Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects of luteolin on ALI induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms.MethodsA two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to assess the causal relationship between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)...

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Main Authors: Jihong Bi, Yan Li, Lin Lu, Tingting Yin, Shaohua Mao, Run Zhang, Juan He, Xing Ni, Kai Wang, Jirui Bi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1641486/full
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author Jihong Bi
Yan Li
Lin Lu
Tingting Yin
Shaohua Mao
Run Zhang
Juan He
Xing Ni
Kai Wang
Jirui Bi
author_facet Jihong Bi
Yan Li
Lin Lu
Tingting Yin
Shaohua Mao
Run Zhang
Juan He
Xing Ni
Kai Wang
Jirui Bi
author_sort Jihong Bi
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects of luteolin on ALI induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms.MethodsA two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to assess the causal relationship between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Network pharmacology analysis was employed to identify herbs that mitigate inflammation and apoptosis by upregulating HGF expression and to determine the hub active ingredients. These findings were subsequently validated through in vivo experiments using an LPS-induced ALI mouse model. Lung histopathological examination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analysis were performed to evaluate relevant biomarkers of inflammation and apoptosis.ResultsThe MR analysis demonstrated a causal effect of HGF on ARDS (IVW: β = −1.120, OR = 0.326, 95% CI = 0.116–0.916, P = 0.033). Among herbs associated with upregulating HGF expression, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is involved in the negative regulation of apoptotic process and positive regulation of cell population proliferation. Luteolin was identified as the hub active ingredient extracted from S. miltiorrhiza Bunge. In LPS-induced ALI mice, luteolin significantly alleviated histopatholocial damage, inflammation, and apoptosis in the lungs. However, these protective effects were abrogated by c-Met inhibition.ConclusionLuteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in the lungs of LPS-induced ALI mice via activation of the HGF/c-Met pathway.
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spelling doaj-art-c74b04aa3481465f80bcdc09e1d449302025-08-20T03:58:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-07-011610.3389/fphar.2025.16414861641486Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathwayJihong Bi0Yan Li1Lin Lu2Tingting Yin3Shaohua Mao4Run Zhang5Juan He6Xing Ni7Kai Wang8Jirui Bi9Neurocritical Care Group, Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaNeurocritical Care Group, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaNeurocritical Care Group, Department of Nuerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, ChinaObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects of luteolin on ALI induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms.MethodsA two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to assess the causal relationship between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Network pharmacology analysis was employed to identify herbs that mitigate inflammation and apoptosis by upregulating HGF expression and to determine the hub active ingredients. These findings were subsequently validated through in vivo experiments using an LPS-induced ALI mouse model. Lung histopathological examination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analysis were performed to evaluate relevant biomarkers of inflammation and apoptosis.ResultsThe MR analysis demonstrated a causal effect of HGF on ARDS (IVW: β = −1.120, OR = 0.326, 95% CI = 0.116–0.916, P = 0.033). Among herbs associated with upregulating HGF expression, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is involved in the negative regulation of apoptotic process and positive regulation of cell population proliferation. Luteolin was identified as the hub active ingredient extracted from S. miltiorrhiza Bunge. In LPS-induced ALI mice, luteolin significantly alleviated histopatholocial damage, inflammation, and apoptosis in the lungs. However, these protective effects were abrogated by c-Met inhibition.ConclusionLuteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in the lungs of LPS-induced ALI mice via activation of the HGF/c-Met pathway.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1641486/fullluteolinhepatocyte growth factoracute lung injuryacute respiratory distress syndromeinflammationapoptosis
spellingShingle Jihong Bi
Yan Li
Lin Lu
Tingting Yin
Shaohua Mao
Run Zhang
Juan He
Xing Ni
Kai Wang
Jirui Bi
Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
Frontiers in Pharmacology
luteolin
hepatocyte growth factor
acute lung injury
acute respiratory distress syndrome
inflammation
apoptosis
title Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
title_full Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
title_fullStr Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
title_full_unstemmed Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
title_short Luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced ALI mice by activating the HGF/c-Met pathway
title_sort luteolin attenuates inflammation and apoptosis in lps induced ali mice by activating the hgf c met pathway
topic luteolin
hepatocyte growth factor
acute lung injury
acute respiratory distress syndrome
inflammation
apoptosis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1641486/full
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