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Matrine pre-intervention protects against inflammatory responses and mucosal injury in rats with gastric ulcer by inhibiting mitochondrial ferroptosis through the PKC/NOX4 pathway

delete2026-07-08
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PRE
AI
Z
Zhu-Sheng Guo
J
Jin-Yu Zhang
F
Fei Lv
J
Jun-Ting Lv
Y
Yin-Sheng Cai
J
Jian-Bo Feng
P
Pei-Yu Yan *
J
Jie-Ruo Gu *
DOI:10.1080/08923973.2026.2679470delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
This study sought to investigate whether matrine (MAT) attenuates mitochondrial ferroptosis via the protein kinase C (PKC)/NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) pathway and to elucidate its role in inflammation and mucosal injury in the context of gastric ulcer (GU). An ethanol/hydrochloric acid (EtOH/HCl)-induced GU rat model was established and pretreated with MAT, ferroptosis inducer Erastin, and PKC activator PMA, respectively. In vitro, EtOH-stimulated gastric mucosal epithelial cells (GES-1 and RGM-1) were pre-intervened with MAT in combination with Erastin or PKC modulators. Gastric injury, inflammatory cytokines, ferroptosis-related markers, levels of phosphorylated-protein kinase C (p-PKC), NOX4, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) proteins, as well as mitochondrial function, were assessed using H&E staining, ELISA, biochemical assays, western blot, and functional analyses. EtOH/HCl-exposed GU rats showed increased ulcer index, reduced ulcer inhibition rate, along with elevated PKC phosphorylation, and interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, NOX4, malondialdehyde (MDA) and Fe2+ levels in gastric tissues, and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and GPX4 protein and glutathione levels. EtOH intervention resulted in consistent detrimental changes in GES-1/RGM-1 cells. Importantly, MAT pre-intervention markedly reversed these changes in both rat and cell models. Inhibition or silencing of PKC ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis in vitro. Moreover, Erastin or PMA administration/PKC overexpression averted the impacts of MAT pre-intervention on GU-associated rat inflammatory responses and GMI, or GES-1/RGM-1 cell mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis. MAT pre-intervention suppressed mitochondrial ferroptosis by inhibiting the PKC/NOX4 pathway, thereby protecting against GMI and inflammatory responses in the GU rat model.
Keywords:
Matrine
gastric ulcer
mitochondria
ferroptosis
protein kinase C/NADPH oxidase 4
inflammatory response
ethanol/hydrochloric acid

Journal

Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology cover
Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology
IF:
3
Papers:
152
Citations:
2.9K

Organization

M
macau university of science and technology
Scholars:
1.1K
Papers: 506
Citations: 0
G
guangdong medical university
Scholars:
1.0W
Papers: 4.9K
Citations: 114
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