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This work aimed to investigate the role of nuclear factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in modification of circadian clock and their relevance to development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Both male wild-type (WT) and Pparα-null (KO) mice treated with high-fat diet (HFD) were used to explore the effect of PPARα and lipid diet on the circadian rhythm. WT, KO, and PPARα-humanized (hPPARα) mice were treated with PPARα agonist fenofibrate to reveal the hPPARα dependence of circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) down-regulation. The mouse model and hepatocyte experiments were designed to verify the action of PPARα in down-regulating CLOCK and lipid accumulation in vivo and in vitro. Strongest NAFLD developed in mice fed 45%HFD, and it was inhibited in WT mice. The activity rhythm of WT mice was found to be different from that of the KO mice on normal diet and HFD. The core circadian factor CLOCK was down-regulated by HFD in both WT and KO mice in the liver, not in the hypothalamus. More interestingly, hepatic CLOCK was down-regulated by basal PPARα and activated PPARα in dose dependence of fenofibrate. Accordingly, CLOCK down-regulation dependent of PPARα activity was involved in inhibition of lipid metabolism in hepatocytes. Down-regulation of hepatic CLOCK by basal PPARα contributes to tolerance against development of NAFLD. Inhibition of CLOCK by activated PPARα is involved in inhibition of NAFLD by PPARα agonists. KEY MESSAGES: • PPARα inhibited NAFLD development induced by HFD. • PPARα mediated modifications of circadian rhythm and the hepatic circadian factor CLOCK in NAFLD models. • Down-regulation of hepatic CLOCK by basal PPARα contributed to tolerance against development of NAFLD. • Inhibition of CLOCK by activated PPARα was involved in therapeutic actions against fatty liver diseases by PPARα agonists.

The development of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) involves inflammation, but the dominant pathway mediating the chemotaxis is not yet established. This work explored key signaling pathway mediating chemotaxis in CLI and the role of Kupffer cells in the inflammatory liver injury. Probe inhibitors T-5224 (100 mg/kg) for AP-1 and C188-9 (100 mg/kg) for STAT3 were used to validate key inflammatory pathways in alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT, 100 mg/kg)-induced CLI. Two doses of GdCl

SP600125 is a classic inhibitor of c‑Jun‑N‑terminal kinase (JNK) that is widely used in numerous medicinal studies, but its administration regimen has yet to be optimized. In the present study, intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intragastric (i.g.) injections of 15 mg/kg SP600125 was performed in mice to compare the inhibitory effect against JNK signalling in cholestasis induced by α‑naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT). SP600125 at a dose of 15 mg/kg administered by i.p. substantially decreased ANIT‑induced liver injury as observed by biochemical and histopathological examinations. The adaptation of bile acid synthesis was inhibited in the A‑SP‑i.p. group compared with that in the A‑SP‑i.g. group, as indicated by the expression analysis of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1. The transcription of the pro‑inflammatory factors IL‑6, IL‑1β, ICAM‑1 and IL‑10 supported the differential toxic responses. Western blot analysis revealed that JNK signalling activated by ANIT was inhibited more markedly in the A‑SP‑i.p. group than in the A‑SP‑i.g. group. The peak concentration and the AUC0‑24 of SP600125 in the A‑SP‑i.p. group were 5‑fold and 1.56‑fold higher, respectively, compared with those in the A‑SP‑i.g. group. These data indicated that i.p. administration of SP600125 produced a high plasma exposure profile, which directly determined its efficacy of blocking the JNK signalling. This effect of SP600125 on the JNK pathway may provide an optimized design for future in vivo investigations.

