title: Serum Metabolomic Characterization of Liver Fibrosis in Rats and Anti-Fibrotic Effects of Yin-Chen-Hao-Tang.
abstract: Yin-Chen-Hao-Tang (YCHT) is a famous Chinese medicine formula which has long been used in clinical practice for treating various liver diseases, such as liver fibrosis. However, to date, the mechanism for its anti-fibrotic effects remains unclear. In this paper, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS)-based metabolomic study was performed to characterize dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis in rats and evaluate the therapeutic effects of YCHT. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) showed that the model group was well separated from the control group, whereas the YCHT-treated group exhibited a tendency to restore to the controls. Seven significantly changed fibrosis-related metabolites, including unsaturated fatty acids and lysophosphatidylcholines (Lyso-PCs), were identified. Moreover, statistical analysis demonstrated that YCHT treatment could reverse the levels of most metabolites close to the normal levels. These results, along with histological and biochemical examinations, indicate that YCHT has anti-fibrotic effects, which may be due to the suppression of oxidative stress and resulting lipid peroxidation involved in hepatic fibrogenesis. This study offers new opportunities to improve our understanding of liver fibrosis and the anti-fibrotic mechanisms of YCHT.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. hongyang_zhang@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: E-Institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. wxntcm@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. huping@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: E-Institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. wjzhou678@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. zhangm@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: E-Institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. fionisly@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. wangyuerong@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yuerong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: E-Institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. liuliver@vip.sina.com.|Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai 201203, China. liuliver@vip.sina.com.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. luoga@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn.|Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. luoga@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Guoan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C542425:yin-chen-hao-tang
keywords: Yin-Chen-Hao-Tang; anti-fibrotic effects; lipid peroxidation; liver fibrosis; oxidative stress; partial least squares-discriminant analysis; serum metabolomics; ultra-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry