# Intervention Mechanism of Hunag-Lian Jie-Du Decoction on Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Psoriasis Mouse Model

Authors: Xuesong Yang; Guangyun Luo; Lan Fu; Hong Huang; Lifen Wang; Lihua Yin; Xuelian Zhang; Tingting Wang; Xuan Ma; Tianyu Feng; Jianzhou Ye
Journal: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
 (2022)

---

## Abstract

Background. Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with multifactor etiology, characterized by abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. Huang-Lian Jie-Du decoction (HLJDD) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription with good clinical curative effect on psoriasis. However, its therapeutic mechanisms are still unclear. Methods. The psoriasis model of SKH-1 nude mice was established by imiquimod-induced and HLJDD gavage was given. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate pathological morphologies, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc in psoriasis mice. Western blot was used to examine the expressions of Frizzled-2, LRP5/6, GSK-3β, APC, Axin2, TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, EPHB2, and NOTUM enzyme. Results. In this study, HLJDD reduced skin erythema and lesions, decreased the thickness of epidermal and downregulated the expressions of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc. Western blot results showed that HLJDD reduced the expressions of Wnt receptors Frizzled-2 and LRP5/6, and Wnt downstream target genes TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, and EPHB2, while upregulated destruction complex proteins GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2. Conclusions. HLJDD can effectively treat psoriasis and inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway at multiple stages.


---

## Body

## 1. Introduction

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects about 2–5% of the population worldwide [1–3]. Clinical manifestations include erythema, plaques and scales of scalp, body, and limbs [4]. Psoriatic plaques show a high proliferation rate histologically, immature keratinocytes, and incomplete keratinization resulting in epidermal thickening and reticular elongation [5]. The dermis is characterized by extensive infiltration of macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells [6]. Severe cases involve joints and a variety of systemic diseases [7–9], such as arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic diseases.Due to the complex pathophysiology of psoriasis, the clinical effect of current treatment is not ideal for most patients. Traditional treatments for psoriasis include local treatment, phototherapy, and systemic treatment [10]. However, current treatments do not fully meet the needs of patients, mainly due to the side effects that often accompany various treatments, and a large proportion of patients develop drug resistance after long-term exposure [11–13]. Moreover, due to the conspicuous skin features of psoriasis, patients with psoriasis often experience psychosocial difficulties that lead to avoidance behaviors and excessive worry, which have physical and psychological effects on psoriasis patients and seriously impair the quality of their life [14,15].Psoriasis is an ancient disease, and traditional medicines have been used to treat it for centuries [16]. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have been widely used in the treatment of psoriasis and have achieved good clinical results [17,18]. The famous classical TCM formula Huang-Lian Jie-Du decoction (HLJDD), which is first described in China during the Tang Dynasty (752 A.D.) [19], has remarkable therapeutic effects of anti-inflammatory and antioxidation and has been used in the treatment of psoriasis. The main ingredients of HLJDD are four common herbs, Rhizoma Coptidis (RC, Huang Lian), Radix Scutellariae (RS, Huang Qin), Cortex Phellodendri (CP, Huang Bo), and Fructus Gradeniae (FG, Zhi Zi) [20]. The therapeutic characteristics of HLJDD are multicomponent, multipathway, and multitarget synergy [21, 22]. Therefore, such complexity also makes the pharmacodynamic substances and action mechanism of HLJDD unclear.Abnormal expression of signal transduction pathway may be the molecular basis of excessive proliferation and inflammatory infiltration in psoriatic epidermis [23]. Various extracellular stimuli regulate gene expression of cell proliferation, differentiation, immune response, and apoptosis by activating signaling pathways. Signaling regulation of keratinocyte proliferation and expression of inflammatory factors is a complex network of pathways involved in keratinocyte regulation [24], including the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway [25]. Wnt protein is a kind of secreted glycoprotein, which can bind to specific receptors and initiate downstream signaling pathways, and plays a regulatory role in various biological behaviors of cells [26]. In mature animals, Wnt signaling is mainly involved in cell proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis to maintain the homeostasis of the internal environment. Studies have shown that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulates the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes [27]. In this study, we established a psoriasis mouse model induced by imiquimod (IMQ) to explore the therapeutic effect of HLJDD on psoriasis mice and the intervention effect of HLJDD on canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriasis mice, in order to provide a theoretical basis for clinical rational application of HLJDD.


