1.Serum metabolomics-based study on the mechanism of action of bergapten in the treatment of liver fibrosis
Huixing WU ; Zhenhua ZHANG ; Changrui LONG ; Guifen GUO ; Yanyu WANG ; Yanchun CHEN ; Juxiong FU ; Shijian XIANG ; Benjie ZHOU ; Chengyu LU
China Pharmacy 2024;35(13):1570-1575
OBJECTIVE To study the effects of bergapten in the treatment of liver fibrosis and its mechanism based on serum metabolomics. METHODS Forty mice were divided into normal control group (0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium solution), model group (0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium solution), and BP low-dose and high-dose groups (50, 100 mg/kg), with 10 mice in each group. Except for the normal control group, the other three groups were all treated with carbon tetrachloride to induce liver fibrosis model; they were given relevant medicine/solution intragastrically, once a day, for consecutive 8 weeks. After the last medication, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were detected, and liver pathological changes were observed; the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Collagen Ⅰ were detected in liver tissue; the serum of the mice was collected for metabolomics analysis. RESULTS Compared with the model group, serum levels of ALT and AST and protein expressions of α-SMA and Collagen Ⅰ in liver tissue were decreased significantly in BP high-dose and low-dose groups (P<0.05), while liver fibrosis was improved significantly. Meanwhile, metabolomics analyses showed that there were a total of 175 serum differential metabolites in the BP high-dose group and model group, of which 18 substances were upregulated and 157 substances were downregulated; the main metabolic pathways involved in bergapten intervention were pyrimidine metabolism, butanoate metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, tyrosine metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolism, glutathione metabolism, etc. CONCLUSIONS BP is effective in the treatment of liver fibrosis by regulating pyrimidine metabolism, butanoate metabolism, glutathione metabolism and so on in rats with liver fibrosis.
2.Study on the mechanism of hyperoside regulating hepatic lipid synthesis to ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice
Changrui LONG ; Shijian XIANG ; Zhenhua ZHANG ; Huixing WU ; Benjie ZHOU ; Chengyu LU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(6):668-673
OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement mechanism of hyperoside (HYP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal (NFD) group, model (HFD) group and HYP group, with 8 mice in each group. Except for NFD group, the mice in other groups were fed with HF60 high-fat diet to establish NAFLD model; HYP group was simultaneously given HYP 100 mg/kg intragastrically every day, for 16 consecutive weeks. The body weight and liver weight of mice in each group were recorded 16 h after the last medication; the histopathological changes and lipid accumulation in the liver were observed, and the contents of triglyceride (TAG) in liver tissue and serum contents of TAG, aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were measured; LC-MS/MS method was adopted to detect lipid changes in the liver tissue of mice for lipidomics analysis, and protein expressions of lipid synthesis-associated proteins peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) were also tested. Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was divided into normal control group, model group, HYP low-concentration group (50 μmol/L), HYP high-concentration group (100 μmol/L), HYP low-concentration+GW6471 (PPARαinhibitor) group, and HYP high-concentration+GW6471 group. Except for normal control group, the remaining cells were induced with oleic acid and palmitic acid to establish a high-fat cell model. The accumulation of lipid droplets in each group of cells was observed, and the TAG content was detected. RESULTS Compared with HFD group, HYP group exhibited significant reductions in liver fat vacuoles, lipid accumulation, liver weight, and TAG content in liver tissue, as well as serum contents of ALT, AST and TAG (P<0.05). Additionally, the expression of PPARα protein in liver tissue was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the pathological morphological changes associated with NAFLD were alleviated. Lipidomic analysis revealed that HYP significantly reduced the levels of TAG, diacylglycerol and other lipids in the liver. Compared with model group, cellular lipid droplet accumulation and TAG content decreased significantly in HYP low- and high-concentration groups (P<0.05); GW6471 could significantly reverse the improvement effect of HYP on above indicators (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS HYP can effectively ameliorate NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet in mice, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of PPARα to regulate hepatic lipid synthesis.