ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effect of modified Xiangsha Liujunzitang （M-XSLJZ） on insulin resistance-regulated fatty acid synthesis via Lon protease 1 （Lonp1） in the liver of spleen-deficiency hyperlipidemia rats. MethodsA total of 70 male SD rats were randomly allocated into seven groups （n=10）： blank control group， high-fat diet （HFD） group， spleen-deficiency hyperlipidemia （PX-HFD） model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose Modified Xiangsha Liujunzitang （JW-L， JW-M， JW-H）， and rosuvastatin group. The spleen-deficiency model was induced in the PX-HFD， JW-L， JW-M， JW-H， and rosuvastatin groups by irregular diet combined with exhaustive swimming. Except for the control group， all groups were fed an HFD for 10 weeks to establish a hyperlipidemia rat model. Following modeling， the rats in the JW-L， JW-M， and JW-H groups received the decoction by gavage at 3.51， 7.02， 14.04 g·kg^-1， respectively， while the rosuvastatin group received 9×10^-4 g·kg^-1. After 8 weeks of administration， samples were collected. D-xylose excretion rate was quantified using the phloroglucinol method. Serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） were measured by an automatic biochemical analyzer. Hepatic TG content was quantified by the glycerol phosphate oxidase-peroxidase anti-peroxidase （GPO-PAP） method. Serum insulin （INS）， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， hepatic reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels， and mitochondrial complex Ⅰ activity were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA levels of Lonp1， and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 （ACC1） were determined by real-time quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR）. Protein expression levels of Lonp1， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， phosphorylated （p）-JNK， insulin receptor substrate 1 （IRS1）， p-IRS1， and ACC1 in liver tissues were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the HFD group showed a significant increase in body weight （P<0.01）. The PX-HFD group showed a significant decrease in D-xylose excretion rate （P<0.01）. Both the HFD and PX-HFD groups exhibited significantly elevated serum levels of TC， TG， HDL-C， LDL-C， FBG， INS， and HOMA-IR （P<0.01）， along with increased orange-red lipid droplets， prominent fatty vacuoles， and significantly elevated hepatic TG level （P<0.01）. Mitochondrial complex Ⅰ activity significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while ROS level， Lonp1 mRNA and protein expression， and ACC1 mRNA and protein expression significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The p-IRS1/IRS1 protein expression ratio significantly decreased （P<0.01）， whereas the p-JNK/JNK protein expression ratio significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the HFD group， the PX-HFD group showed significantly reduced D-xylose excretion rate and serum HDL-C level （P<0.01）， significantly decreased hepatic TG level （P<0.05）， and significantly increased HOMA‑IR index （P<0.01）. Hepatic Lonp1 mRNA and protein expression significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， p‑IRS1/IRS1 protein expression ratio was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while ACC1 mRNA and protein expression and p‑JNK/JNK protein expression ratio were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the PX-HFD group， all treatment groups showed significantly reduced serum TC， TG， LDL-C levels， and HOMA-IR index （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with ameliorated orange‑red lipid droplet deposition and significantly reduced hepatic TG and ROS levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The JW-M， JW-H， and rosuvastatin groups exhibited significantly decreased body weight （P<0.05， P<0.01）， significantly increased D‑xylose excretion rate （P<0.01）， significantly decreased HDL‑C level （P<0.05， P<0.01）， significantly increased mitochondrial complex I activity， Lonp1 mRNA and protein expression， and p-IRS1/IRS1 protein expression ratio （P<0.05， P<0.01）， as well as significantly decreased p-JNK/JNK protein expression ratio （P<0.01）. ConclusionM-XSLJZ may exert its lipid‑lowering effect by regulating Lonp1 expression in rat liver， thereby improving insulin resistance and subsequently inhibiting hepatic lipid synthesis.

ObjectiveThe study aims to investigate the intervention effect of modified Xiangsha Liujunzitang （M-XSLJZ） on intestinal-derived lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-activated Kupffer cell inflammation in rats with hyperlipidemia spleen deficiency syndrome. MethodsSeventy male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups （n=10）： blank control （CON）， high-fat diet without spleen deficiency （HFD）， high-fat diet with spleen deficiency （SD-HFD）， M-XSLJZ low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （XS-L， XS-M， XS-H）， and western medicine control （R）. Spleen deficiency was induced in SD-HFD， XS-L， XS-M， XS-H， and R groups via irregular diet combined with exhaustive swimming for 15 days. The CON group received a standard diet， while other groups were fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks to establish the hyperlipidemia model. After successful modeling， rats were treated for 8 weeks： M-XSLJZ was administered at 3.51， 7.02， 14.04 g·kg^-1 in XS-L， XS-M， and XS-H groups， respectively. The R group received 9×10^-4 g·kg^-1 of a reference drug. D-xylose excretion rate was measured by the phloroglucinol method. Blood lipids were assessed using an automated biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to evaluate the pathological conditions of the liver， and oil red O staining was used to observe the lipid deposition in the liver. The levels of LPS， portal vein serum LPS， LPS-binding protein （LBP）， serum interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate CD86 expression and CD68/TLR4 co-localization in the liver. Protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB p65， and p-NF-κB p65 in Kupffer cells were analyzed via Western blot automated protein analysis. Hepatic IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-1β mRNA and protein levels were measured using Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the CON group， the SD-HFD group showed a decrease in D-xylose excretion （P<0.01）. TC， TG， HDL-C， and LDL-C increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. A large number of hepatic lipid vacuoles and orange-red lipid droplet deposition appeared in the liver. Ileal LPS， portal LPS， and LBP increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of serum IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-1β increased （P<0.01）. The expression of CD86 was upregulated （P<0.01）， and the co-expression of CD68 and TLR4 was enhanced. The protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， and p-p65 in Kupffer cells increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein levels of IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-1β increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the HFD group， the SD-HFD group exhibited decreased D-xylose excretion （P<0.01）， higher HDL-C， LDL-C （P<0.05）， increased portal LBP and LPS （P<0.05）， increased serum IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.01）， upregulated CD86 （P<0.01）， enhanced CD68/TLR4 co-expression， and higher TNF-α mRNA/protein （P<0.05）. Compared with the SD-HFD group， all M-XSLJZ treatment groups showed reduced TC， TG， and LDL-C （P<0.05， P<0.01）. XS-H and R groups displayed improved hepatic lipid deposition. XS-H and R groups had lower ileal LPS， portal LPS， and LBP levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. All M-XSLJZ treatment groups exhibited reduced serum IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α （P<0.01）. The XS-H group showed downregulated CD86 （P<0.01） and weakened CD68/TLR4 co-expression. The XS-H group had reduced TLR4， MyD88， and p-NF-κB p65 in Kupffer cells （P<0.01）. XS-H and R groups showed lower IL-6， TNF-α， and IL-1β mRNA/protein （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionM-XSLJZ may exert its lipid-lowering effects by inhibiting intestinal-derived LPS and alleviating Kupffer cell inflammation in the liver.