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  2. A modified Fangji Huangqi decoction ameliorates pulmonary artery hypertension via phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B-mediated regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in vitro and in vivo

A modified Fangji Huangqi decoction ameliorates pulmonary artery hypertension via phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B-mediated regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in vitro and in vivo

  • J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Apr 21;116544. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116544.
Zhifeng Xue 1 Mengen Zhou 2 Yiman Liu 2 Honglin Qin 2 Yixuan Li 2 Yan Zhu 3 Jian Yang 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beihua South Road, JingHai District, Tianjin, 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China; Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030032, China.
  • 2 State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beihua South Road, JingHai District, Tianjin, 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beihua South Road, JingHai District, Tianjin, 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China. Electronic address: yanzhu.harvard@icloud.com.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beihua South Road, JingHai District, Tianjin, 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China. Electronic address: yang.j2017@tjutcm.edu.cn.
Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal lung disease of multifactorial etiology, which arouses an enhanced interest in PAH disease therapy. Modified Fangji Huangqi decoction (MFJHQ), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has a crucial role in the treatment of PAH. However, the pharmacological roles and mechanisms of MFJHQ on PAH remain unknown.

Aim of the study: To investigate the effects and potential mechanism of MFJHQ on pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH.

Material and methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was employed to quantitate the principal components in MFJHQ. Rats were treated with MFJHQ by gavage for final 2 weeks in MCT-induced PAH rats. RNA-sequencing and network pharmacology analysis were performed to explore the potential mechanism. The primary rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were utilized to evaluate the regulatory effect of MFJHQ in vitro.

Results: Seven active components from MFJHQ were quantitated by UPLC. In rats with MCT-induced PAH, MFJHQ treatment significantly improved hemodynamic parameters, right ventricular hypertrophy index, lung function, and attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling. Mechanistically, we further confirmed that MFJHQ inhibits MCT-induced phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway predicated by network pharmacology and RNA-sequencing analysis to reduce the proliferation of pulmonary arteries and promote pulmonary artery Apoptosis in lung tissues. Additionally, MFJHQ hindered the proliferation and migration, and accelerated Apoptosis in PDGF-BB-induced PASMCs in vitro, which can be enhanced by the presence of the PI3K Inhibitor LY294002.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that MFJHQ inhibited MCT-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling by decreasing proliferation and migration of PASMCs and promoting PASMC Apoptosis through PI3K/Akt pathway, which provides a novel treatment option for PAH with multi-targeting mechanisms inspired by TCM theory.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Modified Fangji Huangqi decoction; PI3K/Akt signaling pathway; Proliferation; Pulmonary artery hypertension; Pulmonary vascular remodeling.

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