Background and aims:Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is a common chronic condition that can lead to cancer due to its complex pathogenesis.Therapeutic agents targeting AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)activation have been suggested as potential treatments for metabolic disorders such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis(MASH).Rhizoma Atractylodis Mac-rocephalae(RAM)has been clinically used to treat obesity-related health problems,but its therapeutic effects on MAFLD and the underlying mechanism remain unclear.Therefore,this study was conducted to evaluate the function and underlying mechanism of RAM in the treatment of MAFLD.Methods:The effect of RAM decoction on MAFLD was evaluated using a high-fat diet(HFD)-induced MAFLD mouse model.In vitro studies were conducted using a palmitic acid/oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation model in the alpha mouse liver 12 cells and RAM-containing serum.The underlying mechanisms were elucidated through a combination of network pharmacology analysis,immunohis-tochemistry,western blotting,and polymerase chain reaction analysis.Results:Administration of RAM decoction significantly reduced body weight gain in MAFLD mice without changing food intake.The weights of the liver and inguinal adipose tissues were also reduced after RAM treatment.Additionally,RAM administration decreased serum levels of alanine aminotrans-ferase,aspartate transaminase,total cholesterol,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,and glucose,while reducing lipid droplet accumulation in the liver tissues of MAFLD mice.The underlying mechanisms included the activation of the phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC),and inhibition of the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1(SREBP1).However,RAM did not alter the protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1α.Furthermore,the RAM-induced upregulation of phosphorylated AMPK,phos-phorylated ACC,and SREBP1 expression,as well as the downregulation of fatty acid synthase expression,were reversed by using an AMPK inhibitor.Conclusions:Through a combination of network pharmacology and experimental validation,we demonstrated that RAM may exert therapeutic effects on MAFLD by inhibiting lipid synthesis and activating phosphorylated AMPK pathways.

Background and aims:Kehuang(KH)capsule is an herbal medical product approved for the treatment of liver diseases,including liver injury,in China.However,the mechanism is still unclear.This study aimed to elucidate the protective effects of KH capsule against carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)-induced acute liver injury(ALI)in a murine model.Methods:Mice were randomly divided into control,model(CCl4),CCl4+KH_Low and CCl4+KH_High group.Liver enzyme levels and histological changes were assessed to evaluate liver injury.Oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cell infiltration in liver tissues were measured.Additionally,network pharmacology was employed to explore the potential mechanisms of KH capsule.Results:KH capsule significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate amino-transferase(AST)levels,as well as the necrotic area in liver tissue.KH capsule also decreased the infil-tration of macrophages and neutrophils,thereby inhibiting the expression of interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),and interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β).Furthermore,KH capsule decreased liver malondialdehyde(MDA)levels and increased superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity.The number of ter-minal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)-positive cells in liver tissue was also reduced.The expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2(Nrf2)and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)proteins was significantly elevated,while the protein expression of cyto-chrome P450 2E1(CYP2E1)was significantly reduced.Mass spectrometry identified genistein,galangin,wogonin,skullcapflavone Ⅱ,and hispidulin as potential active ingredients of KH capsule.Network pharmacology analysis revealed enrichment in the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(AKT)signaling pathways.Western blot analysis confirmed that KH capsule suppressed AKT,extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),and p38 signaling.Conclusions:These findings suggest that KH capsule could exert protective effects against CCl4-induced ALI,with the inhibition of MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways playing a crucial role in its mecha-nism of action.

Inflammation,which is mediated by leukocyte trafficking and activation,plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic liver injury.Chemokines are critical mediators involved in the migration of leukocytes into the diseased liver via binding to their G protein-coupled receptors.C-C motif ligand 5(CCL5)belongs to the CC-chemokine family and is secreted by several hepatic cell pop-ulations including hepatocytes,macrophages,hepatic stellate cells,and endothelial cells upon activation.CCL5 regulates the recruitment and migration of T cells(via CCR5)and NK cells(via CCR1).Moreover,CCL5 activates and stimulates T cell proliferation and cytokine production,sequentially regulating in-flammatory responses.Accumulating studies have identified crucial effects of CCL5 both in liver-disease patients and in experimental models,in which CCL5 is elevated and displays distinct effects according to pathological conditions.In this review,we discussed the crucial functions of CCL5 in liver diseases,including acute liver failure,hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury,acute liver failure,acute and viral hepatitis,alcoholic liver disease,non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,fibrosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma.Continued understanding the roles of CCL5 in liver disease and their mechanisms of activation are indispensable for the development of effective clinical therapeutics.

