1.The interaction between polyphyllin I and SQLE protein induces hepatotoxicity through SREBP-2/HMGCR/SQLE/LSS pathway
Zhiqi LI ; Qiqi FAN ; Meilin CHEN ; Ying DONG ; Farong LI ; Mingshuang WANG ; Yulin GU ; Simin GUO ; Xianwen YE ; Jiarui WU ; Shengyun DAI ; Ruichao LIN ; Chongjun ZHAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2023;13(1):39-54
Polyphyllin Ⅰ(PPⅠ)and polyphyllin Ⅱ(PⅡ)are the main active substances in the Paris polyphylla.However,liver toxicity of these compounds has impeded their clinical application and the potential hepatotoxicity mechanisms remain to be elucidated.In this work,we found that PPⅠ and PⅡ exposure could induce significant hepatotoxicity in human liver cell line L-02 and zebrafish in a dose-dependent manner.The results of the proteomic analysis in L-02 cells and transcriptome in zebrafish indicated that the hepa-totoxicity of PPⅡ and PⅡwas associated with the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway disorders,which were alleviated by the cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor lovastatin.Additionally,3-hydroxy-3-methy-lglutaryl CoA reductase(HMGCR)and squalene epoxidase(SQLE),the two rate-limiting enzymes in the choles-terol synthesis,selected as the potential targets,were confirmed by the molecular docking,the over-expression,and knockdown of HMGCR or SQLE with siRNA.Finally,the pull-down and surface plasmon resonance technology revealed that PPⅠ could directly bind with SQLE but not with HMGCR.Collectively,these data demonstrated that PPⅠ-induced hepatotoxicity resulted from the direct binding with SQLE protein and impaired the sterol-regulatory element binding protein 2/HMGCR/SQLE/lanosterol synthase pathways,thus disturbing the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway.The findings of this research can contribute to a better understanding of the key role of SQLE as a potential target in drug-induced hepatotoxicity and provide a therapeutic strategy for the prevention of drug toxic effects with similar structures in the future.
2.Study on Mechanism of Action of Matrine in Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Based on Zebrafish Model and Network Pharmacology
Linzhen CHEN ; Xue ZHANG ; Qi CHEN ; Xue YU ; Shengyun DAI ; Zhiqiang MA ; Chongjun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(22):88-94
ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of matrine in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) based on the zebrafish model and network pharmacology. MethodThe IBD model of zebrafish was established using 2,4,6-trinitro-benzenesulfonicacid (TNBS), and the intestinal phagocytic function, goblet cell secretion, and neutrophil aggregation were evaluated using neutral red staining, alcian blue staining, and neutrophil number changes. Changes in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and cholecystokinin (CCK) content in zebrafish were determined by using relevant reagent kits. Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were used to predict the potential mechanism of matrine in the treatment of IBD. Gene expression of relevant targets was verified through Real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). ResultCompared with the model group, the matrine administration group can increase the neutral red staining area in a dose-dependent manner and improve intestinal phagocytic function(P<0.05,P<0.01). It can reduce the staining area of alcian blue and affect the secretion of intestinal goblet cells(P<0.01). It can reduce the number of neutrophil granulocytes, relieve its aggregation, significantly reduce TNF-α content(P<0.01), and increase the CCK content. Network pharmacology analysis identifies 28 potential targets for matrine in the treatment of IBD. The top five targets by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis are CHRNA7, DRD1, CHRNA4, SLC6A3, and GRM5. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) results show that the treatment of IBD with matrine may be related to neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cholinergic synapse, and neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Real-time PCR results show that matrine can affect the expression level of related target genes. Conclusionmatrine has a certain therapeutic effect on IBD and can affect the inflammatory response of IBD. Its therapeutic effect may be related to neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and other pathways.
