Xuefu Zhuyu Mixture Ameliorates Myocardial Injury in Coronary Heart Disease Rats by Modulating TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway
10.13359/j.cnki.gzxbtcm.2025.10.026
- VernacularTitle:血府逐瘀合剂通过调控TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路改善冠心病大鼠心肌损伤
- Author:
Hao ZHU
1
;
Lijuan HU
;
Jing WAN
Author Information
1. 武汉市中医医院心血管病科,湖北武汉 430014
- Keywords:
Xuefu Zhuyu Mixture;
coronary heart disease(CHD);
myocardial apoptosis;
vascular remodeling;
TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway;
rats
- From:
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;42(10):2539-2548
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Xuefu Zhuyu Mixture(XFZY)in rats with coronary heart disease(CHD).Methods A CHD rat model was established.Successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into five groups(n=12 each):model group,Lipitor group,low-dose XFZY group(7.02 g·kg-1·d-1),high-dose XFZY group(14.04 g·kg-1·d-1),and high-dose XFZY+RS09[Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)agonist]group(14.04 g·kg-1·d-1 XFZY+intraperitoneal RS09),with an additional normal control group(n=12).After treatment,following treatment completion,all rats underwent echocardiography to assess left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVDd),end-systolic diameter(LVDs),ejection fraction(LVEF),and fractional shortening(FS).Myocardial histopathology and vascular remodeling indices were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,while myocardial fibrosis was examined using Masson's trichrome staining.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to quantify inflammatory cytokine levels[tumor necrosis factorα(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,and IL-6]in myocardial tissues.Immunohistochemical analysis determined protein expression of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bc12)and Caspase 3 in myocardial tissues.Western Blot was performed to measure myocardial protein expression levels of TLR4,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT),total AKT,phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin(p-mTOR),and total mTOR.Results Compared with the normal group,rats in the model group exhibited severe myocardial tissue damage,along with significantly elevated collagen volume fraction,LVDs,LVDd,myocardial levels of IL-6,TNF-α and IL-1β,cardiomyocyte apoptosis ratio,aortic media thickness,and protein expression of Caspase 3,TLR4,PI3K,p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR in myocardial tissue(P＜0.05).Conversely,LVEF,FS,aortic luminal diameter,and Bcl-2 protein content were significantly reduced,the difference being statistically significant(P＜0.05).Compared to the model group,both low-and high-dose XFZY groups as well as the Lipitor group demonstrated attenuated myocardial lesions,with significant reductions in collagen volume fraction,LVDs,LVDd,myocardial IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1β levels,cardiomyocyte apoptosis ratio,aortic media thickness,and protein expression of Caspase 3,TLR4,PI3K,p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR(P＜0.05).Concurrently,LVEF,FS,aortic luminal diameter,and Bcl-2 protein content were significantly increased,the difference being statistically significant(P＜0.05).No statistically significant differences were observed between the high-dose XFZY group and the Lipitor group for any aforementioned parameters(P＞0.05).However,rats treated with high-dose XFZY plus RS09 showed aggravated myocardial injury with manifested interstitial fibrosis,alongside significantly intensified inflammatory response,cardiomyocyte apoptosis,and vascular remodeling compared to the high-dose XFZY alone group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion XFZY alleviates CHD symptoms by suppressing TLR4/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation,thereby reducing myocardial inflammation,fibrosis,apoptosis,and vascular remodeling.
