Search

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the advanced stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is distinguished by the accumulation of fat in the liver, damage to liver cells, and inflammation. Chaihu Shugan powder (CSP), a renowned traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) blend extensively utilized in China to address liver disease, has demonstrated its efficacy in reducing lipid buildup and effectively combating inflammation. Hence, the primary objective of this research is to examine the impacts and possible mechanisms of CSP on NASH through assessments of liver histopathology, lipidomic analysis, and gene expression. To induce a mouse model of NASH, we employed a diet which deficient in methionine and choline, known as methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet. Initially, we examined the impact of administering CSP to NASH mice by assessing the levels of serum and liver indicators. We found that CSP was able to reduce lipid buildup and inflammation in mice. In addition, a total of 1009 genes exhibited enrichment in both the autophagy and ferroptosis pathways. The liver protein levels of Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin (AMPK-mTOR)-mediated autophagy and ferroptosis markers, such as p-AMPK α /AMPK α , p-mTOR/mTOR, Beclin-1, microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 gamma (LC3), p62 (sequestosome 1 [SQSTM1/p62]), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), were restored by CSP. Furthermore, our findings indicated that the suppression of autophagy had a repressive impact on the occurrence of ferroptosis in the mouse model, indicating that autophagy activation likely plays a role in mediating ferroptosis in NASH., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zheng Liang et al.)

Ginsenoside Rh3 (GRh3) is a seminatural product obtained by chemical processing after isolation from Chinese herbal medicine that has strong antitumor activity against human tumors. However, its antitumor role remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanisms underlying the tumor suppressive activity of GRh3 from the perspective of pyroptosis and ferroptosis. GRh3 eliminates colorectal cancer (CRC) cells by activating gasdermin D (GSDMD)-dependent pyroptosis and suppressing solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), resulting in ferroptosis activation through the Stat3/p53/NRF2 axis. GRh3 suppresses nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) entry into the nucleus, leading to the decrease of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression, which in turn promotes NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 expression. Finally, caspase-1 activates GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis. Furthermore, GRh3 prevents NRF2 from entering the nucleus, which suppresses SLC7A11, causing the depletion of glutathione (GSH) and accumulation of iron, lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and eventually leading to ferroptosis in CRC cells. In addition, GRh3 effectively inhibits the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and in nude mouse models. Collectively, GRh3 triggers pyroptotic cell death and ferroptotic cell death in CRC cells via the Stat3/p53/NRF2 axis with minimal harm to normal cells, showing great anticancer potential.

Background: Cisplatin is a widely used anticancer drug in clinic, but it has a damaging effect on skeletal muscle cells. Clinical observation showed that Yiqi Chutan formula (YCF) had a alleviating effect on cisplatin toxicity., Methods: In vitro cell model and in vivo animal model were used to observe the damage effect of cisplatin on skeletal muscle cells and verify that YCF reversed cisplatin induced skeletal muscle damage. The levels of oxidative stress, apoptosis and ferroptosis were measured in each group., Results: Both in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed that cisplatin increases the level of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle cells, thus inducing cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. YCF treatment can effectively reverse cisplatin induced oxidative stress in skeletal muscle cells, thereby alleviating cell apoptosis and ferroptosis, and ultimately protecting skeletal muscle., Conclusions: YCF reversed cisplatin-induced apoptosis and ferroptosis of skeletal muscle by alleviating oxidative stress.