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Published on: June 15, 2019
Sheng Jiangsan alleviated influenza-induced acute lung injury by regulating Lactobacillus murinus
Su Lu1, Qin Shengle2, Li Shiqing1
1State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510180, China.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Sheng Jiangsan (SJS) authorized by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration for treating wind-heat common cold, exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral activity. However, its specific antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanisms require clarification. Gut microbiota and their metabolites play significant roles in lung disease progression and intervention, yet no research has explored whether the anti-influenza effect of SJS-derived Qingjie-Tuire (QT) Granule involves these pathways.
Aim Of The Study:
This study aimed to determine whether QT Granule exerts its anti-influenza effects through modulation of gut microbiota and metabolites, specifically investigating associated antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. An experimental study employing influenza-infected mice. Mechanistic analysis integrated 16S rRNA full-length sequencing, UHPLC-MS/MS metabolomics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and targeted probiotic intervention.
Materials And Methods:
Influenza-infected mice received QT Granule treatment. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed via full-length 16S rRNA sequencing. Metabolite profiles were assessed using UHPLC-MS/MS. Functional validation involved QT-treated mice FMT into infected mice and supplementing infected mice with Lactobacillus murinus and Lactobacillus reuteri (species enriched by QT). Outcomes included lung pathology, viral titers, survival, and lung/intestinal inflammation, and intestinal barrier integrity.
Results:
QT treatment significantly reduced lung pathological damage, lowered viral titers, restored pulmonary macrophage and T-cell proportions, decreased p-STAT1/p-STAT3/p-ERK expression, maintained intestinal barrier function, attenuated lung and intestinal inflammation, and prolonged survival time/survival rate in infected mice. QT intervention restored influenza-depleted UFAs, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), and enriched L. murinus and L. reuteri. Crucially, both FMT using QT-treated mouse feces and direct supplementation with L.murinus/L. reuteri replicated QT's core therapeutic effects.
Conclusions:
QT Granule exerts potent anti-influenza and anti-inflammatory effects by modulating gut microbiota (specifically enriching L.murinus and L.reuteri) and restoring UFA metabolites. This gut-lung axis mechanism provides novel insight into traditional Chinese medicine intervention in viral lung diseases.
