Shen-Fu Decoction could ameliorate intestinal permeability by regulating the intestinal expression of tight junction proteins and p-VASP in septic rats

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2021-03, Vol.268, p.113562-113562, Article 113562
• Main Authors: Liu, Fusheng, Liu, Jin, Liu, Yinuo, Zhang, Yin, Ding, Xia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Adhesion Molecules - antagonists & inhibitors; Cell Adhesion Molecules - biosynthesis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Gene Expression; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Intestinal permeability; Male; Microfilament Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Microfilament Proteins - biosynthesis; Organic damage; p-VASP; Permeability - drug effects; Phosphoproteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Phosphoproteins - biosynthesis; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sepsis; Sepsis - drug therapy; Sepsis - metabolism; Sepsis - pathology; Shen-fu decoction; Tight junction proteins; Tight Junction Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Tight Junction Proteins - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113562

Shen-Fu Decoction (SFD), a classic Traditional Chinese paired herb formulation, has been widely used for the treatment of sepsis in China. This study was carried out to assess the effects of SFD in sepsis-induced intestinal permeability and intestinal epithelial tight junction damage in rats with sepsis. A rat model of sepsis was created by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Rats in Sham and CLP + vehicle groups received equal distilled water, while rats in SFD group were treated by gavage of SFD (3 mg/kg, twice a day) for 72h. Mortality, sepsis-induced peritoneal inflammation, intestinal and liver histopathology damage, intestinal permeability (serum FITC-dextran and D-lactate), serum LPS, serum inflammation (PCT, TNF-α, and IL-6), and liver function (AST and ALT) were evaluated. The levels of zonula occluden (ZO-1), Occludin, Claudin-1 were analyzed by Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting (WB) respectively. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and p-VASP in intestinal epithelium were analyzed by WB. Our study showed that SFD markedly reduced the mortality rate of CLP rats, prevented intestine and liver damage, relieved sepsis-induced intestinal permeability and inflammation elevation, ameliorated sepsis-induced impaired intestinal permeability by regulating the expression of ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 and p-VASP. The herbal formula SFD may be useful for reducing sepsis-induced organic damage and mortality by ameliorating the condition of sepsis-induced intestinal permeability by regulating tight junction proteins and p-VASP. [Display omitted]