Background: Reduning (RDN) is a common Chinese medicine preparation with antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antiviral and immunomodulatory effects in respiratory infectious diseases. Clinically, it is used in combination with antibiotics, but its synergistic effect and mechanism in treating severe pneumonia remain unclear.Methods: A rat model of severe pneumonia and an in vitro coculture model consisting of A549 and THP-1 cells were used to observe the synergistic effect of RDN on severe pneumonia. The inflammatory cytokines were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The localization of Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in A549 cells was observed by immunofluorescence, and the interaction of AhR and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) proteins was observed by co-immunoprecipitation.AhR-Src tyrosine kinase (Src)-STAT3 pathway in rats and A549 cells were examined by Western Blot. Histopathological changes were observed by Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, X-ray and survival rates were used to evaluate the effects of paclitaxel on severe pneumonia rats.Results: RDN regulation of Src-STAT3-interleukin 10 (IL-10) signaling pathway activation and macrophage polarization were mediated through the nuclear receptor AhR. The expression of AhR was significantly increased after RDN treatment, and this effect was accompanied by STAT3 expression increasing. Coimmunoprecipitation confirmed an interaction between AhR and STAT3 and upregulated IL-10 expression. Silencing AhR decreased Src, STAT3, and IL-10 expression. RDN activated AhR and increased Src, STAT3, and IL-10 expression. In addition, RDN regulated the polarization of macrophages RDN combined with cefmetazole sodium significantly reduced the pulmonary bacterial load, alleviated lung injury, and reduced o inflammatory factors expression, improving their survival.Conclusions: RDN can synergistically enhance the effect of cefmetazole sodium treatment in severe pneumonia, and the mechanism may involve increasing the expression level of IL-10 mediated through the AhR-Src-STAT3 pathway, driving the polarization of macrophages, and attenuating the cytokine storm to control inflammation in severe pneumonia.

Background: Acute liver injury can occur at any stage of sepsis and is an important sign of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Studies have shown that agmatine (AGM) can effectively improve liver injury caused by sepsis. However, due to the numerous metabolites and metabolic pathways of AGM in the human body, its mechanism in treating septic liver injury is unclear.Methods: In this study, a liver injury model of septic Sprague-Dawley rats was established by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). After AGM treatment, transcriptomics combined with metabolomics was employed to analyze the gene expression levels and metabolite changes. Results:The results showed that AGM decreased the expression levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), procalcitonin (PCT), and inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] in the serum of septic rats. It also reduced liver inflammatory cell infiltration and abnormal lipid metabolism, and promoted the survival rate of septic rats. In addition, 17 differentially-expressed genes were identified by transcriptomics, mainly in arginine and proline metabolism, the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, as well as the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) signal transduction pathways. Metabolomics analysis was carried out to study the potential liver metabolism spectrum changes induced by AGM treatment. The results showed significant changes in 26 metabolites in the rat liver samples, mainly involved in arginine and proline metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism. Conclusions:The integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis demonstrated that AGM improved septic liver injury by regulating lipid metabolism, and reduced the inflammatory reaction by affecting fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway. The integration of transcriptomics and metabolomics provides an effective means to elucidate AGM's therapeutic pathways and biomarkers.

Background: Aminophylline is widely used for the treatment of asthma, but the therapeutic dose is very close to the toxic dose, which makes this drug prone to accumulation poisoning. In the present study, we explored whether the Chinese herbal component, Praeruptorin E (PE), enhances anti-asthma efficacy and prevents the toxicity of aminophylline.Methods: First, an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model of asthma, immunohistochemistry, pathological staining, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were used to detect the lung condition of asthmatic mice. The content of Th2 cytokines in serum was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expression of related proteins was detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence.Concentrations of theophylline and its metabolites in rat serum were analyzed by liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). siRNA transfection and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were used to investigate the mechanism of PE.Results: PE was found to synergize with aminophylline to reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells, collagen deposition, and mucus hyperplasia in the lungs of asthmatic mice. It inhibited the expression of Th2 cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13; promoted lung tissue repair; and reduced the toxic effect of aminophylline on the heart. Moreover, LC-MS/MS analysis showed that PE reduced the plasma concentration of the parent theophylline and its metabolite 1,3-dimethyluric acid (1,3-DMU). PE facilitated aminophylline's suppression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and increased the expression of the xenobiotic nuclear receptor pregnane X receptor (PXR) and its primary target gene, CYP3A11

Background. Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) develops from active colonic inflammation, which is characterized by the production of proinflammatory cytokines that can induce mutations. IL-6 is produced by multiple cell types located within the tumor microenvironment including tumor-infiltrating immune cells, stromal cells, and the tumor cells themselves. The aim of our study was to explore the mechanism of Feng-Liao-Chang-Wei-Kang (FLCWK) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in treating CAC. Method. HCT116 cells were treated with 5-FU in the absence or presence of FLCWK. Cell proliferation was assayed by MTT assays. Apoptosis and the cell cycle phases were detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting and Q-PCR assays were used to detect the expression levels of proteins and genes related to the IL-6/STAT3 signalling pathway. A mouse model for CAC was established by treating animals with 12.5 mg/kg azoxymethane (AOM) followed by 3 cycles of 2.5% dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). The associated pathological changes were determined after haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The expression of related proteins and genes in various tissues was examined using immunofluorescence techniques. Results. FLCWK enhanced the ability of 5-FU to promote apoptosis by inhibiting the proliferation of HCT116 cells and blocking the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. FLCWK combined with 5-FU reduced the number and size of colon tumors in mice with CAC and significantly increased their survival rate. In the CAC model, FLCWK synergized with 5-FU to inhibit the phosphorylation of STAT3, preventing IL-6/STAT3 signal transduction and thus further inducing apoptosis and inhibition of colon cancer cell proliferation. Conclusion. FLCWK can inhibit the activation of STAT3 by reducing the production of IL-6, thereby increasing the occurrence of colitis-related colorectal cancer with 5-FU.

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