Protective effect of Shegan Mahuang Decoction on lung tissue of rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and regulation of EGFR/PI3K signaling pathway
XIE Liyuan1 LIU Lian2 JING Jing3 AN Na4
1.Department of Teaching, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China; 2.Department of Emergency, the First People′s Hospital of Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830011, China;
3.Clinical Research Center, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China;
4.School of Basic Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830011, China
Abstract:Objective To study the effect of Shegan Mahuang Decoction on endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)/phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway and airway smooth muscle protection in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods According to the random number table method, 75 SD rats were divided into five groups, namely, the control group, the model group, the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose Shegan Mahuang Decoction groups, 15 rats in each group. Except for the control group, all the other rats established the rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The rats in the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose Shegan Mahuang Decoction groups were given 10, 20, 40 g/kg Shegan Mahuang Decoction by gavage respectively, once per day. Eight weeks later, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, lung index, the lung tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, histopathological changes of lung tissue and airway tissue in rats, PI3K, EGFR mRNA levels and PI3K, EGFR protein levels of lung tissue were measured. Results Compared with the model group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, lung index, the levels of MDA, PI3K, EGFR mRNA and PI3K, EGFR protein in lung tissue were significantly decreased, SOD activity in lung tissue was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and histopathology of lung tissue and airway smooth muscle was significantly improved. Conclusion Shegan Mahuang Decoction can significantly reduce the level of inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and improve the oxidative stress injury of lung tissue and histopathological changes of airway smooth muscle in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of EGFR/PI3K signaling pathway.