[Analysis of baicalein in treating asthma by inhibiting biological function of ribosome based on 4D-DIA proteomics]

To evaluate the therapeutic effects of baicalein on asthmatic mice and analyze the mechanisms of baicalein in inhibiting the biological function of ribosomes through proteomics, Bagg's Albino(Balb/c) mice were randomly divided into six groups, including a normal group, a model group, a Montelukast group, a low-dose baicalein group, a medium-dose baicalein group, and a high-dose baicalein group. An ovalbumin(OVA)-induced asthmatic mouse model was established to assess the therapeutic effects of baicalein. Pulmonary function tests, hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, Congo red staining, lung index, and inflammatory cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were used to evaluate pathological changes in lung tissue and pulmonary injury. The spleen index was employed to evaluate immune injury, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to evaluate the severity of pulmonary inflammatory factors. The differential proteins in baicalein-treated asthma were analyzed through four-dimensional data-independent acquisition(4D-DIA) proteomics, and the ribosome-related biological function was explored through bioinformatics analysis. Molecular docking and immunohistochemistry techniques were employed to verify the expressions of ribosome-related proteins, including large ribosomal subunit protein L23(RPL23A), small ribosomal subunit protein eS25(RPS25), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase Ⅰ and Ⅲ subunit C(POLR1C). The results show that compared with the model group, the high-dose baicalein group exhibits significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, lung index, and spleen index, alleviated lung tissue injury, and significantly decreased expressions of interleukin(IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. The analysis of 4D-DIA proteomics and bioinformatics suggests that baicalein exerts its effects by inhibiting the biological function of ribosomes. Immunohistochemistry results reveal that the expression levels of RPL23A, RPS25, and POLR1C proteins in lung tissue of mice in the high-dose baicalein group are significantly reduced compared with those in the model group, consistent with the results of proteomics analysis. Therefore, baicalein can significantly improve the symptoms of asthmatic mice, and its mechanism may be related to the biological function inhibition of ribosomes, including RPL23A, RPS25, and POLR1C.