Zhu Yu-Ru, Yang Ya-Qin, Ruan Dan-Dan, Que Yue-Mei, Gao Hang, Yang Yan-Zi, Zhao Hua-Jun
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China.
Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Feb 11;26(4):1493. doi: 10.3390/ijms26041493.
(1) Liver injury caused by an overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) represents a major public health concern. Paeoniflorin (PF) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and liver-protective effects, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PF on the crosstalk between pyroptosis and NETs in AILI. (2) APAP-treated mice were used to demonstrate the protective effect of PF on liver injury. HepG2 and dHL-60 cells were cultured to study the effects of PF on hepatocyte pyroptosis and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in vitro. Moreover, cell co-culture experiments were performed, and mice were treated with a NETs-depleting agent and hepatocyte pyroptosis inhibitor to investigate the improvement of AILI induced by PF through regulating the crosstalk between hepatocyte pyroptosis and NETs. (3) PF significantly alleviated AILI. Additionally, PF inhibited the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and NETs-associated proteins in vitro and in vivo. The co-culture experiments demonstrated that PF not only inhibited the NETs triggered by hepatocyte pyroptosis, but also suppressed the hepatocyte pyroptosis induced by NETs. In mice with depleted neutrophils, the level of hepatocyte pyroptosis notably decreased, indicating a diminished impact of PF. Similarly, NETs formation was reduced in mice receiving a pyroptosis inhibitor compared to the APAP group. Compared with DNase I alone, the reduction effect of PF combined with DNase I on serum ALT and AST levels decreased from 46.857% and 39.927% to 44.347% and 33.419%, respectively. Compared with DSF alone, PF combined with DSF reduced the ALT and AST levels from 46.857% and 39.927% to 45.347% and 36.419%, respectively. (4) PF demonstrated therapeutic effects on AILI. Its mechanism involves the regulation of the crosstalk between hepatocyte pyroptosis and NETs. This research substantiates the pharmacological promise of PF as a therapeutic intervention for acute AILI.
(1) 对乙酰氨基酚(APAP)过量引起的肝损伤是一个重大的公共卫生问题。芍药苷(PF)已被报道具有抗炎和肝脏保护作用,但其潜在机制仍不清楚。本研究旨在探讨PF对急性肝损伤(AILI)中细胞焦亡与中性粒细胞胞外陷阱(NETs)之间相互作用的影响。(2) 用APAP处理的小鼠来证明PF对肝损伤的保护作用。培养HepG2和dHL-60细胞以研究PF在体外对肝细胞焦亡和中性粒细胞胞外陷阱(NETs)的影响。此外,进行细胞共培养实验,并用NETs清除剂和肝细胞焦亡抑制剂处理小鼠,以研究PF通过调节肝细胞焦亡与NETs之间的相互作用对AILI的改善作用。(3) PF显著减轻了AILI。此外,PF在体外和体内均抑制了细胞焦亡相关蛋白、高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1)以及与NETs相关蛋白的表达。共培养实验表明,PF不仅抑制了由肝细胞焦亡触发的NETs,还抑制了由NETs诱导的肝细胞焦亡。在中性粒细胞减少的小鼠中,肝细胞焦亡水平显著降低,表明PF的作用减弱。同样,与APAP组相比,接受焦亡抑制剂的小鼠中NETs形成减少。与单独使用DNase I相比,PF与DNase I联合使用对血清ALT和AST水平的降低作用分别从46.857%和39.927%降至44.347%和33.419%。与单独使用DSF相比,PF与DSF联合使用使ALT和AST水平分别从46.857%和39.927%降至45.347%和36.419%。(4) PF对AILI具有治疗作用。其机制涉及调节肝细胞焦亡与NETs之间的相互作用。本研究证实了PF作为急性AILI治疗干预措施的药理学前景。