1. Total flavonoids of litchi Seed alleviates schistosomiasis liver fibrosis in mice by suppressing hepatic stellate cells activation and modulating the gut microbiomes.
- Author
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Li Q, Wang J, Lv J, Liu D, Xiao S, Mo J, Lu Z, Qiu R, Li C, Tang L, He S, Tang Z, Cheng Q, and Zhan T
- Subjects
- Animals, Mice, Schistosomiasis japonica drug therapy, Schistosomiasis japonica complications, Cytokines metabolism, Schistosoma japonicum drug effects, Schistosoma japonicum pathogenicity, Male, Liver drug effects, Liver pathology, Liver parasitology, Hepatic Stellate Cells drug effects, Hepatic Stellate Cells metabolism, Hepatic Stellate Cells pathology, Liver Cirrhosis drug therapy, Liver Cirrhosis parasitology, Liver Cirrhosis pathology, Gastrointestinal Microbiome drug effects, Flavonoids pharmacology, Litchi chemistry, Seeds chemistry
- Abstract
Infection with Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is an important zoonotic parasitic disease that causes liver fibrosis in both human and domestic animals. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a crucial phase in the development of liver fibrosis, and inhibiting their activation can alleviate this progression. Total flavonoids of litchi seed (TFL) is a naturally extracted drug, and modern pharmacological studies have shown its anti-fibrotic and liver-protective effects. However, the role of TFL in schistosomiasis liver fibrosis is still unclear. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of TFL on liver fibrosis in S. japonicum infected mice and explored its potential mechanisms. Animal study results showed that TFL significantly reduced the levels of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the serum of S. japonicum infected mice. TFL reduced the spleen index of mice and markedly improved the pathological changes in liver tissues induced by S. japonicum infection, decreasing the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Collagen I and Collagen III protein in liver tissues. In vitro studies indicated that TFL also inhibited the activation of HCSs induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and reduced the levels of α-SMA. Gut microbes metagenomics study revealed that the composition, abundance, and functions of the mice gut microbiomes changed significantly after S. japonicum infection, and TLF treatment reversed these changes. Therefore, our study indicated that TFL alleviated granulomatous lesions and improved S. japonicum induced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the activation of HSCs and by improving the gut microbiomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work. There is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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