Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway

Abstract African swine fever (ASF) is an acute infectious haemorrhagic fever of pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Aloe-emodin (Ae) is an active ingredient of Chinese herbs with antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the antiviral activity and mechanism o...

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Main Authors: Yizhuo Luo, Yunlong Yang, Wenru Wang, Qi Gao, Ting Gong, Yongzhi Feng, Dongdong Wu, Xiaoyu Zheng, Guihong Zhang, Heng Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-07-01
Series:Virology Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02126-8
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author Yizhuo Luo
Yunlong Yang
Wenru Wang
Qi Gao
Ting Gong
Yongzhi Feng
Dongdong Wu
Xiaoyu Zheng
Guihong Zhang
Heng Wang
author_facet Yizhuo Luo
Yunlong Yang
Wenru Wang
Qi Gao
Ting Gong
Yongzhi Feng
Dongdong Wu
Xiaoyu Zheng
Guihong Zhang
Heng Wang
author_sort Yizhuo Luo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract African swine fever (ASF) is an acute infectious haemorrhagic fever of pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Aloe-emodin (Ae) is an active ingredient of Chinese herbs with antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the antiviral activity and mechanism of action of Ae against ASFV using Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence assays. Ae significantly inhibited ASFV replication. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis revealed that ASFV infection activated the NF-κB signaling pathway in the early stage and the apoptosis pathway in the late stage. Ae significantly downregulated the expression levels of MyD88, phosphor-NF-κB p65, and pIκB proteins as well as the mRNA levels of IL-1β and IL-8 in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) infected with ASFV, thereby inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway induced by ASFV. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis revealed that Ae significantly increased the percentage of ASFV-induced apoptotic cells. Additionally, Ae promoted apoptosis by upregulating the expression levels of cleaved-caspase3 and Bax proteins and downregulating the expression levels of Bcl-2 proteins. This suggests that Ae promotes apoptosis by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, resulting in inhibition of ASFV replication. These findings have further improved therapeutic reserves for the prevention and treatment of ASF.
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spelling doaj-art-387f90e5eddd43dc9aa78889c460cab22025-08-20T02:59:19ZengBMCVirology Journal1743-422X2023-07-0120111010.1186/s12985-023-02126-8Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathwayYizhuo Luo0Yunlong Yang1Wenru Wang2Qi Gao3Ting Gong4Yongzhi Feng5Dongdong Wu6Xiaoyu Zheng7Guihong Zhang8Heng Wang9Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityAbstract African swine fever (ASF) is an acute infectious haemorrhagic fever of pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Aloe-emodin (Ae) is an active ingredient of Chinese herbs with antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the antiviral activity and mechanism of action of Ae against ASFV using Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence assays. Ae significantly inhibited ASFV replication. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis revealed that ASFV infection activated the NF-κB signaling pathway in the early stage and the apoptosis pathway in the late stage. Ae significantly downregulated the expression levels of MyD88, phosphor-NF-κB p65, and pIκB proteins as well as the mRNA levels of IL-1β and IL-8 in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) infected with ASFV, thereby inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway induced by ASFV. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis revealed that Ae significantly increased the percentage of ASFV-induced apoptotic cells. Additionally, Ae promoted apoptosis by upregulating the expression levels of cleaved-caspase3 and Bax proteins and downregulating the expression levels of Bcl-2 proteins. This suggests that Ae promotes apoptosis by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, resulting in inhibition of ASFV replication. These findings have further improved therapeutic reserves for the prevention and treatment of ASF.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02126-8African swine fever virusAloe-emodinNF-κB signaling pathwayApoptosis
spellingShingle Yizhuo Luo
Yunlong Yang
Wenru Wang
Qi Gao
Ting Gong
Yongzhi Feng
Dongdong Wu
Xiaoyu Zheng
Guihong Zhang
Heng Wang
Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
Virology Journal
African swine fever virus
Aloe-emodin
NF-κB signaling pathway
Apoptosis
title Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
title_full Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
title_fullStr Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
title_full_unstemmed Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
title_short Aloe-emodin inhibits African swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway
title_sort aloe emodin inhibits african swine fever virus replication by promoting apoptosis via regulating nf κb signaling pathway
topic African swine fever virus
Aloe-emodin
NF-κB signaling pathway
Apoptosis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02126-8
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