Isoliquiritin Ameliorates Ulcerative Colitis in Rats through Caspase 3/HMGB1/TLR4 Dependent Signaling Pathway

Isoliquiritin belongs to flavanol glycosides and has a strong antiinflammatory activity. This study sought to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of isoliquiritin and its underlying mechanism.

The inflammatory (trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid-TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis (UC)) model was established to ascertain the effect of isoliquiritin on the caspase-3/HMGB1/TLR4 pathway in rats. We also explored its protective effect on intestinal inflammation and its underlying mechanism using the LPS-induced inflammation model of Caco-2 cells. Besides, Deseq2 was used to analyze UCassociated protein levels.

Isoliquiritin treatment significantly attenuated shortened colon length (induced by TNBS), disease activity index (DAI) score, and body weight loss in rats. A decrease in the levels of inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, I IL-4, L-6, IL-10, PGE2, and TNF-α), coupled with malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), was observed in colon tissue and serum of rats after they have received isoliquiritin. Results of techniques (like western blotting, real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence-IF) demonstrated the potential of isoliquiritin to decrease expressions of key genes in the TLR4 downstream pathways, viz., MyD88, IRAK1, TRAF6, NF-κB, p38, and JNK at mRNA and protein levels as well as inhibit HMGB1 expression, which is the upstream ligand of TLR4. Bioinformational analysis showed enteritis to be associated with a high expression of HMGB1, TLR4, and caspase-3.

Isoliquiritin could reduce intestinal inflammation and mucosal damage of TNBS-induced colitis in rats with a certain anti-UC effect. Meanwhile, isoliquiritin treatment also inhibited the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, and MyD88 in LPS-induced Caco-2 cells. These results indicated that isoliquiritin could ameliorate UC through the caspase-3/HMGB1/TLR4-dependent signaling pathway.