Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (8): 2317-2325.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2021.08.025

• CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Pulsatilla Decoction Alleviates LPS-induced Inflammation of Microvascular Endothelial Cells by Inhibiting the TLR4-ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway

HE Shangwen1, WANG Yueming1, ZHANG Hui1, HOU Silu1, LIU Xiaoye2*, DONG Hong1*   

  1. 1. Beijing Key Laboratory of TCVM, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China;
    2. Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
  • Received:2020-12-09 Online:2021-08-23 Published:2021-08-21

Abstract: In recent years, the researches on the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine formula have been in-depth. Pulsatilla decoction served as a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription for clearing away heat and toxic material, is usually employed to prevent and treat bacterial diarrhea. However, its anti-inflammatory mechanisms and target cells are still unclear. In this study, rat intestinal mucosa microvascular endothelial cells (RIMVECs) were used as the model cells, aiming to illustrate the regulation effects of Pulsatilla decoction on LPS-induced inflammation of RIMVECs. The levels of mRNA and protein expressions of key proteins TLR4, TRAF6 and ERK in the inflammatory signaling pathway of RIMVECs after LPS stimulation were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The release levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-alpha were determined by ELISA. The results showed that Pulsatilla decoction could significantly reduce the mRNA levels and protein expressions of TLR4, TRAF6 and ERK induced by LPS, and also suppress the secretions of the downstream inflammatory factors induced by LPS. Pulsatilla decoction alleviates the inflammatory responses of LPS-induced RIMVECs by inhibiting TLR4-ERK1/2 signaling pathway and plays an anti-inflammatory role.

Key words: microvascular endothelial cells, LPS, Pulsatilla decoction, ERK1/2 signaling pathway, PD98059

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