子caspase-3、caspase-9和Bax的表达水平(P0.05),同时上调抑凋亡因子pPI3K、p-Akt和Bcl-2的表达水平(P0.05)。结论:PF可能通过激活PI3K/Akt通路而上调Bcl-2,下调caspase-9、caspase-3和Bax的蛋白表达水平,从而抑制神经细胞凋亡和保护神经细胞,以治疗神经退行性疾病。     

HPLC测定白芍配方颗粒中芍药苷的含量

目的:测定白芍配方颗粒中芍药苷的含量。方法:以乙腈-1.0 m l/L H3PO4(14∶86)为流动相,采用高效液相色谱法测定白芍配方颗粒中芍药苷的含量,测定波长为230 nm。结果:芍药苷在34.9~450.0μg/m l浓度范围内呈良好的线性关系,r=0.999 5;平均加样回收率为99.8%。结论:HPLC法简便、准确、灵敏度高、重复性好,可以作为白芍配方颗粒的质量控制手段。     

Genomic Understanding Reveals the Important Role of FGFR2 as Paeoniflorin Target for Circumventing Breast Cancer Resistance to Tamoxifen

Objectives: Paeoniflorin (PF), a compound found in Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia suffruticosa, has anticancer potential, particularly in inhibiting migration and invasion, the resistant cancer cells hallmarks. To date, the mechanism of overcoming tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer is not yet elucidated. This research aims to explore the potential target of PF as a co-treatment for circumventing breast cancer resistance to tamoxifen with a genomic understanding-bioinformatics. Methods: Microarray data originating from GSE67916 and GSE85871 in the NCBI GEO database was analyzed to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further analyses were performed on DEGs using the DAVID v6.8, STRING-DB v11.0, the Cytoscape, and cBioportal. Gene expression analysis validation in breast cancer cells and tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells was accomplished using GEPIA and ONCOMINE databases. Survival rate analysis of selected genes was conducted using Kaplan–Meier. Results: We obtained 175 DEGs from the two samples (tamoxifen-resistant and paeoniflorin-treated). DEG involves in 70 biological processes, 26 cellular components, and 18 molecular functions, and three pathways relevant to breast cancer. The PPI network analysis and hub genes selection obtained 10 genes with the highest degree scores. Genetic changes for selected genes, including IFNB1, CDK6, FGFR2, OAS1, BCL2, and STAT2 were found from 0.5% to 7% of the case population per patient case. Additional analysis using cBioportal revealed FGFR signaling pathway through Ras is important for the PF mechanism in circumventing breast cancer resistance to tamoxifen. ONCOMINE and GEPIA analysis emphasized the importance of selected genes in the tamoxifen-resistance mechanism. Conclusion: PF has potential to be used as a co-treatment for circumventing breast cancer resistance to tamoxifen by targeting FGFR2 signaling, but further validation is needed.     

芍药苷预处理对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

摘 要 目的： 观察芍药苷对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注（myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, MI/R）损伤的保护作用,探讨其作用机制。方法: 结扎冠脉造成心肌缺血30 min再灌注2 h,建立MI/R损伤大鼠模型,随机分为假手术组、模型组、芍药苷三个剂量组（20,10,5 mg·kg^-1）（n=10）,于术前1 h和再灌注即刻分别进行尾静脉注射给药。取血清,测定肌酸激酶(CK)、乳酸脱氯酶(LDH)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量;取心脏,测定心肌梗死面积。结果:芍药苷高、中剂量可明显缩小大鼠心肌梗死面积,与模型组比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;芍药苷各剂量组可不同程度降低血清CK和LDH活性（P<0.05或P<0.01）,升高SOD活性（P<0.01）;芍药苷高、中剂量组降低血清MDA含量,与模型组比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论: 芍药苷预处理对MI/R损伤的保护作用与其减少自由基的生成、抑制脂质过氧化反应等有关。     

胃灵颗粒质量标准的提高

摘 要 目的： 建立胃灵颗粒的质量标准。方法: 采用TLC法对胃灵颗粒中的主要药味白芍、甘草、延胡索及山楂进行定性鉴别;采用HPLC法测定白芍中芍药苷的含量,色谱柱：Agilent XDB-C₁₈（250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm）,流动相：乙腈-0.1％磷酸溶液（10∶90）,检测波长：230 nm,流速：1.0 ml·min^-1。结果: 薄层色谱斑点清晰,在与对照药材或对照品相应的位置上显相同颜色的斑点,阴性对照无干扰;白芍中芍药苷的线性范围0.151～1.212 μg,r=0.999 9,平均回收率为99.63%,RSD为2.01%（n=9）。结论:本方法操作简单,结果准确可靠,重复性好,可作为胃灵颗粒的质量控制方法。