Research on the Mechanism of Qihuang Zhuyu Formula in Alleviating Depression after Myocardial Infarction through the TNF Signaling Pathway
10.14148/j.issn.1672-0482.2025.1148
- VernacularTitle:芪黄逐瘀方通过TNF信号通路减轻心肌梗死后抑郁的机制研究
- Author:
Jianghong LI
1
;
Tong SUN
;
Peng YU
;
Le SHEN
;
Weixin SUN
;
Xiaohu CHEN
Author Information
1. 南京中医药大学第一临床医学院,江苏南京 210023
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
myocardial infarction;
depression;
inflammation;
Qihuang Zhuyu formula
- From:
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;41(9):1148-1165
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of action of Qihuang Zhuyu formula(QHZYF)in improving depression after myocardial infarction(MI),with a focus on revealing its regulatory effect on the inflammatory response of the heart and brain.METH-ODS The active ingredients of QHZYF and the action targets for intervening in depression after MI were analyzed by using ultra-per-formance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking.A rat model of depression after MI was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery com-bined with chronic restraint stress.Echocardiography was used to evaluate cardiac function,hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Masson stai-ning were used to evaluate myocardial injury,behavioral tests were used to detect melancholic behaviors,Nissl staining was used to e-valuate hippocampal neuron injury.Western blot detection of tumor necrosis factor receptor 2(TNFR2),phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated seronine protein kinase(p-AKT),seronine protein kinase(AKT),tumor necrosis factor receptor 1(TNFR1),phosphorylated nuclear factor κB(p-NF-κB),and nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)in cardiac and hippocampal tissues was conducted.The levels of serum IL-6 and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the expression of TNFR1 and TNFR2 was detected by immunohistochemical technique(IHC).In vitro experiments,co-culture of rat cardiomyocyte line H9C2 cells and rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cell line with high differentiation PC12 cells was conducted,TNFR1 inhibitor(H398)and TNFR2 agonist(C-6His)were administered for intervention,and the expression of TNFR2,PI3K,p-AKT,AKT,TN-FR1,NF-κB,p-NF-κB was detected by Western blot.Observe the apoptosis of cells by TUNEL staining,ELISA was used to detect the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in the cell supernatant.RESULTS Network pharmacological analysis indicates that the TNF signaling pathway was a key target for the treatment of depression after MI with the QHZYF.In vivo experiments have confirmed that the interven-tion of QHZYF could significantly improve the cardiac function,myocardial tissue and hippocampal neuron structure damage of de-pressed rats after MI,and improve their depression-like behaviors.At the molecular level,the high-dose group of QHZYF significant-ly upregulated TNFR2,p-AKT/AKT,and IL-10 in cardiac and hippocampal tissues(P＜0.01),and downregulated TNFR1,p-NF-κB/NF-κB and IL-6(P＜0.01).In vitro experiments showed that the drug-containing serum of QHZYF significantly upregulated the expression of TNFR2,p-AKT/AKT and IL-10 in H9C2 and PC12 cells(P＜0.01),downregulated the expression of TNFR1,p-NF-κB/NF-κB and IL-6(P＜0.01),and significantly inhibited cell apoptosis(P＜0.01).Furthermore,experiments on the combined ap-plication of H398 or C-6His further confirmed that its protective and anti-inflammatory effects were mediated by regulating the TN-FR2/PI3K/AKT and TNFR1/NF-κB pathways.CONCLUSION QHZYF improves the homeostasis of heart and brain inflammation by regulating the TNF pathway,and ameliorates myocardial injury and depressive state in depressed rats after MI.
