Protective Effects of Xiongshao Capsule PFG on Vascular Endothelial Cell Injury Induced by Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein and Underlying Mechanisms
10.3870/j.issn.1672-0741.25.06.001
- VernacularTitle:芎芍胶囊PFG对氧化低密度脂蛋白诱导的血管内皮细胞损伤的保护作用及机制研究
- Author:
Yingda ZHOU
1
;
Jianpeng LI
1
;
Mengyao ZHANG
1
Author Information
1. 河南中医药大学第二临床医学院(河南中医药大学第二附属医院)周围血管科,郑州 450003
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
paeoniflorigenone;
Xiongshao Capsule;
vascular endothelial cell;
atherosclerosis;
network pharmacolo-gy;
molecular docking
- From:
Acta Medicinae Universitatis Scientiae et Technologiae Huazhong
2025;54(4):513-522
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of paeoniflorigenone(PFG),a natural active com-ponent in Xiongshao Capsule,against oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL)induced vascular endothelial cell injury.Methods Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to identify hub targets and key active components of Xiongshao Capsulefor treating atherosclerosis.Human umbilicalvein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were divided into control,ox-LDL(100 μg/mL),PFG low-dose(20 μmol/L),and PFG high-dose(80 μmol/L)groups.Thecytotoxicity of PFG(10-160 μmol/L)and ox-LDL(5-200 μg/mL)was evaluated using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay.The effects of PFG(10,20,40,80 μmol/L)on ox-LDL-induced HUVEC viability after 24 hours of intervention were detected.Apoptosis was measured by flow cytome-try.The release of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The mRNA expression levels of hub genes(EGFR,PIK3CA,SRC)were assessed by re-verse transcription quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR).Results Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis demonstrated that PFG was a key active component of Xiongshao Capsule for treating atherosclerosis,stably binding to hub targets(EGFR,PIK3CA,and SRC)with binding affinities＜-7.0 kcal/mol.In vitro experiments revealed that compared to the control group,PFG-treated HUVECs showed no significant change in viability,while the ox-LDL group exhibited significantly reduced cell vi-ability,increased apoptosis levels,elevated concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β),and upregulated mRNA expression of hub targets(EGFR,PIK3CA,SRC)(all P＜0.05).Compared to the ox-LDL group,PFG intervention sig-nificantly increased cell viability and decreased apoptosis levels,pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations,and mRNA expres-sion of hub targets(all P＜0.05)in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion This study demonstrates that PFG,the pivotal active ingredient of Xiongshao Capsule,may attenuate ox-LDL-induced vascular endothelial cell injury through the EGFR/PIK3CA/SRC regulatory axis.
