Therapeutic Effect of Astragali Radix Extract Injection Combined with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrotic Rats

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis is a serious disease for which effective drugs are unavailable. Here, we treated rat models of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis with Astragali Radix extract injection (AI) combined with or without bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). We injected rats intratracheally with BLM and transplanted BMSCs via tail vein injection 15 days later. We also intraperitoneally injected AI daily from days 15 to 28. Changes in lung pathology and function, as well as the levels of matrix metalloproteinases, collagen, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), and cluster of differentiation 90 (CD90) were assessed. The results revealed that compared with the BLM group, groups treated with ARE and BMSCs (alone or combined) reduced the expression levels of TGF-β1 and collagens I and III, ameliorated pathological lung fibrotic damage, and improved lung function. The expression levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-9 were reduced by either AI or BMSCs alone, whereas those of MMP-3, MMP-9, TIMP-1, CXCL12, and CD90 were elevated by combined AI and BMSCs compared with the BLM group. Overall, these findings demonstrated that AI and BMSCs both can reduce damage caused by PF in rats and that AI altered the expression of chemokines and surface markers in BMSCs.

Exploring the role and mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus and radix paeoniae rubra in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis through network pharmacology and experimental validation

“…A recent study demonstrated the protective effect of BYHWD on a pulmonary fibrosis model in vitro, with its mechanism related to the inhibition of pulmonary inflammation, collagen deposition, and EMT by suppressing the TGF-β1 signaling pathway 37 . An AM extract injection has been reported to ameliorate pathological lung fibrotic damage caused by bleomycin in rats and improve lung function by reducing the expression levels of TGF-β1 and collagens I and III, while increasing those of MMP-3 , MMP-9 , TIMP-1 , CXCL12 , and CD90 38 .…”

Therapeutic Role and Potential Mechanism of Astragalus Membranaceus (Huangqi) and Radix Paeoniae Rubra (Chishao) in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis – Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

“…33 AM extract injection has been reported to ameliorate pathological lung brotic damage caused by BLM in rats and improve lung function by reducing the expression levels of TGF-β1 and collagens I and III whereas elevating those of MMP-3, MMP-9, TIMP-1, CXCL12, and CD90. 34 Therefore, we used network pharmacology analysis to investigate the common transcription factor regulatory network in IPF and identi ed AM and RPR as candidate drugs for IPF. The therapeutic effect and mechanism of AM and RPR were veri ed in vivo, and the network pharmacology analysis revealed their molecular functions and pharmacological targets for treating IPF.…”