## 2. Materials and Methods

### 2.1. Preparation of Huang-Lian Jie-Du Decoction Mixture

Huang-Lian Jie-Du Decoction mixture were made by the Preparation Center of Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (lot number: ZJ200901; Kunming, China) followed the modified HLJDD prescription. Lithospermum L. (30 g), Rhizoma Coptidis (10 g), Radix Scutellariae (15 g), Cortex Phellodendri (15 g), Fructus Gradeniae (15 g), Buffalo horn (30 g),Rubia yunnanensis (30 g), Zaocys dhumnades (15 g), Poria cocos Wolf (30 g), Tripterygium hypoglaucum (15 g), and Sanguisorba officinalis (15 g) mixture was refluxed with water (1 : 10, w/v) for 1 hours, filtered with a 60-mesh strainer. Filtrates were collected, and the residues were then refluxed in water (1 : 8, w/v) again for 1 hours. Filtrates were collected, and the residues were refluxed in water (1 : 6, w/v) for 30 minutes. The extract solutions were combined and concentrated to 700 mL, then filtered through a 200-mesh filter. Purified water was added to 1000 mL and mixed well.


### 2.2. Animal Studies

SKH-1 nude mice were purchased from Laboratory Animal Center, Hangzhou Normal University (Hangzhou, China). All animals were maintained in a specific pathogen-free (SPF) environment at 25°C with a standard 12 hours light/12 hours cycle. All experiments were approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethical Committee of Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medicine University for mice experiments (license no. SCXK (Zhe) 2016–0004). Male mice at 6–8 weeks of age received applications of 5% imiquimod (IMQ) daily for 13 days (62.5 mg, imiquimod cream; Sichuan Med-Shine Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China). Indigo Naturalis (QD) is another TCM commonly used to treat inflammatory skin diseases, which has been shown to significantly improve psoriasis [28,29]. Fu-Fang Qing-Dai Jiao-Nang (approved by Z20010157; Shanxi Pharmaceutical Holdings Tianning Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yulin, China) was use as the positive control drug (QD). Mice were randomly assigned to the following groups (n = 24), control group, which were applied with an equal amount of Vaseline cream; IMQ group, only applied with IMQ cream; IMQ group treated with HLJDD intragastric administration (0.238, 0.475 and 0.950 g/mL) began on day 7 and lasted for 7 days, and IMQ group treated with QD (0.01 g/mL) intragastric administration began on day 7 for 7 days. Mice were euthanized by cervical dislocation and skin samples were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and the other was frozen with liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C.


### 2.3. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) Staining

Skin samples were embedded in paraffin and sliced into sections with a thickness of 5μm using a paraffin slicer (RM2135; Leica, Wetzlar, Germany), dewaxed with xylene and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), and examined under a light microscope (ECLIPSE Ci-L; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan).


### 2.4. Immunohistochemistry

The tissue sections were dewaxed, hydrated, and then treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to block endogenous peroxidase activity. After blocked with a 5% goat serum solution (ZLI-9021; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China) for 1 hour at 25°C, the sections were incubated with primary antibodies against Wnt1 (A2475; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100), c-Myc (10828-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100), andβ-catenin (17565-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100) overnight at 4°C. Then, the sections were incubated with secondary antibodies and colored with a diaminobenzidine (DAB) kit (ZLI-9018; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China) and counterstained with hematoxylin. Images were captured on an Olympus BX53 fluorescence microscope (Tokyo, China).