α‑naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) is used to induce intrahepatic cholestasis and it is frequently used for investigations into the disease mechanism. The lithocholic acid (LCA) cholestatic model has also been extensively used in various studies; however, to the best of our knowledge, a comparative study determining the hepatotoxic mechanisms induced by these two models has not been previously conducted. In the present study, ICR mice were treated with ANIT or LCA to induce cholestatic liver injury. Biochemical analysis was used to determine the serum. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bile acid (TBA) levels, and histopathological assessment was used to examine the liver tissue. Metabolomic analysis was used for the serum biomarker identification. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analysis and western blotting were used to analyze the inflammation biomarkers. The serum metabolome of the ANIT group clustered away from of the LCA group, which was demonstrated by the different modifications of the BA components. ALP level was found to be preferentially increased in the ANIT group from 24 to 48 h. Total BA levels was only increased in the ANIT group at 24 h. In contrast, AST and ALT activity levels were preferentially increased in the LCA group. The bile ducts in the hepatic tissues of the ANIT group were observed to be severely dilated, whereas the presence of edematous hepatocytes around the necrotic lesions and neutrophil infiltration were identified in the LCA group. The expression levels of cholesterol 7α‑hydroxylase and sterol 12α‑hydroxylase genes were significantly downregulated in the ANIT group compared with the LCA group, where a stronger adaptation of BA metabolism was supported by major differences in the concentration of the BA components. Despite the aforementioned etiological differences in the cholestasis induced by each treatment, the activation of the JNK/STAT3 signaling pathway was similar between the two cholestatic models. In conclusion, these data suggested that the liver injury induced by ANIT may be cholestatic, while the liver injury caused in the LCA model may be hepatocellular. Moreover, the downstream cholestatic liver injury in both models was indicated to be mediated by the JNK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Schisandrin B (SinB) and Schisandrol B (SolB) are two abundant compounds with similar structures in Schisandra sphenanthera widely used for hepatic diseases in Asian countries. They are also pharmacologically active components in many other traditional Chinese medicines. However, induction features of cytochrome P450 (CYP) by SinB and SolB were not well established. The present study aimed to investigate the CYP profile induced by SinB and SolB, and the role of nuclear factors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Wild-type (WT) and Pxr-null (KO) mice were administered SinB and SolB respectively for 5 days. CYP induction analysis was carried out and underlying mechanism was explored. CYP2b was sharply induced by SinB and SolB in WT and KO mice. CYP3a was moderately induced in WT mice, but not in KO mice. No significant induction of CYP2c or UDP glucuronosyltransferases was observed. Edema related with slight hepatomegaly was found in both WT and KO mice, which was found reversible and non-inflammatory. These data suggest SinB and SolB induced CYP3a moderately in a PXR-dependent way. In contrast, they both sharply induced CYP2b, which was supposed to be associated with nuclear factor CAR not PXR. Non-inflammatory and reversible edema contributed to hepatomegaly induced by SinB and SolB. The complicated CYP induction of SinB and SolB might cause drug-drug interactions in the clinic.

Rationale: Light pollution leads to high risk of obesity but the underlying mechanism is not known except for the influence of altered circadian rhythm. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) regulates lipid metabolism, but its role in circadian-related obesity is not clear. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and Ppara-null (KO) mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) were treated with neon light at night for 6 weeks. Body weights were recorded and diet consumption measured. The hypothalamus, liver, adipose and serum were collected for mechanism experimentation. Results: WT mice on a HFD and exposed to night neon light gained about 19% body weight more than the WT control mice without light exposure and KO control mice on a HFD and exposed to night neon light. The increase in adipose tissue weight and adipocyte size led to the differences in body weights. Biochemical analysis suggested increased hepatic lipid accumulated and increased transport of lipid from the liver to peripheral tissues in the WT mice that gained weight under neon light exposure. Unlike KO mice, the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and the circadian factor circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) in both liver and adipose tissues were elevated in WT mice under neon light exposure. Conclusions: PPARα mediated weight gain of HFD-treated mice exposed to night neon light. More lipids were synthesized in the liver and transported to peripheral tissue leading to adaptive metabolism and lipid deposition in the adipose tissue. These data revealed an important mechanism of obesity induced by artificial light pollution where PPARα was implicated.

Cholestasis is one of the most challenging diseases to be treated in current hepatology. However little is known about the adaptation difference and the underlying mechanism between acute and chronic cholestasis. In this study, wild-type and Pparα-null mice were orally administered diet containing 0.05% ANIT to induce chronic cholestasis. Biochemistry, histopathology and serum metabolome analysis exhibited the similar toxic phenotype between wild-type and Pparα-null mice. Bile acid metabolism was strongly adapted in Pparα-null mice but not in wild-type mice. The Shp and Fxr mRNA was found to be doubled in cholestatic Pparα-null mice compared with the control group. Western blot confirmed the up-regulated expression of FXR in Pparα-null mice treated with ANIT. Inflammation was found to be stronger in Pparα-null mice than those in wild-type mice in chronic cholestasis. These data chain indicated that bile acid metabolism and inflammation signaling were different between wild-type and Pparα-null mice developing chronic cholestasis, although their toxic phenotypes could not be discriminated. So basal PPARα cross-talked with FXR and inhibited bile acid metabolism adaptation in chronic cholestasis.

