Gynura Rhizoma containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids induces the hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome in mice via upregulating fibrosis-related factors. 2019

Fang Zhang, and Yue Zhou, and Xiao Yang, and Ai-Zhen Xiong, and Zheng-Tao Wang, and Li Yang
The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines and the SATCM Key Laboratory for New Resources and Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.

Recently, hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) caused by herbal preparations containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), such as Gynura Rhizoma (Tusanqi), has gained global attention. However, the lack of a reliable and reproducible animal model has greatly hampered mechanistic studies. Therefore, we aimed to establish a reproducible HSOS mouse model and investigate the hepatotoxic mechanism. The model was established by intragastrical administration of Gynura Rhizoma extract, i.e., 1.0 g extract/kg per day (equal to 16.7 g crude drug/kg per day based on extraction rate and 49.1 mg PA/kg per day based on the total PA content in the extract determined) for 40 successive days. Then, the mice were sacrificed, and their blood samples and livers were collected for analyses. Using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson staining, scanning electron microscopy imaging, clinical biomarkers, and other assays, we showed that the HSOS was successfully induced in our mouse model. Furthermore, we detected the key factors involved in liver fibrosis in the mice, revealing significantly increased hydroxyproline concentration; elevated expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibrosis-related genes such as Collagen-1, Collagen-3, Mmp2, Mmp13, Timp1, Timp3, and Activin, upregulated Smad3 phosphorylation, and increased serum TGF-β levels. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Tnf-α, Il-1β, and Il-6, were also increased in the model. All these results demonstrate the key roles of the TGF-β-Smad3 and inflammatory signaling pathways in this Gynura Rhizoma-induced HSOS mouse model, suggesting that blockade of fibrosis and/or inflammation should be an effective treatment for HSOS.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007249 Inflammation A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008103 Liver Cirrhosis Liver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture have been variably destroyed and altered with fibrous septa surrounding regenerated or regenerating parenchymal nodules. Cirrhosis, Liver,Fibrosis, Liver,Hepatic Cirrhosis,Liver Fibrosis,Cirrhosis, Hepatic
D008297 Male Males
D008810 Mice, Inbred C57BL One of the first INBRED MOUSE STRAINS to be sequenced. This strain is commonly used as genetic background for transgenic mouse models. Refractory to many tumors, this strain is also preferred model for studying role of genetic variations in development of diseases. Mice, C57BL,Mouse, C57BL,Mouse, Inbred C57BL,C57BL Mice,C57BL Mice, Inbred,C57BL Mouse,C57BL Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C57BL Mice,Inbred C57BL Mouse
D011763 Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids A group of ALKALOIDS, characterized by a nitrogen-containing necine, occurring mainly in plants of the BORAGINACEAE; COMPOSITAE; and LEGUMINOSAE plant families. They can be activated in the liver by hydrolysis of the ester and desaturation of the necine base to reactive electrophilic pyrrolic CYTOTOXINS. Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid,Senecio Alkaloid,Senecio Alkaloids,Alkaloid, Pyrrolizidine,Alkaloid, Senecio,Alkaloids, Pyrrolizidine,Alkaloids, Senecio
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004365 Drugs, Chinese Herbal Chinese herbal or plant extracts which are used as drugs to treat diseases or promote general well-being. The concept does not include synthesized compounds manufactured in China. Chinese Herbal Drugs,Plant Extracts, Chinese,Chinese Drugs, Plant,Chinese Plant Extracts,Extracts, Chinese Plant,Herbal Drugs, Chinese
D006504 Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease Liver disease that is caused by injuries to the ENDOTHELIAL CELLS of the vessels and subendothelial EDEMA, but not by THROMBOSIS. Extracellular matrix, rich in FIBRONECTINS, is usually deposited around the HEPATIC VEINS leading to venous outflow occlusion and sinusoidal obstruction. Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome,Veno-Occlusive Disease, Hepatic,Hepatic Veno Occlusive Disease,Disease, Hepatic Veno-Occlusive,Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Diseases,Syndrome, Sinusoidal Obstruction,Veno Occlusive Disease, Hepatic
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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