Esculetin ameliorates hepatic fibrosis in high fat diet induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by regulation of FoxO1 mediated pathway

Zhu

et al. 2020

IJMS

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum uric acid (SUA) levels in CKD stage 3–4 patients closely correlate with hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN) morbidity. New uric acid (UA)-lowering strategies are required to prevent CKD. The multiple-purpose connectivity map (CMAP) was used to discover potential molecules against HUA and renal fibrosis. We used HUA and unilateral ureteral occlusion (UUO) model mice to verify renoprotective effects of molecules and explore related mechanisms. In vitro experiments were performed in HepG2 and NRK-52E cells induced by UA. Esculetin was the top scoring compound and lowered serum uric acid (SUA) levels with dual functions on UA excretion. Esculetin exerted these effects by inhibiting expression and activity of xanthine oxidase (XO) in liver, and modulating UA transporters in kidney. The mechanism by which esculetin suppressed XO was related to inhibiting the nuclear translocation of hexokinase 2 (HK2). Esculetin was anti-fibrotic in HUA and UUO mice through inhibiting TGF-β1-activated profibrotic signals. The renoprotection effects of esculetin in HUA mice were associated with lower SUA, alleviation of oxidative stress, and inhibition of fibrosis. Esculetin is a candidate urate-lowering drug with renoprotective activity and the ability to inhibit XO, promote excretion of UA, protect oxidative stress injury, and reduce renal fibrosis.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple-Purpose Connectivity Map Analysis Reveals the Benefits of Esculetin to Hyperuricemia and Renal Fibrosis

Zhu

et al. 2020

IJMS

“…It has been shown that esculetin has some biological and pharmacological activities, including anti-oxidative ( 16 , 17 ), anti-inflammatory ( 18 ), anti-viral ( 19 ), anti-asthmatic ( 20 ), and anti-tumor effects ( 21 , 22 ). As an anti-inflammatory drug, esculetin can exert therapeutic effects on several inflammatory diseases, such as hepatic fibrosis ( 23 ), arthritis ( 24 ), and atopic dermatitis ( 25 ). Previous studies have also reported that esculetin inhibits T cell activation without suppressing IL-2 production or IL-2 receptor expression ( 26 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Esculetin Ameliorates Psoriasis-Like Skin Disease in Mice by Inducing CD4+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells

et al. 2018

Psoriasis is an autoimmune and inflammatory skin disease affecting around 2–3% of the world's population. Patients with psoriasis need extensive treatments with global immunosuppressive agents that may cause severe side effects. Esculetin, a type of coumarins, is an active ingredient extracted mainly from the bark of Fraxinus rhynchophylla, which has been used to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in China. However, the antipsoriatic effects of esculetin have not been reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of esculetin on psoriatic skin inflammation in a mouse model and explored the potential molecular mechanisms underlying its action. We found that esculetin ameliorated the skin lesion and reduced PASI scores as well as weight loss in imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mice, accompanied with weakened proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes and T cell infiltration in esculetin-treated psoriatic mice. In addition, esculetin reduced the frequency of CD8+CD44highCD62Llow effector T cells in psoriatic mice. In contrast, it increased the frequency of CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs in both lymph nodes and spleens of the psoriatic mice while promoting the differentiation of CD4+CD25− T cells into CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs in vitro. Interestingly, depleting CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs largely reversed esculetin-mediated reduction in PASI scores, indicating that esculetin attenuates murine psoriasis mainly by inducing CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the psoriatic mouse skin, including IL-6, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-23, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, were dramatically decreased by the treatment with esculetin. Finally, we found that esculetin inhibited the phosphorylation of IKKα and P65 in the psoriatic skin, suggesting that it inhibits the activation of NF-κB signaling. Thus, we have demonstrated that esculetin attenuates psoriasis-like skin lesion in mice and may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of psoriasis in clinic.

“…The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Furthermore, sections were subjected to Masson's trichrome staining [23] or Sirius red staining to evaluate liver fibrosis [24].…”

Section: Histological Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chronic high fat diet (HFD) feeding is used as an efficient tool to simulate clinical NAFLD and associated hepatic fibrosis [14]. Long-term HFD feeding induces the pathological changes including visceral obesity, inflammation, hyperlipidemia and hepatic fibrosis which are similar to that of the human NAFLD [15]. It has been reported that all the rats developed perisinosodial fibrosis after 24 weeks' HFD feeding [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fibronectin Type III Domain-Containing 5 Attenuates Liver Fibrosis Via Inhibition of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation

Zhou

Zhang

et al. 2018

Cell Physiol Biochem

Background/Aims: Fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) protein is involved in the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism. FNDC5 attenuates hepatic steatosis induced by high fat diet (HFD). Here, we examined the effects of FNDC5 on liver fibrosis and underline mechanisms. Methods: Experiments were carried out on wild-type and FNDC5^-/- mice, primary mouse hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and human hepatic stellate cell line (LX-2). The mice were fed with HFD for 6 months to induce liver fibrosis. Oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) were used to induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells and fibrosis in mouse HSCs and human LX-2 cells. H&E, Masson’s trichrome staining and Sirius red staining were used for liver sections. Protein and mRNA expressions were evaluated with Western blot and RT-PCR, respectively. Results: FNDC5 deficiency aggravated the HFD-induced liver fibrosis and HSCs activation in mice. It exacerbated the HFD-induced inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation, upregulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in liver of mice. Administration of FNDC5 attenuated oxLDL-induced AMPK deactivation, HSCs activation, CTGF and TGF-β upregulation and ECM deposition in mouse HSCs. The beneficial effects of FNDC5 on oxLDL-induced AMPK dephosphorylation, HSCs activation and ECM deposition were prevented by the inhibition of AMPK with compound C in human LX-2 cells. However, the effects of FNDC5 on hepatic fibrosis in vivo in this study cannot be distinguished from its effects on adiposity and hepatic steatosis. Conclusions: FNDC5 deficiency aggravates HFD-induced liver fibrosis in mice. FNDC5 plays beneficial roles in attenuating liver fibrosis via AMPK phosphorylation-mediated inhibition of HSCs activation.