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Updated: Jul 17, 2025
Assessment of Respiratory Function in Conscious Mice by Double-chamber Plethysmography
Published on: July 10, 2018
Loke zupa decoction attenuates bronchial EMT-mediated airway remodelling in chronic asthma through the
Context:
Loke zupa decoction (Lok) is a well-established classic Chinese folk remedy for asthma.
Objective:
We sought to investigate the effect and mechanism of Lok on asthma airway remodelling and provide novel insights for the prevention and treatment of asthma.
Materials And Methods:
For in vitro experiments, BEAS-2B cells were assigned into six groups: Control, TGF-β1 (10 μM), TGF-β1 + Lok-20, TGF-β1 + Lok-40, TGF-β1 + Lok-80 μg/mL and TGF-β1 + SB431542 (5 μM). CCK8 and wound healing assays were performed. For in vivo experiments, 60 female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: Control, model, Lok-4.55, Lok-9.1, and DEX group. Lok was administrated by gavage during the challenge stage for 8 consecutive weeks (4.55 and 9.1 g/kg/day). We investigated airway inflammation and airway remodelling in the lungs and verified the activation status of EMT-related markers and the PI3K-Akt/HIF-1α signalling pathway.
Results:
In vitro, Lok efficiently inhibited TGF-β1-induced BEAS-2B cell proliferation ability (cell viability 165% vs. 105%) and migration (migration areas 85% vs. 35%) without affecting their normal growth (IC50 274.2 µg/mL at 48 h). In vivo, Lok effectively protected mice from asthma, as evidenced by decreased histological damage and level of cytokines in BALF (IL-4, IL-13 and TGF-β1) by 17%-77%. Mechanistic research revealed that Lok reduced the levels of EMT-related molecules and significantly downregulated the PI3K-Akt/HIF-1α signalling pathway.
Discussion And Conclusions:
Our findings provide novel insights into the protective effect of Lok on asthma and the underlying mechanisms, providing a theoretical basis and potential treatment possibilities for this patient population.
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