### 2.5. Western Blot Analysis

Skin samples were cut up with sterile surgical scissors on ice and ultrasonically homogenized for 20 seconds, then lysed with RIPA lysis buffer (P0013c; Beyotime, Shanghai, China) for 20 minutes, and the lysates were centrifuged at 12 000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4°C. Total protein content was measured using the BCA Protein Assay Kit (P0009; Beyotime, Shanghai, China). SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was performed using a 10% separation gel and 5% concentrated gel, and PVDF membrane transfer was performed by the electrotransfer method. The membrane was blocked with a 5% BSA (Solarbio Life Sciences, Beijing, China) for 1 hour at room temperature and incubated with primary antibodies at 4°C overnight followed by an HRP-labeled secondary antibody (7076; Cell Signaling Technology, Danvers, MA, USA; 1 : 2000). Anti-β-actin antibody (P30002; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China; 1 : 1000) was used as an internal control. The blots were measured with ECL chromogenic substrate (Millipore, Billerica, MA, USA). The following primary antibodies were used, Frizzled-2 (24272-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LRP5 (A0130; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LRP6 (A13324; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), GSK-3β (22104-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), APC (19782-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), Axin2 (20540-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), TCF4 (22337-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LEF1 (14972-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), cyclin D1 (60186-1-Ig; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), TBX3 (16741-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), NOTUM (bs-11904R; Bioss, Beijing, China), and EPHB2 (bs-0996R; Bioss, Beijing, China).


### 2.6. Statistical Analysis

All experiments were separately repeated three times. All data presented as the mean ± SD. Each bar represents the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. Statistical significance between two or multiple groups was analyzed byt-test or one-way ANOVA using GraphPad Prism 9.0.0. Statistical significance was assumed if P ˂0.05.


## 2.1. Preparation of Huang-Lian Jie-Du Decoction Mixture

Huang-Lian Jie-Du Decoction mixture were made by the Preparation Center of Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (lot number: ZJ200901; Kunming, China) followed the modified HLJDD prescription. Lithospermum L. (30 g), Rhizoma Coptidis (10 g), Radix Scutellariae (15 g), Cortex Phellodendri (15 g), Fructus Gradeniae (15 g), Buffalo horn (30 g),Rubia yunnanensis (30 g), Zaocys dhumnades (15 g), Poria cocos Wolf (30 g), Tripterygium hypoglaucum (15 g), and Sanguisorba officinalis (15 g) mixture was refluxed with water (1 : 10, w/v) for 1 hours, filtered with a 60-mesh strainer. Filtrates were collected, and the residues were then refluxed in water (1 : 8, w/v) again for 1 hours. Filtrates were collected, and the residues were refluxed in water (1 : 6, w/v) for 30 minutes. The extract solutions were combined and concentrated to 700 mL, then filtered through a 200-mesh filter. Purified water was added to 1000 mL and mixed well.


## 2.2. Animal Studies

SKH-1 nude mice were purchased from Laboratory Animal Center, Hangzhou Normal University (Hangzhou, China). All animals were maintained in a specific pathogen-free (SPF) environment at 25°C with a standard 12 hours light/12 hours cycle. All experiments were approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethical Committee of Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medicine University for mice experiments (license no. SCXK (Zhe) 2016–0004). Male mice at 6–8 weeks of age received applications of 5% imiquimod (IMQ) daily for 13 days (62.5 mg, imiquimod cream; Sichuan Med-Shine Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China). Indigo Naturalis (QD) is another TCM commonly used to treat inflammatory skin diseases, which has been shown to significantly improve psoriasis [28,29]. Fu-Fang Qing-Dai Jiao-Nang (approved by Z20010157; Shanxi Pharmaceutical Holdings Tianning Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yulin, China) was use as the positive control drug (QD). Mice were randomly assigned to the following groups (n = 24), control group, which were applied with an equal amount of Vaseline cream; IMQ group, only applied with IMQ cream; IMQ group treated with HLJDD intragastric administration (0.238, 0.475 and 0.950 g/mL) began on day 7 and lasted for 7 days, and IMQ group treated with QD (0.01 g/mL) intragastric administration began on day 7 for 7 days. Mice were euthanized by cervical dislocation and skin samples were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and the other was frozen with liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C.


