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Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine ›› 2011, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (9): 998-1004.doi: 10.3736/jcim20110911

• Original Experimental Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Chinese herbal medicine Jiangzhi Granule on expressions of liver X receptor α and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Li-li Yang1, Miao Wang1,2, Tao Liu1, Hai-yan Song1, Dong-fei Li3, Pei-yong Zheng1, Ping Liu4, Guang Ji1()   

  1. 1. Institute of Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
    2. Department of Gastroenterology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Shanghai 200032, China
    3. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Shanghai 200125, China
    4. Institute of Liver Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
  • Received:2011-04-13 Accepted:2011-05-09 Online:2011-09-20 Published:2011-09-15
  • Contact: Ji Guang E-mail:jiliver@vip.sina.com

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Objective: To study the effects of Jiangzhi Granule (JZG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in regulating liver X receptor α (LXRα) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) expressions in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods: Forty specific pathogen-free Wistar male rats were randomly divided into normal group, untreated group, pioglitazone (PIO) group and JZG group. All rats were fed with high-fat diet (88% normal chow plus 10% lard plus 2% cholesterol) for 4 weeks except for the normal group. After the NAFLD model was established, PIO and JZG were fed to rats in the corresponding groups respectively for another 4 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, liver steatosis level was observed under a light microscope with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and triacylglycerol (TAG) and free fatty acid (FFA) contents in liver tissues were measured. LXRα and SREBP-1c expressions in liver tissues were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot methods.

Results: Compared with the normal group, there were physiological changes for hepatic steatosis in liver tissues in the untreated group as observed by HE staining. JZG improved serum ALT and AST levels which were significantly increased in the untreated group. Both JZG and PIO improved FFA and TAG levels in liver tissues which were significantly increased in the untreated group. mRNA and protein levels of LXRα and SREBP-1c in the untreated group were higher than those in the normal group, while the treatment of JZG and PIO lowered their expressions.

Conclusion: JZG may regulate fatty acid metabolic disorder by decreasing the levels of LXRα and SREBP-1c.

Key words: fatty liver, antilipemic agents (TCD), drugs,Chinese herbal, liver X receptor a, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1, rats

Table 1

Primer sequences and size of products"

Gene Primer and probe Size of product (bp)
LXRα Forward: 5′-CAAAATGCTGGGGAACGAG-3′ 144
Reverse: 5′-CCACCGCTATGGCAAATGTA-3′
Probe: FAM-TATGCAGTGTATGTGGGGACAAGGC-TAMRA
SREBP-1c Forward: 5′-GCCATCGACTACATCCGCTT-3′ 102
Reverse: 5′-CAGGTCTTTCAGTGATTTGCTTTT-3′
Probe: FAM-CAGCACAGCAACCAGAAACTCAAGCA-TAMRA
GAPDH Forward: 5′-TGGAGTCTACTGGCGCTT-3′ 138
Reverse: 5′-TGTCATATTTCTCGTGGTTCA-3′
Probe: FAM-CTGAAGGGTGGGGCCAAAAG-TAMRA

Figure 1

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on pathological changes of rat liver observed by light microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin staining (×200) A: Normal group; B: Untreated group; C: Pioglitazone group; D: Jiangzhi Granule group."

Table 2

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on serum ALT and AST levels in rats ($\overline{x}$±s, U/L)"

Group n ALT AST
Normal 10 46.11±5.78** 249.10±77.45*
Untreated 10 60.61±5.10 308.82±72.70
Pioglitazone 10 64.63±5.03 268.34±47.81
Jiangzhi Granule 8 55.09±3.93* 240.98±40.68*

Table 3

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on TAG and FFA contents in liver tissues of rats ($\overline{x}$±s)"

Group n TAG (mg/g) FFA (μmol/g prot)
Normal 9 23.64±3.85** 84.09±21.47**
Untreated 9 118.50±9.72 172.94±37.02
Pioglitazone 9 68.21±8.09** 128.83±17.18*
Jiangzhi Granule 8 95.12±15.54* 125.76±51.92*

Table 4

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on LXRα and SREBP-1c mRNA expressions in liver tissues of rats ($\overline{x}$±s)"

Group n LXRα mRNA SREBP-1c mRNA
Normal 3 0.34±0.12** 0.34±0.12**
Untreated 3 0.74±0.14 0.68±0.18
Pioglitazone 3 0.41±0.11* 0.36±0.06**
Jiangzhi Granule 3 0.44±0.15* 0.42±0.03*

Table 4

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on LXRα and SREBP-1c expressions in liver tissues of rats ($\overline{x}$±s)"

Group n LXRα SREBP-1c
Normal 3 0.38±0.12** 0.27±0.08**
Untreated 3 1.24±0.09 0.89±0.10
Pioglitazone 3 0.66±0.13** 0.43±0.15**
Jiangzhi Granule 3 0.57±0.16** 0.45±0.07**

Figure 2

Effects of Jiangzhi Granule on LXRα and SREBP-1c expressions in liver tissues of rats observed by Western blotting JZG: Jiangzhi Granule; PIO: pioglitazone; LXRα: liver X receptor α; SREBP-1c: sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase."

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