背景:加味丹之逍遥散(MDXP)是一种治疗干眼症(DED)的中药方剂。具有疏滞肝气解郁清热的作用,它可以有效治疗诸如干眼症(DED)和由于肝郁和火转化引起的月经不调等疾病。
目的:本研究探讨了MDXP对DED小鼠的作用机制。
方法:使用慢性疼痛刺激(尾巴钳制)结合苯扎氯铵溶液滴剂在干燥箱中给药28天,在小鼠中诱导DED模型。建模后,MDXP组给予不同剂量的中药灌胃14天。每组记录以下参数:体重,肛门温度,泪液分泌,泪膜破裂时间,和角膜荧光素染色。通过提高跨迷宫和开放场实验来评估行为变化。血清炎症因子肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)水平,白细胞介素1β(IL-1β),FcγR介导的吞噬途径细胞分裂控制蛋白42同源物(CDC42),肌动蛋白相关蛋白2/3复合物亚基2(ARPC2),肌动蛋白相关蛋白3(ACTR3)采用酶联免疫法(ELISA)进行检测,免疫组织化学染色,实时荧光定性聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)。
结果:MDXP增加了体重,降低了体温,延长泪膜破裂时间,促进泪液分泌,修复角膜损伤,横向和纵向得分下降,开启臂时间和动臂开启时间百分比的升高百分比,炎症因子TNF-α的表达水平降低,小鼠IL-1β和途径相关蛋白CDC42、ARPC2和ACTR3。MDXP还降低了人角膜内皮细胞(HCECs)中TNF-α和IL-1β炎症因子的表达水平,小鼠单核巨噬细胞(RAW264.7),和人髓系白血病单核细胞(THP-1)。
结论:MDXP可以缓解紧张和焦虑,抑制细胞凋亡,减少吞噬作用,减少促炎因子的表达,修复角膜损伤,改善DED小鼠的症状。其作用机制可能是通过FcγR介导的吞噬途径。
BACKGROUND: Modified Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder (MDXP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula remedy for treating Dry Eye Disease (DED). It showed the function of dispersing stagnated liver Qi for relieving Qi stagnation and clearing heat, which can be effective in treating conditions such as Dry Eye Disease (DED) and irregular menstruation due to liver depression and fire transformation.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the mechanism of the effect of MDXP in mice with DED.
METHODS: A DED model was induced in mice using chronic painful stimulation (tail clamping) in combination with Benzalkonium Chloride Solution drops administered in a dry box for 28 days. After modeling, the MDXP groups were given Chinese medicine with different dosages by gavage for 14 days. The following parameters were recorded in each group: body mass, anal temperature, tear secretion, tear film rupture time, and corneal fluorescein staining. Behavioral changes were evaluated by elevating cross-maze and open-field experiments. The levels of inflammatory factors serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), fcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway cell division control protein 42 homolog (CDC42), actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 2 (ARPC2), and actin-related protein 3 (ACTR3) were measured by using Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), immunohistochemical staining, and real-time fluorescent qualitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
RESULTS: MDXP increased body mass and lowered body temperature, prolonged tear film break-up time, promoted tear secretion, repaired corneal damage, decreased horizontal and vertical scores, elevated percentage of open arm times and boom opening time percentage, and reduced the expression levels of inflammatory factors of TNF-α, IL-1β and pathway-related proteins CDC42, ARPC2, and ACTR3 in mice. MDXP also reduced the expression levels of inflammatory factors of TNF-α and IL-1β in human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs), mouse mononuclear macrophage cells (RAW264.7), and human myeloid leukemia mononuclear cells (THP-1).
CONCLUSIONS: MDXP can relieve tension and anxiety, inhibit apoptosis, reduce phagocytosis, reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, repair corneal damage, and improve the symptoms in DED mice. The mechanism of action may be through the fcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway.