Effective-compound combination of Bufei Yishen formula III combined with ER suppress airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD rats: via EGFR/MAPK signaling

Kexin Xu; Jindi Ma; Ruilong Lu; Xuejie Shao; Yakun Zhao; Lili Cui; Zhiguang Qiu; Yange Tian; Jiansheng Li

doi:10.1042/BSR20222669

Effective-compound combination of Bufei Yishen formula III combined with ER suppress airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD rats: via EGFR/MAPK signaling

Biosci Rep. 2023 Nov 30;43(11):BSR20222669. doi: 10.1042/BSR20222669.

Authors

Kexin Xu^#¹, Jindi Ma^#^{1

2}, Ruilong Lu¹, Xuejie Shao¹, Yakun Zhao¹, Lili Cui¹, Zhiguang Qiu¹, Yange Tian¹, Jiansheng Li^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Henan Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine for Respiratory Disease, Co-construction Collaborative Innovation Center for Chinese Medicine and Respiratory Diseases by Henan and Education Ministry of P.R., Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China.
² Traditional Chinese Medicine (ZHONG JING) School, Henan University of Chines Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China.
³ Institute for Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the combined efficacy ofeffective-component compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula III (ECC-BYF III) and exercise rehabilitation (ER) in inhibiting airway mucus hypersecretion in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rat model.

Methods: A total of 48 SD rats were divided into control, model, acetylcysteine (NAC), ECC-BYF III, ER, and ECC-BYF III + ER groups (n=8). COPD rats were exposed to cigarette smoke and bacteria for 8 weeks and administered various treatments over the next eight weeks. Rats were euthanized at week 17 after pulmonary function testing. Pathological examination of lung tissues was performed. IL-6 and IL-10 levels were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and protein levels of MUC5AC, MUC5B, AQP-5, EGFR, ERK, JNK, and p38 were measured in lung tissues.

Results: Improved pulmonary function and pathological changes were observed in ECC-BYF III, ECC-BYF III + ER, and NAC groups. ECC-BYF III and ECC-BYF III + ER had greater mean alveolar number (MAN) compared with NAC. Lung inflammation and goblet cell generation were reduced and MUC5AC, MUC5B and AQP-5 expressions were lower in all treatment groups. ECC-BYF III has more significant effect on MUC5AC than ER and NAC. ECC-BYFIII + ER had a greater effect on suppressing IL-6 in BALF compared with other treatments. ECC-BYFIII, ER, and ECC-BYF III + ER reduced EGFR, ERK, JNK, and p38 phosphorylated protein levels. ECC-BYFIII+ER had a greater effect on p-JNK and p-p38 than ECC-BYFIII and NAC.

Conclusion: ECC-BYF III, ER, and ECC-BYF III + ER have efficacy in inhibiting airway mucus hypersecretion with improved pulmonary function and pathological changes. ECC-BYF III had a greater effect in improving MAN and MUC5AC in lung tissue. ECC-BYF III+ER had a greater effect in alleviating pulmonary pathology and inflammation. These effects may be mediated by inhibition of the EGFR/MAPK pathway.

Keywords: Airway mucus hypersecretion; Chinese medicine; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Exercise Rehabilitation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
ErbB Receptors / metabolism
Interleukin-6* / metabolism
Lung / pathology
Mucus / metabolism
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / pathology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

Bu-Fei-Yi-Shen
EGFR protein, human
ErbB Receptors
Interleukin-6