Effects of Soothing Liver and Invigorating Spleen Recipes on the IKK β -NF- κ B Signaling Pathway in Kupffer Cells of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Rats

Abstract EN

This study investigates the effect of soothing liver and invigorating spleen recipes on steatohepatitis examining the IKKβ-NF-κB signaling pathway in KCs of NASH rats.

SD male rats were randomly divided into 8 groups, and the NASH model was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).

After 26 weeks, liver tissue was examined in H&E stained sections and liver function was monitored biochemically.

KCs were isolated by Seglen’s method, with some modifications.

The mRNA and protein expression of the IKKβ-NF-κB signaling pathway components was examined by quantitative PCR and Western blotting.

The results show that the high-fat diet induced NASH in the rats, and the soothing liver recipe and invigorating spleen recipe decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 in KCs, as well as inhibiting the mRNA and protein expression of the IKKβ-NF-κB signaling pathway components.

In conclusion, the experiment indicated the importance of the IKKβ-NF-κB signaling pathway in KCs for the anti-inflammatory effects of the soothing liver and invigorating spleen recipes.