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    Rhubarb Anthraquinones Ameliorates Inflammatory Lung Injury by Enhancing Alveolar Epithelium Tight Junction Proteins through RhoA/ROCK1 Signalling

    Guiyuan Liu1,2, Yinliang Bai3, Guangxian Leng1, Hanwei Ma1, Yin Kong1, Liuqing Guo1, Fahong Wu1, Fengxian Wei1, Yi Pang2, Youcheng Zhang1★★ Corresponding author

    1. 1Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, CHINA.
    2. 2Chongqing Key Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Genuine Medicine Materials in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, CHINA.
    3. 3Department of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, CHINA.

    CORRESPONDENCE

    Youcheng Zhang

    Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, CHINA.

    zhangyouchengphd@163.com

    Received: 19-07-2022; Accepted: 11-11-2022.

    Volume 19, Issue 2 · pp. 359–370 · PUBLISHED 2023 · DOI: 10.1177/09731296231158697

    View on Pharmacogn. Mag. original site ↗

    ABSTRACT

    Background: Leakage of the alveolar epithelial barrier can lead to pulmonary oedema, leading to organ dysfunction. Objectives: Combination anthraquinone (CA) and free anthraquinone (FA) were extracted from Rhubarb, and the prevention and therapeutic effects of Rhubarb anthraquinones (RA) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury were investigated. Materials and Methods: The CA and FA were extracted from Rhubarb by water solvent extraction and ethanol solvent extraction. The extracted RA content was determined using spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A mouse model of inflammatory lung injury was established by LPS induction to study the mechanism of RA activity. Inflammatory factors were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Changes in alveolar epithelial leakage were assessed using a permeability assay. Changes in lung injury were evaluated by histopathological and ultrastructural observations. Tight junction (TJ) markers and Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) pathway-related proteins were measured using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. As an agonist of RhoA/Rock signalling, U46619 was used to further verify whether RA acts through this pathway. Results: RA could inhibit pulmonary inflammation by decreasing the level of inflammatory factors. The alveolar epithelial permeability was reduced, and the pathological injury of the lung tissue was alleviated after administration with RA. Furthermore, the expression of TJ proteins was up regulated and RhoA/ROCK1 signalling was inhibited in the presence of RA. The effects of RA on TJ proteins were partially reversed by U46619. Conclusion: RA effectively protects mice against inflammatory lung injury by enhancing alveolar epithelial TJ via RhoA/ ROCK1 signalling.

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      Liu, G., Bai, Y., Leng, G., Ma, H., Kong, Y., Guo, L., Wu, F., Wei, F., Pang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Rhubarb Anthraquinones Ameliorates Inflammatory Lung Injury by Enhancing Alveolar Epithelium Tight Junction Proteins through RhoA/ROCK1 Signalling. Pharmacognosy Magazine, 19(2), 359–370. https://doi.org/10.1177/09731296231158697