Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (6): 1276-1284.doi: 10.12307/2025.307

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Improvement of myocardial injury by traditional Chinese medicine: mitochondrial calcium homeostasis mediates macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathway 

Liu Lingyun1, He Guixin2, Qin Weibin2, Song Hui1, Zhang Liwen1, Tang Weizhi1, Yang Feifei1, Zhu Ziyi1, Ou Yangbin1     

  1. 1Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530299, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; 2First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530230, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • Received:2024-01-29 Accepted:2024-04-09 Online:2025-02-28 Published:2024-06-22
  • Contact: He Guixin, MD, Chief physician, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530230, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China Co-corresponding author: Qin Weibin, Master, Physician, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530230, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Liu Lingyun, Master candidate, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530299, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China (Regional Program), No. 81960861 (to HGX); Guangxi Natural Science Foundation Key Project, No. 2020GXNSFDA297020 (to HGX); Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine (General Project), No. 2023MS023 (to QWB); Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Gui’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance and Innovation Team-Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Research Team for Difficult and Serious Diseases, No. 2022A001 (to HGX)

Abstract:
BACKGROUND:
The repair process of myocardial injury involves complex cellular and molecular mechanisms, especially mitochondrial calcium homeostasis, macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown significant clinical efficacy in improving myocardial injury, but its mechanism of action needs to be thoroughly investigated.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis-mediated macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways in myocardial injury, and to summarize the progress of TCM in this field.
METHODS: A computerized search was performed for relevant literature from the database inception to March 2024 in the Web of Science, PubMed and CNKI. The search terms were “mitochondrial calcium homeostasis, macrophage autophagy, macrophage pyroptosis, traditional Chinese medicine, myocardial injury, myocardial injury reperfusion” in Chinese and English. Through literature review, we analyzed the relationship between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis, explored the mechanism of their roles in myocardial injury, and summarized the pathways of multi-targeted, multi-pathway effects of TCM.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The maintenance of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis has been found to be closely related to the normal function of cardiomyocytes. Macrophages can participate in the repair process of myocardial injury through autophagy and pyroptosis pathways. Autophagy contributes to cell clearance and regulation of inflammatory response, while pyroptosis affects myocardial repair by releasing inflammatory factors. TCM regulates mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage function through multiple mechanisms. For example, astragalosid regulates calcium homeostasis by lowering mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibiting cytochrome C, and epimedium glycoside plays a role in reducing β-amyloid deposition. In addition, herbal compounds and single drugs promote myocardial repair by activating or inhibiting specific signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways. Future studies should focus on the interactions between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis, autophagy and pyroptosis pathways, as well as how TCM can exert therapeutic effects through these pathways to provide new strategies and drugs for the treatment of myocardial injury.

Key words: mitochondrial calcium homeostasis, macrophage autophagy, macrophage pyroptosis, traditional Chinese medicine, myocardial injury

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