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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Fatty Liver | Research

Hugan Qingzhi tablets attenuates endoplasmic reticulum stress in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease rats by regulating PERK and ATF6 pathways

Authors: Miaoting Yang, Xiaorui Yao, Fan Xia, Shijian Xiang, Waijiao Tang, Benjie Zhou

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, promoting lipid metabolism disorders and steatohepatitis, contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hugan Qingzhi tablets (HQT) has a definite effect in the clinical treatment of NAFLD patients, but its mechanism is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of HQT on ER stress in the liver tissues of NAFLD rats and explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods

The NAFLD rat model was managed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 12weeks. HQT was administrated in a daily basis to the HFD groups. Biochemical markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines, liver histology were assayed to evaluate HQT effects in HFD-induced NAFLD rats. Furthermore, the expression of ER stress-related signal molecules including glucose regulating protein 78 (GRP78), protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), p-PERK, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (EIF2α), p-EIF2α, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), acetyl-coenzyme A-carboxylase (ACC), activating transcription factor (ATF6), and nuclear factor-kappa B-p65 (NF-κB-p65) were detected by western blot and/or qRT-PCR.

Results

The histopathological characteristics and biochemical data indicated that HQT exhibited protective effects on HFD-induced NAFLD rats. Furthermore, it caused significant reduction in the expression of ERS markers, such as GRP78, PERK, p-PERK, and ATF6, and subsequently downregulated the expression of EIF2α, p-EIF2α ATF4, ACC, and NF-κB-p65.

Conclusions

The results suggested that HQT has protective effect against hepatic steatosis and inflammation in NAFLD rats by attenuating ER stress, and the potential mechanism is through inhibition of PERK and ATF6 pathways.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Hugan Qingzhi tablets attenuates endoplasmic reticulum stress in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease rats by regulating PERK and ATF6 pathways
Authors
Miaoting Yang
Xiaorui Yao
Fan Xia
Shijian Xiang
Waijiao Tang
Benjie Zhou
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04336-1

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