3.Evaluation of Anti-osteoporosis Activity and Hepatotoxicity of Xianling Gubao Based on Zebrafish Model
Qiuman LI ; Yue QIAN ; Zixuan ZHU ; Yuan SONG ; Qian DENG ; Shengyun DAI ; Chongjun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):87-94
ObjectiveTo investigate the association and translational mechanism between the hepatotoxicity of Xianling Gubao (XLGB) and its treatment of osteoporosis based on a zebrafish model. MethodsZebrafish were randomly selected four days after fertilization (4 dpf) and exposed to different concentrations of XLGB (0.7,0.35 mg·L-1) for 96 h. At the endpoint of the exposure, the mortality rates of zebrafish in the treatment groups of different concentrations were counted, and the "dose-toxicity" curves were plotted. The 10% sublethal concentration (LC10) was calculated. The liver area, acridine orange staining, and pathological tissue sections of transgenic zebrafish [CZ16 (gz15Tg.Tg (fabp 10a: ds Red; ela31: EGFP)] were used as indicators to confirm the hepatic damage caused by the sublethal concentration of XLGB. By using the prednisolone (PNSL)-induced osteoporosis model of zebrafish, the anti-osteoporosis activity of XLGB was evaluated by using the area of skull stained by alizarin red and the cumulative optical density value as indicators. Then, the toxicity difference of XLGB on the liver of zebrafish in healthy and osteoporotic states was compared, and the mechanism of the translational action of the toxicity of XLGB was predicted based on network pharmacology and real-time polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR). ResultsThe LC10 of XLGB on zebrafish (8 dpf) was 0.7 mg·L-1. Compared with the blank group, the sublethal concentration (LC10=0.7 mg·L-1, 1/2 LC10=0.35 mg·L-1) of XLGB induced an increase in the number of apoptosis of hepatocytes in a dose-dependent manner, and the tissue arrangement of the liver was disordered and loose. The vacuoles were obvious, and the fluorescence area of the liver was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the blank group, the mineralized area and cumulative optical density value of zebrafish skull in the PNSL model group were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and those in the 0.7,0.35 mg·L-1 XLGB treatment group were significantly increased compared with the model group (P<0.01). Most importantly, 0.7 mg·L-1 XLGB had no significant effect on the liver of zebrafish in the osteoporosis disease model compared with the blank group. The results of network pharmacology and real-time PCR experiments showed that the toxic transformation of XLGB might be related to the differences in the expression levels of key targets, such as tumor protein 53 (TP53), cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-3(Caspase-3), interleukin(IL)-6, and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) in different organismal states. ConclusionUnder certain conditions, XLGB has hepatotoxicity in normal zebrafish, but under osteoporotic conditions, XLGB not only exerts significant anti-osteoporosis activity but also alleviates hepatotoxicity significantly, which provides a reference for the safe clinical use of XLGB and real evidence for the theories of traditional Chinese medicine of attacking poison with poison and of treating disease with corresponding drugs without damage to the body.
4.Spray Drying in Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Powders: A Review
Shengyun DAI ; Maorui YANG ; Wenjing LI ; Jian ZHENG ; Bing XU ; Yanjiang QIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2022;28(14):200-208
After more than 100 years of development, spray drying technology has become more mature and widely used, and it is of great importance in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM powders prepared by spray drying is the raw material of dispensing granules, and the powder properties have an important influence on subsequent molding process and product quality. As a new form of TCM, dispensing granules have been included in the management category of TCM decoction pieces, indicating a broader application market, and a consensus has also been reached on the importance of TCM powder research. Based on this, the author summarized the application progress of spray drying in the study of TCM powders, including the factors affecting spray drying process, such as liquid properties, process parameters and equipment factors, as well as the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermodynamic model in spray drying process simulation. Moreover, some commonly used pharmaceutical excipients for the modification of TCM powders were also introduced such as maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose and povidone. In addition, spray drying technology can also be used as a preparation technology for new drug delivery systems such as microcapsules and solid dispersions. Through the summary of this paper, the author suggests that the future research direction of spray drying of TCM can be carried out from the aspects of application rule of the coprocessing auxiliary materials based on the "unification of medicines and excipients", the "structure-property" relationship of spray-dried powders and the application of computer simulation and design, so as to further enrich the application of spray drying in the field of TCM powders.
5.Application of Zebrafish in Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Jiaqi LI ; Xiaolu CHEN ; Jiarui WU ; Xiaoyu TAO ; Qiqi FAN ; Shengyun DAI ; Chongjun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):58-70
As a new type of model organism, zebrafish is gradually gaining prominence in the field of scientific research. The unique biological characteristics and advantages of zebrafish make them play an increasingly important role in the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. Compared with other common experimental animals, zebrafish have a fast reproductive and growth speed and high embryo transparency, making them an ideal model for evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. This provides a new perspective and method for research on traditional Chinese medicine. With the growing global interest in traditional Chinese medicine, it has become crucial to find scientific and accurate methods to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine. The introduction of the zebrafish model has brought new breakthroughs in the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. To further promote the application of zebrafish in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine, this article systematically searched and sorted out the previous studies related to the application of zebrafish for this purpose since 2023. The commonly used disease models and indicators of zebrafish in evaluating the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the mechanism of zebrafish in exploring the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, were primarily reviewed. The application of zebrafish in evaluating the safety of traditional Chinese medicine and the typical examples in ensuring the quality of traditional Chinese medicine were demonstrated. The limitations encountered by zebrafish models in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine were highlighted. The resolution of these problems will help further improve the accuracy and reliability of zebrafish in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. The article discussed the evaluation of effectiveness, safety, and quality control of zebrafish applied in traditional Chinese medicine, so as to provide a reference for establishing standards for traditional Chinese medicine and promoting its modernization in the future.