Bufei Yishen formula attenuates cigarette smoke extract-induced airway mucus hypersecretion by regulating Notch signaling pathway

Abstract

To explore the mechanism of Bufei Yishen formula (BYF) on attenuating cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced airway mucus hypersecretion by regulating Notch signaling pathway. The human airway epithelial cell 16HBE was cultured in vitro, and the cells in logarithmic growth phase were used for the experiments. (1) Intervention condition screening experiment: the 16HBE cells were grouped, methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium (MTT) method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the effects of different concentrations of CSE (2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%), different concentrations of BYF drug-containing serum (5%, 10%, 20%, 40%), and different concentrations of Notch signal pathway blocker DAPT (5, 10, 20, 40 μmol/L) on cell activity and secretion of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) levels. In addition, a blank control group was set up to screen out the best conditions for preparing CSE-induced cell mucus hypersecretion model and BYF and DAPT intervention. (2) Intervention experiment: the 16HBE cells were divided into four groups. The blank control group was not given any treatment; the 16HBE cells were induced by 10% CSE for 24 hours to prepare mucus hypersecretion model in the CSE model group; the cells in the CSE+BYF group and CSE+DAPT group were given 10% BYF or 20 μmol/L DAPT, respectively, for intervention at the same time for 24 hours. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA expressions of MUC5AC, Notch3 and hairy and enhancer of split 1 (HES1) in the cells. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of Notch3 and HES1 in the cells. (1) Results of the screening experiment of intervention conditions: compared with the blank control group, 10% CSE induction for 24 hours was the best condition for establishing cell mucus hypersecretion model that neither affected cell viability nor increased the secretion of MUC5AC; while 10% BYF and 20 μmol/L DAPT was the optimal intervention condition. (2) Intervention experiment results: compared with the blank control group, the mRNA expressions of MUC5AC, Notch3, and HES1 and the protein expressions of Notch3 and HES1 in the CSE model group were significantly increased, indicating that CSE activated Notch3 and HES1 signal activation and induced 16HBE cells to secrete mucus protein. Compared with the CSE model group, BYF and DAPT could significantly down-regulate the mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC, Notch3, and HES1 in cells [MUC5AC mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 1.03±0.13, 0.96±0.05 vs. 1.35±0.07, Notch3 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 1.10±0.14, 1.10±0.02 vs. 1.31±0.15, HES1 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 1.26±0.10, 1.14±0.15 vs. 1.45±0.08, Notch3 protein (Notch3/GAPDH): 0.10±0.03, 0.16±0.03 vs. 0.31±0.09, HES1 protein (HES1/GAPDH): 0.37±0.06, 0.34±0.08 vs. 0.50±0.05, all P < 0.05]. The mechanism of BYF attenuating mucus hypersecretion of 16HBE cells induced by CSE was associated with the inhibition of Notch signaling pathway activation.