Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway

ABSTRACT Purpose: We builted a orthotopic autologous liver transplantation (OALT) model in rats to evaluate the possible mechanisms of berberine against lung injury. Methods: Forty clean grade Sprague-Dawley rats (male, healthy, 250–280 g) were divided into five groups (n = 8): sham-operated group...

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Main Authors: Wenna Liu, Xiaohui Liang, Mingxia Huo, Yongwang Wang, Guanghua Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira para o Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa em Cirurgia 2025-07-01
Series:Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-86502025000100233&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Wenna Liu
Xiaohui Liang
Mingxia Huo
Yongwang Wang
Guanghua Zhang
author_facet Wenna Liu
Xiaohui Liang
Mingxia Huo
Yongwang Wang
Guanghua Zhang
author_sort Wenna Liu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Purpose: We builted a orthotopic autologous liver transplantation (OALT) model in rats to evaluate the possible mechanisms of berberine against lung injury. Methods: Forty clean grade Sprague-Dawley rats (male, healthy, 250–280 g) were divided into five groups (n = 8): sham-operated group (group S), orthotopic autologous liver transplantation group (group T), berberine group (group B), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) inhibitor GW9662 group (group G), and berberine + GW9662 group (group B+G). In group S, the relevant tissues around the liver were dissociated only. Orthotopic autologous liver transplantation was used in other groups, berberine 200 mg/kg/day was given one week before surgery in group B and group B+G. GW9662 1 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group G and group B+G 4 hours before surgery. Blood samples were obtained for detecting PaO2 and the concentration of serum clam cell protein (CC16), surfactant protein-D (SP-D), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. The immunohistochemical method detects the expression of PPARγ and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in lung tissues. The expression of PPARγ, NF-κBand pyroptosis-related proteins were analysed by western blotting. Results: Rats exhibited increased histological lung injury following OALT. Liver transplantation caused upregulated CC16, SP-D, IL-18 and IL-1β levels, reduced PaO2 and the PPARγ expression, upregulated the NF-κB and pyroptosis-related protein expressions. BBR pretreatment greatly alleviates these lung damages induced by OALT. However, administration of GW9662 partially reversed the beneficial effects of BBR on lung injury. Conclusion: Berberine may play protective capacities against lung injury by upregulating PPARγ to downregulate the NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1678-2674
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Sociedade Brasileira para o Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa em Cirurgia
record_format Article
series Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira
spelling doaj-art-978de0ffb1cf4096a067de73d465abd72025-08-20T03:34:57ZengSociedade Brasileira para o Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa em CirurgiaActa Cirúrgica Brasileira1678-26742025-07-014010.1590/acb404925Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathwayWenna Liuhttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-8654-5463Xiaohui Lianghttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-1432-2572Mingxia Huohttps://orcid.org/0009-0009-6882-4261Yongwang Wanghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1281-9107Guanghua Zhanghttps://orcid.org/0009-0009-8682-5743ABSTRACT Purpose: We builted a orthotopic autologous liver transplantation (OALT) model in rats to evaluate the possible mechanisms of berberine against lung injury. Methods: Forty clean grade Sprague-Dawley rats (male, healthy, 250–280 g) were divided into five groups (n = 8): sham-operated group (group S), orthotopic autologous liver transplantation group (group T), berberine group (group B), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) inhibitor GW9662 group (group G), and berberine + GW9662 group (group B+G). In group S, the relevant tissues around the liver were dissociated only. Orthotopic autologous liver transplantation was used in other groups, berberine 200 mg/kg/day was given one week before surgery in group B and group B+G. GW9662 1 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group G and group B+G 4 hours before surgery. Blood samples were obtained for detecting PaO2 and the concentration of serum clam cell protein (CC16), surfactant protein-D (SP-D), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. The immunohistochemical method detects the expression of PPARγ and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in lung tissues. The expression of PPARγ, NF-κBand pyroptosis-related proteins were analysed by western blotting. Results: Rats exhibited increased histological lung injury following OALT. Liver transplantation caused upregulated CC16, SP-D, IL-18 and IL-1β levels, reduced PaO2 and the PPARγ expression, upregulated the NF-κB and pyroptosis-related protein expressions. BBR pretreatment greatly alleviates these lung damages induced by OALT. However, administration of GW9662 partially reversed the beneficial effects of BBR on lung injury. Conclusion: Berberine may play protective capacities against lung injury by upregulating PPARγ to downregulate the NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-86502025000100233&lng=en&tlng=enLiver TransplantationLung InjuryPyroptosis
spellingShingle Wenna Liu
Xiaohui Liang
Mingxia Huo
Yongwang Wang
Guanghua Zhang
Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira
Liver Transplantation
Lung Injury
Pyroptosis
title Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
title_full Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
title_fullStr Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
title_full_unstemmed Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
title_short Berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating PPARγ and suppressing NF-κB-mediated pyroptosis pathway
title_sort berberine protects against lung injury induced by liver transplantation through upregulating pparγ and suppressing nf κb mediated pyroptosis pathway
topic Liver Transplantation
Lung Injury
Pyroptosis
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-86502025000100233&lng=en&tlng=en
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