The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing 210093, PR China.
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China.
J Neuroimmunol. 2023 Sep 15;382:578166. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578166. Epub 2023 Jul 28.
Shikonin is an anti-inflammatory natural herbal drug extracted from Lithospermum erythrorhizon and its therapeutic effect on neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is yet unknown. In our study, Shikonin significantly reversed the cognitive impairment and alleviated the brain tissue damage in NPSLE mice. The permeability of blood-brain barrier was also verified to be repaired in Shikonin-treated NPSLE mice. In particular, we found that Shikonin alleviated neuroinflammation through inhibiting β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby depressing the activation of microglia and the loss of neuronal synapses. Overall, Shikonin may be a promising candidate drug for NPSLE through diminishing neuroinflammation and repairing neuron damage.
紫草素是从紫草中提取的一种抗炎天然草药药物，其治疗神经精神性系统性红斑狼疮（NPSLE）的疗效尚不清楚。在我们的研究中，紫草素显著逆转了 NPSLE 小鼠的认知障碍，并减轻了脑组织损伤。还验证了紫草素治疗的 NPSLE 小鼠血脑屏障的通透性得到了修复。特别是，我们发现紫草素通过抑制β-连环蛋白信号通路减轻神经炎症，从而抑制小胶质细胞的激活和神经元突触的丢失。总的来说，紫草素可能是一种有前途的治疗 NPSLE 的候选药物，可通过减轻神经炎症和修复神经元损伤。
