蛹虫草菌粉胶囊抑制肺部炎症及缓解肺纤维化的研究

传统中药可治疗肺炎。新型急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）外部囊膜上的S蛋白是决定病毒毒力的关键因素及主要抗原。本研究利用SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白和细菌脂多糖（LPS）诱导的肺炎模型,初步探索了蛹虫草菌粉对肺炎模型的促炎性因子、单核/巨噬细胞和髓源抑制性细胞（MDSCs）以及纤维化的调节作用。研究发现蛹虫草菌粉可降低SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白组和LPS组小鼠血清中TNF-α、IL-6和IL-10的表达,并降低肺组织、肺泡灌洗液和外周血中巨噬细胞的比例,降低外周血和脾脏中MDSC的数量。进一步研究发现,蛹虫草还可降低SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白组和LPS组小鼠肺组织羟基脯氨酸的表达和成纤维细胞的分布,进而减轻小鼠的肺纤维化水平。qRT-PCR实验发现蛹虫草菌粉处理不仅可以降低SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白组小鼠肺组织中TGF-β R1水平,还降低SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白组和LPS组肺组织中smad2的表达。因此认为蛹虫草菌粉可缓解SARS-CoV-2病毒的S蛋白和LPS诱导的肺部炎症和纤维化症状,且纤维化缓解作用可能与TGF-β R1/smad2信号通路相关。

Cordyceps militaris capsules inhibit pulmonary inflammation and relieve pulmonary fibrosis

Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used for pulmonary inflammation treatment. The S protein on the outer envelope of the new acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the key factor that determines the virulence of the virus and the main antigen. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 virus S protein and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to induce a pulmonary inflammation model and the effect of Cordyceps militaris powder on the pro-inflammatory factors, monocyte/macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in mouse model was initially explored. It was found that C. militaris powder could reduce the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in the blood serum, the numbers of macrophages in the lung tissues, alveolar lavage fluid and periphery blood, and the distribution of MDSCs in the periphery blood and spleen of SARS-CoV-2- and LPS-injured mice. Further studies proved that C. militaris powder could also decrease the expression of hydroxyproline and the distribution of fibroblasts in the lung tissues of the SARS-CoV-2- and LPS-injured mice, thereby alleviating the level of lung fibrosis. Results of qRT-PCR experiments showed that treatment of C. militaris not only reduced the levels of TGF-β R1 in the lung tissues of SARS-CoV-2-injured mice, but also reduced the expression of smad2 in the lung tissues of SARS-CoV-2-injured and LPS-injured mice. Thus we believed that C. militaris powder might alleviate the lung inflammation and fibrosis induced by S protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus and LPS via TGF-β R1/smad2 pathway.