Polysaccharide of Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss. alleviated cholestatic liver disease by modulating the FXR pathway

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Nov;281(Pt 4):136393. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136393. Epub 2024 Oct 9.

Abstract

Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss., is an herb known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. In the previous studies, the chemical composition of the polysaccharide from Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss. (DCP) has been characterized as consisting of DCP1 and DCP2, of which DCP2 has hepatoprotective effects. The study examined the hepatoprotective potential of DCP2 against alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestatic liver disease (CLD). In this study, RNA sequencing identified key research pathways involving bile acid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses were conducted to further characterize these pathways. Additionally, the study included in vitro experiments with HepG2 cells to further investigate the effects of DCP2 on bile acid metabolism. In summary, the protective effect of DCP2 on the liver was reflected in alleviating the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, regulating the metabolism of bile acids, and mitigating liver damage caused by bile acids. This study further elucidated the hepatoprotective effects of DCP2 by examining its ability to counteract ANIT-induced CLD, suggesting that DCP2 is a promising biomacromolecule for hepatoprotection.

Keywords: Bile acid metabolism; Cholestatic liver disease; Polysaccharide of Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss..

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bile Acids and Salts* / metabolism
  • Cholestasis / drug therapy
  • Cholestasis / metabolism
  • Cholestasis / pathology
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress* / drug effects
  • Polysaccharides* / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides* / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Polysaccharides
  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • farnesoid X-activated receptor