Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice
Liver fibrosis is a common pathological feature of chronic hepatic injury that currently lacks effective therapeutic interventions. Albiflorin (ALB), a pinane-type monoterpene derived from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, has notable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. However, the potential rol...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1577201/full |
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| author | Lingjie Meng Lingjie Meng Huijing Lv Huijing Lv Anli Liu Anli Liu Qian Cao Qian Cao Xinyi Du Xinyi Du Chengjin Li Chengjin Li Qinggui Li Qinggui Li Qingqing Luo Qingqing Luo Yi Xiao Yi Xiao |
| author_facet | Lingjie Meng Lingjie Meng Huijing Lv Huijing Lv Anli Liu Anli Liu Qian Cao Qian Cao Xinyi Du Xinyi Du Chengjin Li Chengjin Li Qinggui Li Qinggui Li Qingqing Luo Qingqing Luo Yi Xiao Yi Xiao |
| author_sort | Lingjie Meng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liver fibrosis is a common pathological feature of chronic hepatic injury that currently lacks effective therapeutic interventions. Albiflorin (ALB), a pinane-type monoterpene derived from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, has notable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. However, the potential role of ALB against liver fibrosis is largely unknown. In this study, we discovered that ALB significantly inhibited CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice. This was evidenced by improvements in liver and kidney function indexes, fibrosis indicators, and histopathological findings. In vitro studies also showed that ALB inhibited TGF-β1-induced LX-2 cell activation and reduced the expression of α-SMA and collagen I. Additionally, we found that ALB mitigates inflammation and ameliorates liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis, as confirmed using the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 in CCl4-treated mice. Notably, combining ALB with metformin (MET) enhanced the inhibition of liver fibrosis progression. These findings highlight that ALB exerts anti-liver fibrosis effects by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis, underscoring its potential as a standalone treatment or as an adjuvant therapy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1bd8b7afcd55463fa7e9cdffa5d7a1a2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj-art-1bd8b7afcd55463fa7e9cdffa5d7a1a22025-08-20T02:20:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-04-011610.3389/fphar.2025.15772011577201Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in miceLingjie Meng0Lingjie Meng1Huijing Lv2Huijing Lv3Anli Liu4Anli Liu5Qian Cao6Qian Cao7Xinyi Du8Xinyi Du9Chengjin Li10Chengjin Li11Qinggui Li12Qinggui Li13Qingqing Luo14Qingqing Luo15Yi Xiao16Yi Xiao17Institute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaInstitute of life sciences, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaCollege of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaLiver fibrosis is a common pathological feature of chronic hepatic injury that currently lacks effective therapeutic interventions. Albiflorin (ALB), a pinane-type monoterpene derived from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, has notable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. However, the potential role of ALB against liver fibrosis is largely unknown. In this study, we discovered that ALB significantly inhibited CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice. This was evidenced by improvements in liver and kidney function indexes, fibrosis indicators, and histopathological findings. In vitro studies also showed that ALB inhibited TGF-β1-induced LX-2 cell activation and reduced the expression of α-SMA and collagen I. Additionally, we found that ALB mitigates inflammation and ameliorates liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis, as confirmed using the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 in CCl4-treated mice. Notably, combining ALB with metformin (MET) enhanced the inhibition of liver fibrosis progression. These findings highlight that ALB exerts anti-liver fibrosis effects by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis, underscoring its potential as a standalone treatment or as an adjuvant therapy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1577201/fullalbiflorinCXCL12/CXCR4 axisliver fibrosisinflammationcombination therapeutic |
| spellingShingle | Lingjie Meng Lingjie Meng Huijing Lv Huijing Lv Anli Liu Anli Liu Qian Cao Qian Cao Xinyi Du Xinyi Du Chengjin Li Chengjin Li Qinggui Li Qinggui Li Qingqing Luo Qingqing Luo Yi Xiao Yi Xiao Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice Frontiers in Pharmacology albiflorin CXCL12/CXCR4 axis liver fibrosis inflammation combination therapeutic |
| title | Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice |
| title_full | Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice |
| title_fullStr | Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice |
| title_short | Albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in mice |
| title_sort | albiflorin inhibits inflammation to improve liver fibrosis by targeting the cxcl12 cxcr4 axis in mice |
| topic | albiflorin CXCL12/CXCR4 axis liver fibrosis inflammation combination therapeutic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1577201/full |
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