Qifenggubiao granules attenuate LPS-induced inflammation through α7nAChR activation: An integrated study of network pharmacology and phytopharmacological validation

Abstract

Qifenggubiao Granules (QFGBG) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been reported to alleviate inflammatory diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and chronic bronchitis. However, the underlying mechanisms of QFGBG's anti-inflammatory effects remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate whether QFGBG exerts anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the α7nAChR-mediated NF-κB/STAT3/MAPK signaling pathways and to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms in both in vitro and in vivo models. QFGBG inhibited the mRNA expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, and inhibited the expression of key proteins in the STAT3, NF-κB, and MAPK pathways, and reversed nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, α7nAChR expression increased following QFGBG treatment in LPS-induced cells. α7nAChR knockdown reversed the inhibitory effects of QFGBG on the three pathways. Moreover, QFGBG alleviated the recruitment of inflammatory cells in all zebrafish inflammation models. Consistently, QFGBG increased the mRNA expression of α7nAChR and inhibited IκB, STAT3, and p38 mRNA expression in LPS-induced zebrafish. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and cell infiltration were reduced by QFGBG treatment in vivo. These results suggest that QFGBG alleviates the inflammatory response by activating α7nAChR in LPS-induced inflammation both in vitro and in vivo.

Keywords: Inflammation; Qifenggubiao granules; STAT3/NF-κB/MAPK pathways; Zebrafish; α7nAChR.