Mechanism of Qingre Huayu formula in inhibiting neural injury in cerebral infarction rats based on miR-124-3p/PI3K signaling pathway
ZENG Xianjing
LIU Wucai
YOU Dongwen
ZHOU Jinfeng
TONG Qun
TAN Liyu
Abstract：Objective To investigate the mechanism of Qingre Huayu formula(QRHYF)in alleviating neural injury of cerebral infarction rats through regulation of the microRNA-124-3p(miR-124-3p)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)signaling pathway.Methods Rats were randomly assigned into five groups using a random number table:sham-operation,model,QRHYF,inhibitor,and miR-124-3p inhibitor negative control(miR NC)groups,with 8 rats in each group.Except for the sham-operation group,middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced using the thread occlusion meth-od.Two hours post-surgery,the QRHYF,inhibitor,and miR NC groups received intragastric administration of QRHYF(1.4 mL/100 g),while the sham-operation and model groups received equivalent volume of normal saline,twice a day for 2 weeks.The miR NC and inhibitor groups additionally received tail vein injections of miR NC(200 µL)or miR-124-3p inhibitor(200 µL),respectively,once a day for 5 days.After 2 weeks of intervention,neurological deficits were assessed using the modified Garcia scale;histopathological changes in the brain tissues were observed via hematoxylin-eosin stain-ing;the serum levels of inflammatory mediators[tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),and apoptot-ic markers(Caspase-3)],and oxidative stress indicators[malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)]were measured by ELISA;neuronal apoptosis rate in the brain tissues was quantified by TUNEL staining;and PI3K pro-tein expression in the brain tissues was analyzed by Western blotting.Results Compared with the model group,the QRHYF,inhibitor,and miR NC groups exhibited higher modified Garcia scores(all P<0.05),reduced histopathological damage,lower serum levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,Caspase-3,and MDA,higher SOD levels(all P<0.05),fewer apoptotic neurons,and lower apoptosis rates(all P<0.05).The relative expression of phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K)in the brain tissues was also reduced in these groups(all P<0.05).Compared with the miR NC group,the inhibitor group showed lower modified Garcia score(P<0.05),more severe histopathological damage,elevated serum TNF-α,IL-1β,Caspase-3,and MDA levels,reduced SOD level(all P<0.05),increased neuronal apoptosis,and increased p-PI3K expression(P<0.05).Conclusion Qingre Huayu formula may ameliorate inflammation,oxidative stress,and apoptosis in cerebral in-farction rats by modulating the miR-124-3p/PI3K axis,thereby alleviating neurological deficits.
Keywords：cerebral infarctionneural injuryQingre Huayu formulamiR-124-3p/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase axismechanism of action
Publication Date：2025-11-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-09(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 48-52 )