Cholestatic liver fibrosis occurs in liver injuries accompanied by inflammation, which develops into cirrhosis if not effectively treated in early stage. The aim of the study is to explore the effect of fenofibrate on liver fibrosis in chronic cholestatic mice. In this study, wild-type (WT) and Pparα-null (KO) mice were dosed alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) diet to induce chronic cholestasis. Induced liver fibrosis was determined by pathological biomarkers. Then fenofibrate 25 mg/kg was orally administrated to mice twice/day for 14 days. Serum and liver samples were collected for analysis of biochemistry and fibrosis. In WT mice, cholestatic biomarkers were increased by 5-8-fold and the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), Collagen protein I (Collagen I) was increased by more than 10-fold. Fenofibrate significantly downgraded the biochemical and fibrotic biomarkers. In Western blot analysis, levels of collagenI and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were strongly inhibited by fenofibrate. In KO mice, liver fibrosis was induced successfully, but no improvement after fenofibrate treatment was observed. These data showed low-dose fenofibrate reverses cholestatic liver fibrosis in WT mice but not in KO mice, suggesting the dependence of therapeutic action on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). The study offers an additional therapeutic strategy for cholestatic liver fibrosis in practice.

α-Naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) is an experimental agent used to induce intrahepatic cholestasis. The Ppara-null mouse line is widely employed to explore the physiological and pathological roles of PPARα. However, little is known about how PPARα influences the hepatotoxicity of ANIT. In the present study, wild-type and Ppara-null mice were orally treated with ANIT to induce cholestasis. The serum metabolome of wild-type mice segregated from that of the Ppara-null mice, driven by changes of bile acid (BA) metabolites. Alkaline phosphatase and total BAs were elevated preferentially in Ppara-null mice, which correlated with changes in Cyp7a1, Cyp8b1, Mrp3, Cyp3a11, Cyp2b10, Ugt1a2, and Ugt1a5 genes and showed cross-talk between basal PPARα and potentially adaptive pathways. Il6, Tnfa, and target genes in the STAT3 pathway ( Socs3, Fga, Fgb, and Fgg) were up-regulated in Ppara-null mice but not in wild-type mice. The JNK pathway was activated in both mouse lines, while NF-κB and STAT3 were activated only in Ppara-null mice. These data suggest protection against cholestasis by basal PPARα involves regulation of BA metabolism and inhibition of NF-κB/STAT3 signaling. Considering studies on the protective effects of both basal and activated PPARα, caution should be exercised when one attempts to draw conclusions in which the PPARα is modified by genetic manipulation, fasting, or activation in pharmacological and toxicological studies.

Gemfibrozil is a fibrate drug used widely for dyslipidemia associated with atherosclerosis. Clinically, both gemfibrozil and its phase II metabolite gemfibrozil 1-O-β-glucuronide (gem-glu) are involved in drug-drug interaction (DDI). But the DDI risk caused by gem-glu between human and mice has not been compared. In this study, six volunteers were recruited and took a therapeutic dose of gemfibrozil for 3 days for examination of the gemfibrozil and gem-glu level in human. Male mice were fed a gemfibrozil diet (0.75%) for 7 days, following which a cocktail-based inhibitory DDI experiment was performed. Plasma samples and liver tissues from mice were collected for determination of gemfibrozil, gem-glu concentration and cytochrome p450 enzyme (P450) induction analysis. In human, the molar ratio of gem-glu/gemfibrozil was 15% and 10% at the trough concentration and the concentration at 1.5 h after the 6th dose. In contrast, this molar ratio at steady state in mice was 91%, demonstrating a 6- to 9-fold difference compared with that in human. Interestingly, a net induction of P450 activity and in vivo inductive DDI potential in mice was revealed. The P450 activity was not inhibited although the gem-glu concentration was high. These data suggested species difference of relative gem-glu exposure between human and mice, as well as a net inductive DDI potential of gemfibrozil in mouse model.

Background and Purpose Fenofibrate, a PPARα agonist, is the most widely prescribed drug for treating hyperlipidaemia. Although fibrate drugs are reported to be beneficial for cholestasis, their underlying mechanism has not been determined. Experimental Approach Wild-type mice and Pparα-null mice were pretreated orally with fenofibrate for 3 days, following which α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) was administered to induce cholestasis. The PPARα agonist WY14643 and JNK inhibitor SP600125 were used to determine the role of PPARα and the JNK pathway, respectively, in cholestatic liver injury. The same fenofibrate regimen was applied to investigate its beneficial effects on sclerosing cholangitis in a DDC-induced cholestatic model. Key Results Fenofibrate, 25 mg·kg−1 twice a day, totally attenuated ANIT-induced cholestasis and liver injury as indicated by biochemical and histological analyses. This protection occurred in wild-type, but not in Pparα-null, mice. Alterations in bile acid synthesis and transport were found to be an adaptive response rather than a direct effect of fenofibrate. WY14643 attenuated ANIT-induced cholestasis and liver injury coincident with inhibition of JNK signalling. Although SP600125 did not affect cholestasis, it inhibited liver injury in the ANIT model when the dose of fenofibrate used was ineffective. Fenofibrate was also revealed to have a beneficial effect in the sclerosing cholangitis model. Conclusions and Implications These data suggest that the protective effects of fenofibrate against cholestasis-induced hepatic injury are dependent on PPARα and fenofibrate dose, and are mediated through inhibition of JNK signalling. This mechanism of fenofibrate protection against intrahepatic cholestasis may offer additional therapeutic opportunities for cholestatic liver diseases.

