Biejia ruangan tablet alleviated liver fibrosis in murine models by hindering the crosstalk between hepatic stellate cells and M2-like macrophages through PDGF-AA/PI3K/AKT pathway

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Biejia Ruangan Tablet (BJRG) is a patented traditional Chinese medicine formula with demonstrated efficacy against liver fibrosis. However, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effects of BJRG and elucidate its molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Liver fibrosis was induced in murine models using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or bile duct ligation (BDL) to evaluate the efficacy of BJRG. Network pharmacology was employed to predict the mechanisms of BJRG. The expression of PDGF-AA was assessed in both murine and human samples. The interaction between BJRG and PDGF-AA was investigated in vitro using primary mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and LX-2 cells. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) was used to identify liver-entry active components of BJRG. Molecular docking was performed to predict their binding affinity with PDGF-AA.

Results: BJRG significantly alleviated liver fibrosis in both CCl4-and BDL-induced murine models. Network pharmacology suggested that BJRG targeted the PDGF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Then we revealed that BJRG specifically downregulated PDGF-AA expression and PI3K/AKT signaling in M2-like macrophages, thereby attenuating hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Clinical data demonstrated that PDGF-AA was associated with liver cirrhosis, and BJRG suppressed PDGF-AA levels in patients with lower Ishak inflammation scores. Molecular docking indicated that the liver-entry components of BJRG exhibited strong binding affinity with PDGF-AA.

Conclusion: BJRG ameliorated liver fibrosis by disrupting the crosstalk between M2-like macrophages and HSCs through downregulation of the PDGF-AA/PI3K/AKT pathway.

Keywords: Hepatic stellate cells; Liver fibrosis; M2-like macrophages; PDGF-AA.