1.Molecular Mechanism of Action of Astragaloside Ⅳ in Modulating Pyroptosis to Attenuate Intestinal Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Based on Experimental Validation
Liya CHANG ; Yufang LENG ; Zicen ZHAO ; Yu WANG ; Yang XING ; Dongbin LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(19):116-123
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of astragaloside-Ⅳ (AS-Ⅳ) in regulating pyroptosis to alleviate intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) by combining network pharmacology and in vivo experiments. MethodFirstly, the corresponding target genes of AS-Ⅳ were obtained from TraditionalChineseMedicineSystemsPharmacology(TCMSP) database and Swiss Target Prediction database, and the target genes related to intestinal IRI and Pyroptosis were obtained from GeneCards database, and the common target genes of the three were obtained by drawing Venn diagrams through unspiralized website. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING database and Cytoscape software to screen common target genes and imported into Cytoscape software to obtain core target genes. Microbiotics platform was used for gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis and prediction of the mechanism of action of AS-Ⅳ in regulating Pyroptosis to alleviate intestinal IRI. Then C57/BL6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups normal group, model group(IR), drug administration group (IR+AS-Ⅳ), nucleotide-binding oligomerization structural domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) agonist NSS group (IR+AS-Ⅳ+NSS), and NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group (IR+AS-Ⅳ+MCC950) by using a randomized numerical table method. The intestinal IRI model was established by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 45 min and resuming perfusion for 2 h in the model group, the drug administration group, the NLRP3 agonist NSS group, and the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group, and the normal group was only separated from the vessels without clamping. The administration group, the NLRP3 agonist NSS group, and the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group were gavaged with astragaloside dissolved in 0.1% dimethylsulfoxide (50 mg·kg-1) for 3 consecutive days before modeling, with the last gavage 2 h before modeling, and the remaining two groups were gavaged with equal amounts of saline. The NLRP3 agonist NSS group was injected intraperitoneally with 4 mg·kg-1 of NSS 1 h before modeling, and the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group was injected intraperitoneally with 10 mg·kg-1 of MCC950 1 h before modeling.The mice were put to death by reperfusion for 2 h, and intestinal tissues were obtained. The levels of IL-18 and IL-1β were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the protein expression of thioredoxin-binding protein (TXNIP), NLRP3, Caspase-1 and pyrocatechin D (GSDMD) were detected by Western blot, and the pathological changes of intestinal tissues were evaluated by Chiu's score. ResultNetwork pharmacological analysis showed that there were 1599 targets of intestinal IRI, 199 targets of AS-Ⅳ action, 197 targets of pyroptosis, and 20 targets common to all three. There were 10 core targets, including NLRP3, TXNIP, silencing information regulator 1 (SIRT1), high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1), interleukin-18 (IL-18), GSDMD, and metallo matrix protease-9 (MMP-9),et al. The results of in vivo experiments showed that compared with the normal group, Chiu's score was elevated in the model group, the levels of IL-18,IL-1β inflammatory factors in mouse intestinal tissues were elevated (P<0.05), and the protein expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD were elevated (P<0.05). Compared with the model group,Chiu's score was decreased in the administered group and NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group,the level of IL-18,IL-1β inflammatory factors in the intestinal tissue of mice was decreased(P<0.05), and the level of TXNIP,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD protein expression was decreased(P<0.05). Compared with the administered group, Chiu's score was elevated in the NLRP3 agonist NSS group, the levels of IL-18, IL-1β inflammatory factors in mouse intestinal tissues were elevated (P<0.05), and the protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD were elevated (P<0.05). Compared with the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 group, the NLRP3 agonist NSS group had elevated Chiu's scores, elevated levels of IL-18,IL-1β inflammatory factors in mouse intestinal tissues (P<0.05), and elevated levels of TXNIP,NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD protein expression (P<0.05). ConclusionNetwork pharmacological predictions were consistent with the results of in vivo experiments, and astragaloside attenuated intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting cellular pyroptosis through the TXNIP-NLRP3 signaling pathway.