Fenofibrate was reported to be beneficial for cholestasis in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid. However, its therapeutic action as single therapy for chronic cholestasis and the underlying mechanism are not known. In the present study, wild-type (WT) mice were administered a 0.05% ANIT diet to mimic chronic cholestatic liver injury. Mice were dosed fenofibrate 25 mg/kg twice every day for 10 days to investigate the therapeutic action of fenofibrate on chronic cholestatic liver injury. Ppara-null (KO) mice were used to explore PPARα’s role in the therapeutic outcome. Fenofibrate, administered at 25 mg/kg twice daily, substantially reversed ANIT-induced chronic cholestatic liver injury shown by biochemical and pathological end points. The modifications of bile acid metabolism were found to be adaptive responses. The JNK–AP1–CCL2/CXCL2 axis was activated in all the mice administered ANIT which developed chronic cholestatic liver injury. But it was substantially decreased by fenofibrate in WT mice rather than that in KO mice. Low-dose fenofibrate reversed chronic cholestatic liver injury in mice. The therapeutic action was dependent on PPARα activation and occurred by inhibiting chemotaxis via the JNK–AP1–CCL2/CXCL2 signaling. These data provided an exciting basis for optimization of therapeutic fenofibrate regimen in the clinic. Additionally, they suggested anti-chemotaxis of low-dose fenofibrate in single therapy to treat cholestatic liver diseases.

Objectives Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is one of the most widely consumed polyphenols in diets and is recognized to be a natural hepatoprotective agent. Here, we evaluated the protective effect and the potential mechanism of CGA against ɑ-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestasis and liver injury. Methods Twenty-five male 129/Sv mice were administered with CGA, and ANIT challenge was performed at 75 mg/kg on the 4th day. Blood was collected and subjected to biochemical analysis; the liver tissues were examined using histopathological analysis and signalling pathways. Key findings Chlorogenic acid almost totally attenuated the ANIT-induced liver damage and cholestasis, compared with the ANIT group. Dose of 50 mg/kg of CGA significantly prevented ANIT-induced changes in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatases, total bile acid, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin (5.3-, 6.3-, 18.8-, 158-, 41.4-fold, P Conclusions These data suggest that CGA inhibits both ANIT-induced intrahepatic cholestasis and the liver injury. This protective effect involves down-regulation of STAT3 and NFκB signalling.

Objectives Metabolic syndrome (MS) is the concurrence of at least three of five medical conditions: obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high serum triglyceride (TG) and low serum high-density lipoprotein levels. While fibrates are used to treat disorders other than the lowering serum TG, the mechanism by which fibrates decrease MS has not been established. Methods In this study, wild-type and Ppara-null mice fed a medium-fat diet (MFD) were administered gemfibrozil and fenofibrate for 3 months respectively, to explore the effect and action mechanism. Key findings In Ppara-null mice, MFD treatment increased body weight, adipose tissue, serum TG and impaired glucose tolerance. These phenotypes were attenuated in two groups treated with gemfibrozil and fenofibrate. The STAT3 pathway was activated in adipose and hepatic tissues in positive control, and inhibited in groups treated with gemfibrozil and fenofibrate. The above phenotypes and inflammation were not observed in any wild-type group. In 3T3-L1 adipogenic stem cells treated with high glucose, STAT3 knockdown greatly decreased the number of lipid droplets. Conclusions Low dose of clinical fibrates was effective against MS development independent of PPARα, and this action was mediated by STAT3 signalling inhibition in adipose tissue and, to a lesser extent, in hepatic tissues.

