Jiang Zhi Granule protects immunological barrier of intestinal mucosa in rats with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Abstract

Context

Jiang Zhi Granule (JZG) is known to improve hepatic function, reduce liver fat deposition and inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Objective

To determine the protective mechanism of JZG on immunological barrier of intestinal mucosa in rats with diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Materials and methods

A Sprague-Dawley (SD) model of NASH was established using a high-fat diet and 1% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) through drinking water. The rats were randomized into four groups and treated for four weeks, respectively, including normal control (NC), model control (MC), positive control (PC) and JZG. Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) cells were isolated and cultured to assess a potential disruption of the enteric immune barrier. Also, investigation of intestinal mucosal dendritic cell-toll-like-receptor-myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (DC-TLR-MyD88) signalling pathway in vitro was examined.

Results

The lethal concentration 50 (LD₅₀) of JZG was greater than 5 g/kg, while its inhibitory concentration 50 (IC₅₀) was 1359 μg/mL in HepG2. In JZG group, the plasma levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and serum endotoxin were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced. In contrast, plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased. Furthermore, proinflammatory factor, interferon-γ (IFN-γ)+ from CD4+ T cells in DSS-induced NASH rats increased significantly (p < 0.01) compared to NC group. Importantly, JZG treatment substantially decreased (p < 0.01) the relative expressions of TLR-44 and MyD88.

Conclusions

JZG treatment may protect immunological barrier of intestinal mucosa in NASH individual.

Keywords:

• MLNs
• DSS
• TLR4–MyD88

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by Plan for reserve talents of traditional Chinese medicine of Shanghai Univeristy of traditional Chinese Medicine (2020), Shanghai Pudong New Area Health Committee Joint Tackling Project (PW2016D-8), Longhua Medical Scholar (LYTD-77), Shanghai Natural Science Foundation of China (17ZR1431000), Pudong famous traditional Chinese medicine training plan (PWPzm2020-03), and Longhua Innovative Project (CX202037).