Effects of Astragalus complanatus Flavonoids (FAC) on Immune Function and Liver Fibrosis in Alcohol-Induced Liver Rats by Mediating TNF-α Signaling Pathway

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Astragalus complanatus flavonoids on immune function and liver fibrosis in alcohol-induced liver rats. 80 healthy ACL female rats were grouped as healthy group, alcohol liver group (AL group), low-dose group (30 mg/kg) (LD group), and high-dose group (120 mg/kg) (HD group). ALT and AST were measured by CD4+ and CD8+ were measured by flow cytometry. Radioimmunoassay measured HA, LN, PC-III, and IV-c, while Western blot measured TNF-α/TLR4/MYD88/NF-kB. The liver cells from healthy group were neatly arranged with clear boundaries, disordered in the alcohol liver group with blurred lobules, with a large number of vacuoles and inflammatory cell infiltrations. The liver cells from 2 intervention groups were relatively clearly arranged and intracellular vacuoles were reduced. The ALT and AST levels in AL group were highest than healthy group (P < 0.05), followed by LD (P < 0.05) and HD group (P < 0.05). Compared with healthy group, the CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ content in the AL group decreased and CD8+ increased (P < 0.05). In comparison with AL group, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ level increased and CD8+ decreased (P < 0.05) in LD and HD group with increased HD group (P < 0.05). The expressions of HA, LN, PC-III, IV-c, TNF-α, TLR4, MYD88, and NF-kB in healthy group were lower than AL group (P < 0.05) and lowly expressed in AL group and highly expressed in HD group (P < 0.05). The flavonoids of Astragalus complanatus can therefore reduce the degree of liver fibrosis in alcohol-induced rats and improve the immunity of rats by inhibiting cytokines in the TNF-α signaling pathway (Fig. 1).