Background The antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) is a typical inducer of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and 2C in the clinic. It is considered a strong constitutive androstane receptor activator, however both CBZ and its main metabolite CBZ 10, 11-epoxide have been reported to be pregnane X receptor (PXR) activators whose maximal efficacy and potency are comparable with the human PXR ligand rifampicin. It is unknown whether or not PXR plays a substantially important role in in vivo induction of CYP by CBZ administration. Methods In this study, wild type and Pxr −/− mice were administered with CBZ for 5 days. Serum and liver samples were collected and subjected to hepatotoxicity assessment and CYP induction analysis. Results CYP2b, 2c and 3a were induced similarly in terms of transcription level, enzyme activity and protein abundance in both wild type and Pxr −/− mice. Inductive profile of CYPs in mice by CBZ administration accorded with those reported in rats, but differed from clinically reported data. Conclusions These data suggest that in vivo induction of CYP in mice by multiple administration of CBZ is independent of PXR. Knowledge of the featured CYP induction profile in mice helps us understand species related CYP induction profiles among rodents and humans resulting from administration of CBZ.

Gemfibrozil, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) agonist, is widely used for hypertriglyceridaemia and mixed hyperlipidaemia. Drug-drug interaction of gemfibrozil and other PPARα agonists has been reported. However, the role of PPARα in cytochrome P450 (CYP) induction by fibrates is not well known. In this study, wild-type mice were first fed gemfibrozil-containing diets (0.375%, 0.75% and 1.5%) for 14 days to establish a dose-response relationship for CYP induction. Then, wild-type mice and Pparα-null mice were treated with a 0.75% gemfibrozil-containing diet for 7 days. CYP3a, CYP2b and CYP2c were induced in a dose-dependent manner by gemfibrozil. In Pparα-null mice, their mRNA level, protein level and activity were induced more than those in wild-type mice. So, gemfibrozil induced CYP, and this action was inhibited by activated PPARα. These data suggested that the induction potential of CYPs was suppressed by activated PPARα, showing a potential role of this receptor in drug-drug interactions and metabolic diseases treated with fibrates.

TiO2 nano-particle (TiO2 NP) is widely used in industrial, household necessities, as well as medicinal products. However, the effect of TiO2 NP on liver metabolic function has not been reported. In this study, after mice were orally administered TiO2 NP (21nm) for 14days, the serum and liver tissues were assayed by biochemical analysis, real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blot and transmission electron microscopy. The serum bilirubin was increased in a dose dependent manner. Deposition of TiO2 NP in hepatocytes and the abnormality of microstructures was observed. Expression of metabolic genes involved in the endogenous and exogenous metabolism was modified, supporting the toxic phenotype. Collectively, oral administration of TiO2 NP (21nm) led to deposition of particles in hepatocytes, mitochondrial edema, and the disturbance of liver metabolism function. These data suggested oral administration disrupts liver metabolic functions, which was more sensitive than regular approaches to detect material hepatotoxicity. This study provided useful information for risk analysis and regulation of TiO2 NPs by administration agencies.

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) is widely used in production of many daily necessities based on their surface properties and stability. It was assigned as a Persistent Organic Pollutant in 2009 and became a public concern partly because of its potential for activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). In this study, wild-type and Ppara-null mice were administered PFDA (80 mg/kg). Blood and liver tissues were collected and subjected to systemic toxicological and mechanistic analysis. UPLC-ESI-QTOFMS-based metabolomics was used to explore the contributing components of the serum metabolome that led to variation between wild-type and Pparα-null mice. Bile acid homeostasis was disrupted, and slight hepatocyte injury in wild-type mice accompanied by adaptive regulation of bile acid synthesis and transport was observed. The serum metabolome in wild-type clustered differently from that in Pparα-null, featured by sharp increases in bile acid components. Differential toxicokinetic tendency was supported by regulation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases dependent on PPARα, but it did not contribute to the hepatotoxic responses. Increase in Il-10 and activation of the JNK pathway indicated inflammation was induced by disruption of bile acid homeostasis in wild-type mice. Inhibition of p-p65 dependent on PPARα activation by PFDA stopped the inflammatory cascade, as indicated by negative response of Il-6, Tnf-α, and STAT3 signaling. These data suggest disruptive and protective role of PPARα in hepatic responses induced by PFDA.

Concurrence of high glucose or diabetes in patients with dyslipidemia is presenting major challenges for clinicians. Although sporadically reported, a rational basis for the use of fibrates for the treatment of dyslipidemia with concurrent metabolic syndrome has not been established.In this study, wild-type (WT) and Ppara-null (KO) mice were fed a serial gemfibrozil- and fenofibrate-containing diet under the same experimental conditions for 14 days. Glucose level in the blood, glycogen storage in the liver tissues, and the potential toxic responses were assayed. Genes involved in glucose metabolism were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis.Both the blood glucose level and the glycogen content in the liver were down-regulated by gemfibrozil but not by fenofibrate in WT mice, in a dose-dependent manner. This decrement did not occur in KO mice for either fibrate agent. Secondary regulation on the transcription of pyruvate kinase, and gluconolactonase were observed following gemfibrozil treatment, which was differential between WT mice and KO mice.Gemfibrozil, not fenofibrate, down-regulates systemic glucose level and glycogen storage in the liver dependent on PPARα, suggesting its potential value for treatment of dyslipidemia with concurrent diabetes or high glucose levels.

