Abstract
BackgroundThe traditional Chinese medicine prescription, Qianggan formula have been confirmed to be effective on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure.MethodsThirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal chow diet group; methionine-and-choline-deficient diet (MCD) group, and Qianggan extract (QG) intervention group (0.4 g/kg daily) that fed with MCD. The efficacy of QG was biochemically and histologically evaluated. The expression profiles of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) were examined using microarray and verified by RT-qPCR.ResultsQG significantly improved the phenotypic characteristics of NASH, as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and liver inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased. By the cutoff of a 1.5-fold change and P < 0.05, 6193 mRNAs, 5692 lncRNAs and 4843 circRNAs were identified as differentially expressed between the MCD and normal groups, and 514 mRNAs, 1182 lncRNAs and 443 circRNAs were identified as differentially expressed between the QG and MCD groups. The intersections (244 mRNAs, 259 lncRNAs and 98 circRNAs) among the three groups were chosen for analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment revealed that most overlapping mRNAs were related to immune functions such as natural-killer-cell-mediated cytotoxicity, intestinal immune network for IgA production, and T cell receptor signaling pathway. Pathway interactions, protein-protein interactions and molecular complex detection (MCODE) analysis identified numerous immune-related hub genes e.g. natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 1(Ncr1), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (Cxcl9), Klra1, and Cd28. Finally, two lncRNAs (Sngh1 and Slc36a3os) and four circRNAs (circ_0009029, circ_0004572, circ_0009212 and circ_0009453) in competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed by Cytoscape, and immune-related mRNAs (e.g., Cd28, Cd8a, Il15, and Klrk1) were involved in the ceRNA networks.ConclusionsLncRNA and circRNA-associated immune ceRNA networks might be the targets of QG in alleviating NASH, and our work may provide valuable clues for exploring the mechanisms underlying the effect of QG.
Highlights
The traditional Chinese medicine prescription, Qianggan formula have been confirmed to be effective on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure
Preparation of Qianggan extract The Qianggan formula was composed of 16 ingredients (Table 1), and the extract was prepared using the following procedures: all of the ingredients were soaked in 10 times the volume of water and boiled for 2 h, the supernatant were collected, 8 times volume of water was added and the mixture was boiled another 1.5 h
Serum Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (Fig. 1d), Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (Fig. 1e), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (Fig. 1f ) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (Fig. 1g) levels were all markedly increased in methionine-and-choline-deficient diet (MCD) mice
Summary
The traditional Chinese medicine prescription, Qianggan formula have been confirmed to be effective on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of NAFLD characterized by lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis with an inherent risk of progression to end-stage hepatocellular carcinoma [2, 3]. The pathogenesis of NASH has not been fully elucidated, and the mechanisms appear to be multifactorial. Inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress are thought to be important in the progression of NASH. Pharmacological agents such as insulin sensitizers, antioxidants, and lipid-lowering drugs have been implicated to improve NASH characteristics and progression [7]. There is no consensus regarding the effective and appropriate drug therapy for NASH
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