Mechanism of Qushi huoxue decoction in improving metabolic-associated fatty liver disease through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 autophagy signaling pathway
- VernacularTitle:祛湿活血方通过AMPK/mTOR/ULK1自噬信号通路改善代谢相关脂肪性肝病的作用机制研究
- Author:
Xiaoqian GONG
1
;
Weiqiang TAN
1
;
Yehuang WEI
1
;
Rongrong WANG
1
;
Yanfang TANG
2
;
Xudong LIU
2
Author Information
1. Graduate School，Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine，Nanning 530001，China
2. Dept. of Hepatology，The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine，Nanning 530011，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Qushi huoxue decoction;
metabolic associated fatty liver disease;
AMPK/mTOR/ULK1;
Autophagy
- From:
China Pharmacy
2026;37(16):2105-2111
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of Qushi huoxue decoction in improving metabolic-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） based on the AMP-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin/UNC-51-like kinase 1 （AMPK/mTOR/ULK1） autophagy signaling pathway.METHODS Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Qushi huoxue decoction groups [4.10， 8.20， 16.40 mg/（g·d）]， with 10 mice in each group. Except for the normal group， mice in the other groups were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish the MAFLD model. Starting 24 hours after modeling， mice in each group were administered the drug solution or normal saline once daily for 6 consecutive weeks. Serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， alanine transaminase （ALT）， aspartate transferase （AST）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） were detected according to the kit instructions. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and oil red O staining were used to observe pathological changes in mouse liver tissue. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expression and positive protein expression related to the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 autophagy signaling pathway.RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the serum levels of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and LDL-C in the model group were significantly increased， while the HDL-C level was significantly decreased （ P ＜0.01）. HE staining showed obvious steatosis in hepatocytes of the model group， and oil red O staining showed a large amount of lipid droplet accumulation in liver tissue. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining results showed that the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 proteins， as well as the relative fluorescence intensities of p-mTOR and p62 proteins in liver tissue of the model group， were significantly increased/enhanced （ P ＜0.01）， while the expression levels of p-AMPK/AMPK， ULK1， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ （LC3Ⅱ） proteins， as well as the relative fluorescence intensities of p-AMPK and LC3 proteins， were significantly decreased/weakened （ P ＜0.01）. After intervention with Qushi huoxue decoction， the above pathological changes and abnormal indicators in liver tissue of mice in the low-， medium-， and high-dose groups were significantly reversed， with most indicators showing statistically significant differences （ P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01）.CONCLUSIONS Qushi huoxue decoction can significantly improve liver pathology， blood lipid levels， and liver function in MAFLD model mice； this improvement may be achieved through the activation of the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 autophagy signaling pathway.