The detailed mechanisms on licorice-drug interaction remain to be unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the inhibition of important UGT isoforms by two important ingredients of licorice, liquiritin, and liquiritigenin. The results showed that liquiritigenin exhibited stronger inhibition towards all the tested UGT isoforms than liquiritin. Data fitting using Dixon and Lineweaver-Burk plots demonstrated the competitive inhibition of liquiritigenin towards UGT1A1 and UGT1A9-mediated 4-MU glucuronidation reaction. The inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki ) were calculated to be 9.1 and 3.2 μM for UGT1A1 and UGT1A9, respectively. Substrate-dependent inhibition behaviour was also observed for UGT1A1 in the present study. All these results will be helpful for understanding the deep mechanism of licorice-drug interaction. However, when translating these in vitro parameters into in vivo situations, more complex factors should be considered, such as substrate-dependent inhibition of UGT isoforms, the contribution of UGT1A1 and UGT1A9 towards the metabolism of drugs, and many factors affecting the abundance of ingredients in the licorice.

Drug-induced QT prolongation usually leads to torsade de pointes (TdP), thus for drugs in the early phase of development this risk should be evaluated. In the present study, we demonstrated a visualized transgenic zebrafish as an in vivo high-throughput model to assay the risk of drug-induced QT prolongation. Zebrafish larvae 48 h post-fertilization expressing green fluorescent protein in myocardium were incubated with compounds reported to induce QT prolongation or block the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) K⁺ current. The compounds sotalol, indapaminde, erythromycin, ofoxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin and roxithromycin were additionally administrated by microinjection into the larvae yolk sac. The ventricle heart rate was recorded using the automatic monitoring system after incubation or microinjection. As a result, 14 out of 16 compounds inducing dog QT prolongation caused bradycardia in zebrafish. A similar result was observed with 21 out of 26 compounds which block hERG current. Among the 30 compounds which induced human QT prolongation, 25 caused bradycardia in this model. Thus, the risk of compounds causing bradycardia in this transgenic zebrafish correlated with that causing QT prolongation and hERG K⁺ current blockage in established models. The tendency that high logP values lead to high risk of QT prolongation in this model was indicated, and non-sensitivity of this model to antibacterial agents was revealed. These data suggest application of this transgenic zebrafish as a high-throughput model to screen QT prolongation-related cardio toxicity of the drug candidates.

Gemfibrozil is the most myotoxic fibrate drug commonly used for dyslipidemia, but the mechanism is poorly understood. The current study revealed that gemfibrozil inhibits myoblast differentiation through the regulation of intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) as revealed in L6 myoblasts by use of laser scan confocal microscopy and flow cytometry using Fluo-4 AM as a probe. Gemfibrozil at 20–400 μM, could regulate [Ca(2+)]i in L6 cells in a biphasic manner, and sustained reduction was observed when the concentration reached 200 μM. Inhibition of L6 differentiation by gemfibrozil was concentration-dependent with maximal effect noted between 200 and 400 μM, as indicated by creatine kinase activities and the differentiation index, respectively. In differentiating L6 myoblasts, gemfibrozil at concentrations below 400 μM led to no significant signs of apoptosis or cytotoxicity, whereas differentiation, inhibited by 200 μM gemfibrozil, was only partially recovered. A good correlation was noted between gemfibrozil concentrations that regulate [Ca(2+)]i and inhibit L6 myoblasts differentiation, and both are within the range of total serum concentrations found in the clinic. These data suggest a potential pharmacodynamic effect of gemfibrozil on myogenesis as a warning sign, in addition to the complex pharmacokinetic interactions. It is also noteworthy that mobilization of [Ca(2+)]i by gemfibrozil may trigger complex biological responses besides myocyte differentiation. Information revealed in this study explores the mechanism of gemfibrozil-induced myotoxicity through the regulation of intracellular calcium.

Overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) can cause acute liver injury that is sometimes fatal, requiring efficient pharmacological intervention. The traditional Chinese herb Bupleurum falcatum has been widely used for the treatment of several liver diseases in eastern Asian countries, and saikosaponin d (SSd) is one of its major pharmacologically-active components. However, the efficacy of Bupleurum falcatum or SSd on APAP toxicity remains unclear. C57BL/6 mice were administered SSd intraperitoneally once daily for five days, followed by APAP challenge. Biochemical and pathological analysis revealed that mice treated with SSd were protected against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. SSd markedly suppressed phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and reversed the APAP-induced increases in the target genes of NF-kB, such as pro-inflammatory cytokine Il6 and Ccl2, and those of STAT3, such as Socs3, Fga, Fgb and Fgg. SSd also enhanced the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine Il10 mRNA. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SSd protects mice from APAP-induced hepatotoxicity mainly through down-regulating NF-kB- and STAT3-mediated inflammatory signaling. This study unveils one of the possible mechanisms of hepatoprotection caused by Bupleurum falcatum and/or SSd.

