Geju Hugan Tablets Ameliorate Alcohol-induced Liver Injury in Mice by Regulating NF-κB and Bcl-2/Bax Signaling Pathways
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20231221
- VernacularTitle:葛菊护肝片调节NF-κB和Bcl-2/Bax信号通路改善酒精所致的小鼠肝脏损伤
- Author:
Chen WANG
1
;
Lixiao SONG
2
;
Jinlai CHENG
3
;
Yuqing TAN
3
;
Miyi YANG
3
;
Baosheng ZHAO
1
Author Information
1. School of Life Sciences， Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，Beijing 100029，China
2. Enro Digital Health Development Limited Company，Jinan 250000，China
3. Institute of Chinese Materia Medica，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences，Beijing 100700，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Puerariae Lobatae Radix;
Chrysanthemi Flos;
alcohol-induced liver injury;
nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway;
B-cell lymphoma-2（Bcl-2）;
Bcl-2-associated X（Bax）
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2023;29(18):17-25
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Geju Hugan tablets on the liver of mice with alcohol-induced liver injury， and explore the underlying mechanism based on nuclear factor-κB p65 （NF-κB p65） and B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）/Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） signaling pathways. MethodAccording to the body weight， 60 SPF-grade male ICR mice were randomized into normal， model， Compound Yiganling tablets （0.16 g·kg-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （0.2， 0.4， 0.8 g·kg-1， respectively） Geju Hugan tablets groups. The drugs were administrated at the corresponding doses by gavage， and the normal and model groups with equal volume of pure water once a day for 28 consecutive days. On day 29， the mice in other groups except the normal group were administrated with liquor （53% Vol） by gavage twice a day at the doses of 20， 10 mL·kg-1 and with the interval of 6 h. Samples were harvested on day 30. The histopathological changes in the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the ultrastructural changes in hepatocytes were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of malonaldehyde （MDA）， reduced glutathione （GSH）， and triglycerides （TG） in the liver tissue and the levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） in the serum. Western blotting was employed to determine the protein levels of NF-κB p65， phosphorylated p-inhibitor kappa B alpha （p-IκBα）， Bcl-2， and Bax in the liver tissue. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed increases in the ALT， AST， MDA， and TG levels， a decrease in the GSH level， and increases in the liver injury scores evaluated based on the HE， oil red O， and transmission electron microscopy （P<0.01）. Moreover， the model group showed up-regulated expression of NF-κB， p-IκBα， and Bax （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of Bcl-2 （P<0.05） in the liver tissue. Compared with the model group， Geju Hugan tablets of all the doses lowered the ALT， AST， MDA， and TG levels and elevated the GSH level （P<0.01）. The liver injury scores assessed based on HE staining and transmission electron microscopy in the medium- and high-dose Geju Hugan tablets groups were lower than those in the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose Geju Hugan tablets down-regulated the protein levels of NF-κB， p-IκBα， and Bax （P<0.01） and all doses of Geju Hugan tablets up-regulated the protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. ConclusionGeju Hugan tablets protect mice from alcohol-induced liver injury by down-regulating NF-κB signaling pathway to alleviate inflammation in the liver tissue and down-regulating the expression of Bax and up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 to inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis.
