Multiomics and experimental approaches reveal the anti-acute lung injury effects of Fallopia aubertii (L. Henry) Holub extract via IL-17/NF-κB pathway inhibition

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Fallopia aubertii (L. Henry) Holub (F. aubertii), a traditional Tibetan medicine, is used in China for treating respiratory inflammatory diseases, including acute lung injury (ALI). However, the chemical constituents of F. aubertii and its anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the lungs remain poorly understood.

Aim of the study: This study aimed to identify the chemical constituents of the F. aubertii extract (FAE), evaluate its effectiveness in reducing ALI in mice, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of its action.

Materials and methods: The chemical composition of FAE was determined using UPLC-LTQ Velos Pro-Orbitrap Elite. Network pharmacology was employed to predict the mechanisms by which FAE might mitigate ALI. Mice were administered FAE orally for seven days, followed by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce ALI. On the final day, the mice were euthanized, and their lungs were collected for transcriptome analysis, proteomics, pharmacodynamic evaluation, and mechanistic studies. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining assessed lung pathology. Transcriptome and proteomic analyses, along with real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting, were used to investigate FAE's effects on lung inflammation and related signaling pathways. In vitro experiments further explored the anti-ALI mechanisms of FAE. Immunofluorescence assays in RAW264.7 cells examined the nuclear translocation of NF-κB.

Results: Fifty-one compounds were identified in FAE, predominantly flavonoid glycosides. Network pharmacology suggested that FAE may inhibit ALI by modulating the NF-κB pathway and Th17 differentiation. RNA-seq analysis indicated that FAE might suppress inflammation through the IL-17 signaling pathway, with these findings corroborated by mRNA level measurements in vivo and in vitro. FAE alleviated LPS-induced ALI by modulating the IL-17A signaling pathway, which was confirmed through proteomic analysis. Western blotting revealed that FAE reduced the expression of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, and p-NF-κB, while immunofluorescence assays showed FAE inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB nuclear translocation.

Conclusion: FAE attenuates inflammation-mediated ALI by inhibiting the IL-17A/NF-κB signaling pathway. This study highlights the anti-ALI effects of FAE and provides a theoretical foundation for its potential use in ALI treatment.

Keywords: Acute lung injury; F. aubertii; IL-17A/NF-κB; Inflammation; Proteomics; Transcriptomics.