Fenofibrate is a prototypical agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) which is well known to be associated with species related carcinogenesis. Important species differences have been reported in its metabolism and elimination pattern. Its new metabolites have been revealed in Cynomolgus monkeys and Sprague-Dawley rats. However in beagle dogs, several polar metabolites of fenofibrate have not been identified yet. In this study, beagle dogs were orally dosed with fenofibrate mixed with feeds. Urine and plasma samples were collected and subject to LC-MS/MS by comparison with authentic compounds and confirmed using an API 4000 Q-TRAP system. In vitro cultured primary hepatocytes were used to reveal metabolic pathways and confirm the data in vivo. Seven new metabolites of fenofibrate in dogs were identified, and their metabolic pathways were revealed. Fenofibrate in beagle dogs was found to be more prone to be metabolized into other secondary metabolites than fenofibric acid, compared with that in rats.

The detailed mechanisms on licorice-drug interaction remain to be unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the inhibition of important UGT isoforms by two important ingredients of licorice, liquiritin, and liquiritigenin. The results showed that liquiritigenin exhibited stronger inhibition towards all the tested UGT isoforms than liquiritin. Data fitting using Dixon and Lineweaver-Burk plots demonstrated the competitive inhibition of liquiritigenin towards UGT1A1 and UGT1A9-mediated 4-MU glucuronidation reaction. The inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki ) were calculated to be 9.1 and 3.2 μM for UGT1A1 and UGT1A9, respectively. Substrate-dependent inhibition behaviour was also observed for UGT1A1 in the present study. All these results will be helpful for understanding the deep mechanism of licorice-drug interaction. However, when translating these in vitro parameters into in vivo situations, more complex factors should be considered, such as substrate-dependent inhibition of UGT isoforms, the contribution of UGT1A1 and UGT1A9 towards the metabolism of drugs, and many factors affecting the abundance of ingredients in the licorice.

Drug-induced QT prolongation usually leads to torsade de pointes (TdP), thus for drugs in the early phase of development this risk should be evaluated. In the present study, we demonstrated a visualized transgenic zebrafish as an in vivo high-throughput model to assay the risk of drug-induced QT prolongation. Zebrafish larvae 48 h post-fertilization expressing green fluorescent protein in myocardium were incubated with compounds reported to induce QT prolongation or block the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) K⁺ current. The compounds sotalol, indapaminde, erythromycin, ofoxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin and roxithromycin were additionally administrated by microinjection into the larvae yolk sac. The ventricle heart rate was recorded using the automatic monitoring system after incubation or microinjection. As a result, 14 out of 16 compounds inducing dog QT prolongation caused bradycardia in zebrafish. A similar result was observed with 21 out of 26 compounds which block hERG current. Among the 30 compounds which induced human QT prolongation, 25 caused bradycardia in this model. Thus, the risk of compounds causing bradycardia in this transgenic zebrafish correlated with that causing QT prolongation and hERG K⁺ current blockage in established models. The tendency that high logP values lead to high risk of QT prolongation in this model was indicated, and non-sensitivity of this model to antibacterial agents was revealed. These data suggest application of this transgenic zebrafish as a high-throughput model to screen QT prolongation-related cardio toxicity of the drug candidates.

Phenotypic modifications of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contribute to pathological changes in atherosclerosis where modulation of intracellular calcium plays an important role. In this study, three fibrate drugs, namely gemfibrozil (Gem), fenofibric acid (Fa) and bezafibrate (Beza), were revealed to relax thoracic aorta associated with their potency to reduce intracellular calcium ([Ca 2 + ]i) in cultured VSMCs. Relaxation effect of Gem, Fa and Beza was assayed on precontracted rat aortic rings. [Ca 2 + ]i level in VSMCs following addition of these fibrates was measured by laser scanning confocal microscopy or flow cytometry. Resultantly, three fibrates showed activity for vasodilation with potency order of Gem > Fa > Beza. Sustained potent reduction of [Ca 2 + ]i was observed with Gem 50 mg/L and mild reduction with Fa 400–600 mg/L, while no effect had been detected for Beza under our current system. Thus, the potency of these fibrates to relax aortic rings correlate well with their effect on [Ca 2 + ]i reduction, strongly implicating an underlying causal relationship. Considering that Gem potently reduces [Ca 2 + ]i in its clinical concentration range, this study suggests an insight to in situ pharmacological effects of anti-atherosclerosis and clinical toxicity risk.