Objective To study the function and mechanism of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)-mediated necroptosis in liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in mice.Methods Sixty mice were randomly divided into four groups using Stata statistical software:Wild-type (WT)-sham group,WT-IRI group,HKO (HKO:RIPK3 liver-specific knockout)-sham group and HKO-IRI group.Sham operation was used as a control in which only the hepatic portal blood vessels were freed after laparotomy,and blood flow was not blocked.In the WT-IRI group and the HKO-IRI group,the hepatic portal vein was freed,and the blood supply of left hepatic lobe and the mid-hepatic lobe wer blocked for 90 min,then the blood vessels were opened for 6 h.Blood and liver tissue samples of each group of mice were taken to detect liver function.Inflammatory infiltration and liver injury were detected by immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining,and autophagyassociated protein LC3-Ⅱ and P62 were detected by Western blotting.The primary hepatocytes of WT mice and HKO mice were extracted and divided into control group and hypoxia-reoxygenation group (HIR group).After attachment of primary hepatocytes,the HIR group was given hypoxia for 6 h and reoxygenated for 4 h.The supernatant was taken for detecting ALT and AST,and the cell extract protein was used to detect LC3-Ⅱ and P62.Results As compared with the control groups,the liver functions of the IRI groups were significantly impaired,and as compared with the WT-IRI group,the liver damage was significantly aggravated in the HKI-IRI group (P ＜ 0.05),and the LC3-Ⅱ protein content was significantly decreased and the P62 protein content was increased.Similarly,after hepatocytes were were given hypoxia and reoxygenated,HKO-derived hepatocytes were more severely damaged than WT-derived hepatocytes.Conclusions Blocking RIPK3-mediated necroptosis of hepatocytes could induce autophagy inhibition,which aggravates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE:To establish HPLC fingerprints of Potentilla discolor,and to conduct authenticity identification.METHODS:HPLC method was adopted.The determination was performed on InertSustain C18 column with mobile phase consisted of 0.1％ formic acid solution-acetonitrile (gradient elution) at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min,detection wavelength of 360 nm,colunn temperature of 30 ℃,sample size of 10 μL.Using rutin as reference,HPLC chromatograms of 19 batches of P.discolor and 2 batches of P.chinesis were determined.TCM Fingerprint Similarity Evaluation System (2004) was used for similarity evaluation of 21 batches of samples,and common peak identification of 19 batches of P discolor SPSS 21.0 statisticl software was used for main component analysis and cluster analysis.RESULTS:There were 18 common peaks in HPLC fingerprints of 19 batches of P.discolor,the similarity was higher than 0.9.-HPLC chromatogram was in good agreement with control fingerprint.The similarity of 2 batches of P chinesis was lower than 0.7.The 21 batches of medicinal materials could be grouped into 2 categories,2 batches of P chinesis could be grouped into a category,19 batches of P.discolor could be grouped into a category.P discolor could be grouped into 4 categories.Rutin and quercitrin were main ingredients in 19 batches of P discolor.CONCLUSIONS:Established fingerprint can provide reference for authenticity identification and quality evaluation of P.discolor.

Reactive oxygen species(ROS)and immune response play critical roles in the progression of liver dis-eases.DJ-1,also known as Parkinson disease 7(Park7),is extensively expressed in cells and tissues,where it governs numerous biological functions including chaperone activity,protease function,tran-scriptional and mitochondrial regulation,and ROS modulation.Moreover,we have established that DJ-1 plays a critical role in initiating an inflammatory response by modulating ROS generation.Therefore,DJ-1 may play an important role in the progression of liver diseases by modulating ROS and the immune response.Recently,we have shown that DJ-1 deficiency negatively regulates proliferation of hepatic progenitor cells(HPCs)by impairing the formation of HPC-associated fibrosis and inflammatory niches.Deficiency of DJ-1 ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting hepatic ROS production and inflammation;moreover,in a classic diethylnitrosamine(DEN)-mediated hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)mouse model,deletion of DJ-1 ameliorates tumorigenesis and HCC cell proliferation by regulating hepatic inflammation and reducing the activity of the interleukin 6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(IL-6/STAT3)signaling pathway.Taken together,these data suggest a critical function for,and therapeutic value of,DJ-1 in treatment of liver diseases.The aim of this review is to summarize these functions and the underlying molecular mechanisms of DJ-1 in liver diseases,and to highlight the potential therapeutic value and future research direction of DJ-1 in liver diseases.

Purpose To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata(RRP)on the footpad inflammation induced by complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA)in rats.Methods CFA 100 μL were injected subcutaneously to the Wistar rats at the pad of right hindfoots.19 days later,the rats were daily siven RRP water extract(0.625,1.250,2.500 g/kg·bw)or dexamethasone(0.5mg/ks·bw)intragastrically.The changes of body weight and foot volume were measured.The indexes of organ and blood were determined at the 29th day,the foot pad was removed,and routine paraffin section was performed.Results The model rats kept foot swelling and lymphocyte infiltrating,and the platelet number decreased.The other indexes were statistically insignificant when compared to the controls.RRP did not display any anti-inflammatory effect on the swollon foots,but thoracic gland and spleen indexes were rescued,and platelet number and creatinine content were increased by RRP administration in a dose-dependent manner.The anti-inflammation of dexamethasone was conspicuous,but the side effects were also significant.Conclusion RRP may be plays an adjunctive action in herbal recipes to treat rheumatoid arthritis.