Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (25): 6472-6488.doi: 10.12307/2026.235

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Integrated proteomics and transcriptomics analysis of the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Tang in protecting the acute spinal cord injury rat model

Wang Ziqi1, 2, Bu Xianzhong3, Guo Xiaohui2, Li Hanxi2, Qian Yuhao1, Wang Yixin1, Bu Baoxian2   

  1. 1Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, Hunan Province, China; 2Department of Spine Surgery 5, Luoyang Orthopedic-Traumatological Hospital of Henan Province (Henan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital), Luoyang 471002, Henan Province, China; 3The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2025-08-14 Revised:2025-11-18 Online:2026-09-08 Published:2026-04-20
  • Contact: Bu Baoxian, PhD, Chief traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, Department of Spine Surgery 5, Luoyang Orthopedic-Traumatological Hospital of Henan Province (Henan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital), Luoyang 471002, Henan Province, China
  • About author:Wang Ziqi, MS candidate, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, Hunan Province, China; Department of Spine Surgery 5, Luoyang Orthopedic-Traumatological Hospital of Henan Province (Henan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital), Luoyang 471002, Henan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82405439 (to BXZ); Medical Key Discipline of Luoyang, Henan Province, No. Luoweikejiao [2022]2 (to BBX); Doctoral Research Initiation Fund Project, No. 2023BJJ006 (to BXZ)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Research indicates that Buyang Huanwu Tang has positive therapeutic effects on the spinal cord injury symptoms and spinal cord function recovery, although its therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. Spinal cord tissue contains numerous proteins and peptides that may serve as disease biomarkers.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Tang in an acute spinal cord injury rat model by regulating proteomic- and transcriptomic-related pathways.
METHODS: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, and Buyang Huanwu Tang groups. An acute spinal cord injury model was established in the latter two groups using Allen's modified method. Motor function recovery was evaluated using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score. Histopathology was examined via Nissl staining. Differentially expressed proteins and genes were screened using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation proteomics and RNA sequencing transcriptomics. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction network constructed with Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins interaction network database were employed to identify key pathways, and core targets were validated through Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Motor score: Compared with the blank group, rats in the model group exhibited significantly lower Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan motor scores in the hindlimbs (P < 0.001) and markedly smaller inclined angles in the inclined plane test (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, rats in the Buyang Huanwu Tang group showed higher Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan motor scores in the hindlimbs (P < 0.05). and significantly larger incline angle in the inclined plane test (P < 0.001). Pathological morphological observations: The control group exhibited relatively normal neuronal morphology with intact cellular structures, normal intercellular spaces, and clearly visible nucleoli and nuclear membranes. The model group showed severe cellular necrosis, disorganized structures, condensed nuclei, and loss of most nucleoli and nuclear membranes, along with extensive tissue cavities and inflammatory cell infiltration. The Buyang Huanwu Tang group exhibited irregularly shaped but relatively intact neuronal cells with mild swelling, reduced tissue cavities, and decreased cellular necrosis. (2) Gene Ontology functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway annotation results revealed that differentially expressed proteins primarily participated in the regulation of acute phase response, protein activation cascade, and acute inflammatory response, and the molecular function of platelet alpha granule, blood microparticle, vacuolar lumen, serine propeptidase inhibitor activity, etc, and participated in the map04142 lysosome, map04612 antigen processing and presentation, map03013 nucleocytoplasmic transport, map04964 proximal tubule bicarbonate reclamation, map04610 complement and coagulation cascades, map00511 other glycan degradation, map03040 spliceosome, map03410 base excision repair, map00531 glycosaminoglycan degradation, and the coronavirus disease-COVID-19 pathways. The protein-protein interaction analysis showed 20 hub differentially expressed proteins, including FGG, FN1, FGB, HSP90B1, and CASP3, and 20 core differentially expressed genes, including FGG, FN1, FGB, CXCL1, and CXCL13, were identified. (3) Western blot analysis demonstrated that Buyang Huanwu Tang inhibits the protein expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 and phosphor-I-kappa-B-alpha in spinal cord tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that Buyang Huanwu Tang suppresses BAX and Caspase-3 protein expression while promoting BCL-2 protein expression in spinal cord tissue, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction results indicated that Buyang Huanwu Tang suppresses the mRNA expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 in spinal cord tissue. Taken together, these findings suggest that Buyang Huanwu Tang may protect spinal cord tissue by reducing the inflammatory response through the inhibition of the Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway, and by preventing apoptosis via regulation of the BAX/BCL-2 balance and suppression of Caspase-3 expression.  

Key words: Buyang Huanwu Tang, acute spinal cord injury, proteomics, transcriptomics

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