Topographical micro-structures of material surfaces are known to influence cell behavior. In this study, alignment and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on chitosan (CS) films with different microtopography was investigated. A modified solvent-non-solvent method was used to produce micro-well polystyrene films which were used as templates for preparation of micro-hilled CS films. The alignment and proliferation of MSCs on CS films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the MTT assay, respectively. Polystyrene films with different micro-well diameters were produced under different conditions. We successfully produced CS films with micro-hills of 10 μm (CS10) and 5-30 μm (CS5-30) by a molding approach. MSCs cultured on CS10 covered the tightly packed micro-hills and flattened polygonally. In contrast, MSCs on CS5-30 mostly adhered between loosely packed micro-hills and demonstrated elongated extensions. The proliferation rate of MSCs on CS5-30 was highest on day 4 (66% on CS5-30 versus 46% on CS10 and 24% on smooth CS) and day 8 (106% on CS5-30 versus 38% on CS10 and 72% on smooth CS). It is reasonable to suggest that spatially and dimensionally dispersed micro-hills on CS films facilitate the alignment and proliferation of MSCs. This may be used to physically modify CS for tissue-engineering applications.

Fibrates are a group of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonists used in the treatment of dyslipidemia; however, they have been reported to cause species-related hepatocarcinogenesis and clinical myotoxicity. Gemfibrozil is one of the most commonly used fibrates, and it shows the highest risk for myotoxicity among the fibrates. The inhibitory drug-drug interaction mechanism associated with gemfibrozil has been explored recently, and the induction of human P450 3A4 and 2C8 has been reported. In this study, in vivo induction of rat P450 by gemfibrozil was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. After the rats were dosed with gemfibrozil by oral gavage, microsomes were prepared. The metabolic activities of P450 3A1/2, 2C6, and 2D2 were assayed using probe substrates, and the systemic concentration of gemfibrozil during its administration was determined. P450 3A1/2 and 2C6 activities were induced 32-77% in the rats by gemfibrozil when the exposure concentration was in the clinical range. These data indicate that the inducibility of homologous P450 isoforms by gemfibrozil is similar in Sprague-Dawley rats and in humans. Inductive drug-drug interactions and inhibitory actions are involved in the co-administration of gemfibrozil with other drugs, which suggests the relevance for a fibrate-toxicology investigation.

Compound membranes of chitosan/hydroxyapatite were prepared by blending. The physical performance showed that the air-water contact angles decreased from chitosan's 103 degrees to chitosan/hydroxyapatite's 57 and the water adsorption rate increased slightly. When immersed into culture medium, the materials adsorbed Ca2+, and low crystalline hydroxyapatite deposited on the surface of the membranes. Chitosan/hydroxyapatite compound membranes could enhance the attachment and proliferation of mescenchymal stem cells (MSCs). After 12 days' induction on the materials, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity value of MSCs on the compound membrane was 10.1, being much higher than 1.6 on chitosan membrane (P0.01). All these results indicate that chitosan does not have very good affinity for MSCs, but the biocompatibility of chitosan can be apparently enhanced after mixing with hydroxyapatite. The compound membrane stimulates MSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts and it may be a good potential material for bone substitution.

Chitosan (Ch) is one of the most commonly used natural biomaterials. Osteodifferentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on Ch has drawn extensive interest. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a component of skeleton and teeth with good biocompatibility. Combination with HA may be a good method to modify Ch to facilitate cellular behaviors and functions on it. In this study, Ch/HA film was prepared and characterized. Its potential to benefit cellular behaviors and osteodifferentiation of MSCs was evaluated. Resultantly, physical properties of composite Ch/HA, including water-in-air contact angle, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and breaking elongation were favorably modified. In cellular culture medium, Ch/HA films absorbed more Ca2+ than Ch films, and more HA crystalline growths on Ch/HA films. 3-(4,5-Dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and morphological features showed better proliferation and adhesion of MSCs on Ch/HA films. Osteodifferentiation of MSCs on Ch/HA was promoted, indicated by modified transcription level of osteocalcin, osteopontin, collagen I, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and induced ALP activity. These data suggest biocompatibility of Ch is modified after being blended with HA, which promotes osteodifferentiation of MSCs. This can be a promising approach to modify Ch for its applications in bone tissue engineering. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 1202–1209, 2014.