Effect of Atractylone on intestinal barrier injury in inflammatory bowel disease rats by regulating the MLCK/MLC signaling pathway
YU Yang
JIAN Hui
XU Tao
Abstract：Objective To investigate the effect of Atractylone on intestinal barrier injury in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)rats by regulating the MLCK/MLC signaling pathway.Methods A total of 50 rats were randomly divided into CK group(control group),Model group(IBD modeling),low-dose and high-dose Atractylone groups(IBD modeling plus Atractylone),and ML-7 group(IBD modeling plus MLCK inhibitor),with 10 rats per group.The change in rat body weight was measured.The disease activity index(DAI)was graded.The length of the rat colon was measured.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect serum levels of tumour necrosis factor α(TNF-α),?interleukin-β(IL-β),IL-10,endotoxin(ET),and D-lactic acid(D-LAC).Commercial reagent kits were applied to detect catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels.H&E staining was applied to score pathological damage in colon tissue.Western blot was applied to detect the protein expressions of tight junction protein(ZO-1),Occludin,Claudin-1,MLCK,p-MLC,and MLC in colon tissue.Results Compared with the CK group,rats in the Model group had significant colon tissue damage,higher DAI,significant higher serum TNF-α,IL-β,ET and D-LAC,MDA content in colon tissue and protein levels of MLCK and p-MLC/MLC,but significant lower body weight,colon length,serum IL-10,CAT and SOD activities in colon tissue and protein levels of ZO-1,Occludin and Claudin-1(P<0.05).Compared with the Model group,rats in the low-dose and high-dose Atractylone and ML-7 groups after treatment had significant alleviated colon tissue damage,significant lower DAI,serum TNF-α,IL-β,ET and D-LAC,MDA content in colon tissue and protein levels of MLCK and p-MLC/MLC,but significant higher body weight,colon length,serum IL-10,CAT and SOD activities in colon tissue and protein levels of ZO-1,Occludin and Claudin-1(P<0.05).Indicators were similar between high-dose Atractylone and ML-7 groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Atractylone can reduce inflammatory response and intestinal barrier damage in IBD rats by inhibiting the MLCK/MLC signaling pathway.
Keywords：AtractyloneMLCK/MLC signaling pathwayinflammatory bowel diseaseintestinal barrier injury
Publication Date：2026-01-26
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-17(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 25-29 )