Effect of Sceptridium ternatum extract (STE) on radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting cell adhesion...

Traditional Chinese medicine Botrychium ternatum (Thunb.) Sw, also known as Sceptridium ternatum (STE) has the efficacy of relieving cough and asthma, resolving phlegm, and clearing heat and toxicity. However, the effects and mechanisms of STE on RIPF have not been reported.

Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) leads to decreased survival and severely affects the quality of life of patients by irreversible destruction of lung tissue, and deterioration of lung function. In RIPF, excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) destroys normal lung physiology.

We established IR-induced RIPF model in rats, MRI showed the area of pulmonary fibrosis; we used HE staining and Masson staining to measure the damaged structure of alveoli.

MRI showed STE significantly reduced the area of pulmonary fibrosis; HE staining and Masson staining also showed STE could improve the damaged structure of alveoli and reduce collagen and matrix deposition, significantly inhibiting RIPF; STE down-regulated the expression of α-SMA and suppress EMT. Cell Adhesion Factor CEACAM1 were significantly upregulated after IR induction and STE significantly reversed it, siRNA-CEACAM1 significantly inhibited EMT. STE and its component phlorizin inhibited IR-induced EMT through regulating EGFR/p38-MAPK/NF-κB/CEACAM1 signaling pathway.

Our study confirmed the significant therapeutic effect of STE on RIPF through in vivo and vitro experiments, and revealed that STE may exert anti-RIPF effect through regulating EGFR/p38-MAPK/NF-κB/CEACAM1 signaling pathway.