Tianma Gouteng Decoction regulates oxidative stress and inflammation in AngII-induced hypertensive mice via transcription factor EB to exert anti-hypertension effect

Deng L, Liu W, Xu Q, Guo R, Zhang D, Ni J, Li L, Cai X, Fan G, Zhao Y · Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy · 2022 January

DOI 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112383

Objective

To investigate the antihypertensive effects of Tianma Gouteng Decoction and determine whether transcription factor EB mediates its effects on oxidative stress, endothelial inflammation, and cardiovascular remodeling in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice.

Conclusions

Tianma Gouteng Decoction reduced blood pressure, improved cardiac structure and function, and reversed vascular remodeling by up-regulating transcription factor EB and thereby inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation.

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Insights

Tianma Gouteng Decoction, a Chinese herbal medicine, may reduce hypertension and improve heart health by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and by up-regulating transcription factor EB.

The methodology utilized involved establishing a hypertension model in mice triggered by angiotensin II and treating them with Tianma Gouteng Decoction for six weeks. Variations in blood pressure, heart rate, body weight, heart and blood vessel structure, vasomotor factors, and the expression of oxidative stress and inflammation-related genes were observed every week. In tandem, the impact of repressing transcription factor EB expression on the decoction's therapeutic effect was evaluated by employing AAV9 to knockdown TFEB. The results revealed that Tianma Gouteng Decoction considerably reduced blood pressure, enhanced cardiac structure and function, and counteracted vascular restructuring. These outcomes were likely due to the herbal remedy's ability to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation. Alongside, elevated TFEB expression was found to be integral to the medicine's efficacy. However, upon TFEB knockdown, the healing impact of the Chinese herbal remedy on blood pressure and cardiovascular remodeling was weakened, indicating its inability to restrain oxidative stress and inflammation under these circumstances. It was concluded that Tianma Gouteng Decoction mediates its anti-hypertensive benefits mainly via a TFEB-dependent pathway.