Taohuajing reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic cardiomyopathy through the sirtuin 1/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 pathway

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Effects of THJ on cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in DCM model mice. a. M-mode echocardiography. Representative images were selected from three measurements. Effects of THJ treatment on the cardiac function indicators LVEF (b), LVFS (c), LVESV (d), and LVEDV (e). Values are shown as means ± standard deviations (n = 6–8). ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group

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  Fig. 2. Effects of THJ on pathological changes in myocardial tissues in DCM model mice. a. Representative images of Masson’s trichrome staining of interstitial and perivascular tissues. b. Representative images of HE staining of longitudinal and transverse sections of heart tissues. c. Representative images of TEM

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  Fig. 3. Effects of THJ on oxidative stress in DCM model mice. a. DHE staining images from three measurements are shown. Statistical results of DHE intensity are given in the lower panel. b. Effects of THJ on MDA levels in myocardial tissues. c. Effects of THJ on SOD activities in myocardial tissues. d. Effects of THJ on GSH-Px activities in myocardial tissues. Values are showed as means ± standard deviations (n = 6–8). ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group

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  Fig. 4. Effects of THJ on the expression levels of inflammatory factors and NLRP3. a. Effects of THJ on IL-6 levels in the serum. b. Effects of THJ on TNF-α levels in the serum. c. Effects of THJ on IL-1β levels in the serum. Effects of THJ on the relative mRNA expression levels of caspase 1 (d), NLRP3 (e), TXNIP (f), ASC (g), and IL-1β (h) in myocardial tissues. n = 6–8. ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group

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  Fig. 5. Effects of THJ on the expression levels of NLRP3-related proteins. Representative blots of NLRP3, TXNIP, caspase 1 p20, IL-1β p17, and ASC are shown on the left. Histograms show quantitative expression levels of these targets on the right. Expression levels were normalized to the expression of β-actin. Values are shown as means ± standard deviations from three different experiments. ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group

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  Fig. 6. Effects of THJ on the SIRT1 pathway. a. Effects of THJ on the NAD+/NADH ratio in myocardial tissues. b. Detection of protein expression levels of Ac-SOD2, SIRT1, and Ac- FOXO3a using western blotting. c. Mice were treated with the SIRT1 inhibitor sirtinol for 12 weeks and treated with THJ. The effects of THJ on SIRT1 expression levels were assessed. d. DHE intensity levels after treatment with the SIRT1 inhibitor sirtinol. e. Effects of sirtinol on MDA levels. F. Effects of sirtinol on SOD levels. Values are shown as means ± standard deviations from three different experiments. ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group, &&P < 0.01 versus the THJ group

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  Fig. 7. Pharmacological modulation of SIRT1-regulated THJ-induced anti-inflammatory activity. a. Mice were treated with the SIRT1 inhibitor sirtinol for 12 weeks and then treated with THJ. Protein expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1 p20, and IL-1β p17 were evaluated after different treatments. b. TNF-α levels in DCM mice. c. IL-6 levels in DCM mice. Values are shown as means ± standard deviations from three different experiments. ##P < 0.01 versus the Con group, **P < 0.01 versus the DCM group, &&P < 0.01 versus the THJ group