Effects of Compound Qinbo Decoction on Intestinal Mucosa of Ulcerative Colitis through Notch Signaling Pathway

Abstract

Objective: To explore the effects of Compound Qinbo Decoction (CQD) on the intestinal mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC) through the Notch signaling pathway. Methods: The UC rat model, established using 2,4,6- Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol, was divided into the UC group, mesalazine (MS) group and CQD group. Normal rats were set as the normal group (n = 10). The pathological changes, messager RNA (mRNA) levels and protein expressions of Notch 1 and hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes1), epithelial cell proliferation in colon tissues were detected. Primary rat colon epithelial NCM460 cells were added with Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) to establish the UC model, then treated with different drug-contained serum. The cell proliferation and protein expressions of Notch 1 and Hes1 were measured. Results: In vivo, the UC rat model was established with obvious pathological changes in colon tissues, which were greatly relieved by MS or CQD. After MS or CQD treatment, mRNA and protein levels of Notch 1 and Hes1 in the UC rat model were increased (p < 0.05). The epithelial cell proliferation was listed from high to low: MS group, CQD group, normal group and UC group (p < 0.05). In vitro, UC in NCM460 cells was established with TNF-α of 50 ng/mL for 6 h, and the cell proliferation level was decreased, which was then increased with MS-containing serum or CQD-containing serum (p < 0.05). The protein expressions of Notch 1 and Hes1 were decreased with TNF-α treatment, which was increased with MS-containing serum or CQD-containing serum (p < 0.05). The effect of CQD-containing serum was suppressed by the Notch signaling pathway inhibitor (p < 0.05). Conclusions: CQD has a good therapeutic effect on the intestinal mucosa of UC through the Notch signaling pathway, and the underlying mechanism needs to be explored in the future.