Huangqin Decoction regulates autophagy to intervene with intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease in mice

doi:10.12307/2022.144

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: How to use traditional Chinese medicine to intervene the imbalance of autophagy after intestinal mucosal barrier injury, so as to ultimately intervene the occurrence of gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease, is an urgent problem to be solved after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE: To verify the precise mechanism by which Huangqin Decoction interferes with acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease.
METHODS: CB6F1 mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model control group, low-dose Huangqin Decoction group, medium-does Huangqin Decoction group and high-does Huangqin Decoction group, with 16 mice per group. CB6F1 mice in the model control group, low-dose Huangqin Decoction group, medium-does Huangqin Decoction group and high-does Huangqin Decoction group were infused with mononuclear cell suspension (bone marrow cell 8×107 + spleen cell 8×107) obtained from Balb/c mice via caudal vein within 4 hours after 60Co whole body irradiation (radiation dose was 8 Gy). Different concentrations of Huangqin Decoction were given by gavage on the same day after modeling. The rats in the model control group and the normal control group were given the same volume of normal saline by gavage for 15 days. Eight hours after the last gavage, the small intestine tissues of six mice in each group were collected. PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression levels of LC3II/I, Beclin1 and P62. The pathological grading of small intestinal mucosa was scored by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The autophagic vesicle structure of small intestinal mucosal epithelial cells was observed by transmission electron microscope. The remaining 10 rats in each group (except the normal control group) were used to observe the clinical grading of acute graft-versus-host disease and record the survival time.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) After the application of Huangqin Decoction, the survival time of mice was significantly prolonged; the clinical acute graft-versus-host disease score was significantly decreased, and the pathological grading score of small intestinal mucosa was significantly decreased. The score of medium-does Huangqin Decoction group and high-does Huangqin Decoction group was significantly lower than that of model control group, but there was no significant difference between medium-does Huangqin Decoction group and high-does Huangqin Decoction group. (2) The LC3II/I and Beclin1 expression was significantly lower in the model control group than that in the normal control group (P < 0.01), and P62 expression was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (P < 0.01). Huangqin Decoction could promote the recovery of LC3II/I and Beclin1 levels and downregulate p62 levels (P < 0.01). (3) Under transmission electron microscope, the number of autophagic vesicles in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the model control group, accompanied by the recovery of important organelles such as mitochondria. (4) The results confirm that by interfering autophagy related proteins, Huangqin Decoction can promote the recovery of autophagy in acute graft-versus-host disease, protect intestinal mucosal barrier and reduce intestinal rejection after transplantation and has promise as a new treatment for acute graft-versus-host disease.

Key words: bone marrow, spleen, mononuclear cells, acute graft-versus-host disease, Huangqin Decoction, autophagy, intestinal mucosal barrier

CLC Number:

Cui Xing, Sun Xiaoqi, Zheng Wei, Ma Dexin. Huangqin Decoction regulates autophagy to intervene with intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease in mice[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2022, 26(7): 1057-1062.

Figures/Tables 2

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