The mechanism of action in Mussaenda pubescens (Yuye Jinhua) against influenza A virus: Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies.

BACKGROUND

Influenza A virus (IAV) is recognized as a predominant etiological agent responsible for severe contagious diseases in both humans and animals, characterized by elevated pathogenicity and mortality rates. Mussaenda pubescens (Yuye Jinhua, YYJH), a traditional medicinal herb known for its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties, has been predominantly utilized in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities to manage influenza virus infections. However, the standalone therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of YYJH against IAV infection remain insufficiently clarified.

AIM

This study sought to elucidate the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of YYJH through both in vivo and in vitro investigations, thereby unveiling its potential mechanisms in mitigating IAV-induced pulmonary injury.

METHODS

In vitro assessments encompassed the evaluation of cytotoxicity, optimal administration strategies, and antiviral efficacy of YYJH against IAV utilizing the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. In vivo experiments included monitoring changes in body weight, survival rates, lung index, histopathological alterations, viral replication levels, serum inflammatory cytokines, and T-lymphocyte subsets to appraise the protective effects of YYJH in IAV-infected murine models. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS) analysis, integrated with network pharmacology, was employed to identify probable molecular targets and enriched signaling pathways associated with YYJH's anti-influenza activity. The modulation of key proteins participating in the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB signaling cascade, including toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and phospho-NF-κB (p-NF-κB), was subsequently verified through Western blot and Immunofluorescence analysis.

RESULTS

YYJH exhibited minimal cytotoxicity, with CC values determined as 42.83 mg/ml for MDCK cells and 36.34 mg/ml for A549 cells. In MDCK cell-based assays, YYJH demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of viral progeny production, RNA transcription, and protein synthesis. The CCK-8 assay further confirmed YYJH's significant inhibitory effects across various stages of the influenza viral replication cycle, including pre-infection, post-infection, and co-infection phases. In vivo, YYJH administration (12.34 g/kg/d) markedly extended the survival duration of infected mice, notably reduced mortality rates, suppressed viral replication, decreased lung index values, and ameliorated histopathological damage within pulmonary tissues. Moreover, YYJH effectively downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, upregulated IFN-γ, in both A549 cell models and infected mice, while simultaneously enhancing T-lymphocyte subset profiles in viral pneumonia conditions. A sum of 37 bioactive compounds were identified through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Based on 55 identified components via HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and database predictions, network pharmacology analyses pinpointed the TLR-MyD88/NF-κB pathway as the pivotal signaling cascade mediating YYJH's antiviral effects. Subsequent validation by WB and immunofluorescence corroborated YYJH's regulatory influence on TLR/MyD88/NF-κB pathway-associated proteins in lung tissues.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, these observations underscore the antiviral potential of YYJH, evidenced by its capacity to ameliorate pulmonary histopathological alterations and restore immune homeostasis, with its mechanistic actions likely mediated through the modulation of the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB signaling cascade.