## 2.3. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) Staining

Skin samples were embedded in paraffin and sliced into sections with a thickness of 5μm using a paraffin slicer (RM2135; Leica, Wetzlar, Germany), dewaxed with xylene and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), and examined under a light microscope (ECLIPSE Ci-L; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan).


## 2.4. Immunohistochemistry

The tissue sections were dewaxed, hydrated, and then treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to block endogenous peroxidase activity. After blocked with a 5% goat serum solution (ZLI-9021; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China) for 1 hour at 25°C, the sections were incubated with primary antibodies against Wnt1 (A2475; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100), c-Myc (10828-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100), andβ-catenin (17565-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 100) overnight at 4°C. Then, the sections were incubated with secondary antibodies and colored with a diaminobenzidine (DAB) kit (ZLI-9018; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China) and counterstained with hematoxylin. Images were captured on an Olympus BX53 fluorescence microscope (Tokyo, China).


## 2.5. Western Blot Analysis

Skin samples were cut up with sterile surgical scissors on ice and ultrasonically homogenized for 20 seconds, then lysed with RIPA lysis buffer (P0013c; Beyotime, Shanghai, China) for 20 minutes, and the lysates were centrifuged at 12 000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4°C. Total protein content was measured using the BCA Protein Assay Kit (P0009; Beyotime, Shanghai, China). SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was performed using a 10% separation gel and 5% concentrated gel, and PVDF membrane transfer was performed by the electrotransfer method. The membrane was blocked with a 5% BSA (Solarbio Life Sciences, Beijing, China) for 1 hour at room temperature and incubated with primary antibodies at 4°C overnight followed by an HRP-labeled secondary antibody (7076; Cell Signaling Technology, Danvers, MA, USA; 1 : 2000). Anti-β-actin antibody (P30002; ZSGB-BIO, Beijing, China; 1 : 1000) was used as an internal control. The blots were measured with ECL chromogenic substrate (Millipore, Billerica, MA, USA). The following primary antibodies were used, Frizzled-2 (24272-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LRP5 (A0130; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LRP6 (A13324; ABclonal, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), GSK-3β (22104-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), APC (19782-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), Axin2 (20540-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), TCF4 (22337-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), LEF1 (14972-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), cyclin D1 (60186-1-Ig; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), TBX3 (16741-1-AP; Proteintech, Wuhan, China; 1 : 1000), NOTUM (bs-11904R; Bioss, Beijing, China), and EPHB2 (bs-0996R; Bioss, Beijing, China).


## 2.6. Statistical Analysis

All experiments were separately repeated three times. All data presented as the mean ± SD. Each bar represents the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. Statistical significance between two or multiple groups was analyzed byt-test or one-way ANOVA using GraphPad Prism 9.0.0. Statistical significance was assumed if P ˂0.05.


## 3. Results

### 3.1. HLJDD Ameliorates Psoriasis-Like Skin Alteration

Firstly, we explored the effects of HLJDD on psoriasis mice. We used IMQ to induce psoriasis lesions in nude mice to establish a mouse model of psoriasis (Figure1(a)). IMQ is a potent immune activator that can induce and aggravate psoriasis [30,31]. Redness, scales, skin damage, or crust formation occurred on the back of mice after 6 days of IMQ application. The skin appearance of control mice was normal without significant change, and the inflammation degree of the IMQ group increased continuously. After 7 days of HLJDD intragastric administration, the macroscopic skin lesions on the back of the mice were significantly improved, and erythema, scales, and skin lesions were reduced (Figure 1(b)). The normal mouse epidermis contains only three cell layers, and the thickness is very thin. Histological analysis of dorsal skin sections (Figure 1(c)) showed that after IMQ treatment, epidermal thickness increased, with acanthosis characteristics caused by excessive proliferation of keratinocytes such as the presence of nuclei in the cuticle, and there was infiltration of inflammatory cells. After HLJDD treatment, epidermal thickening level decreased, the IMQ-induced inflammatory cell infiltration was inhibited, and the skin structure was improved in macro and microscopic observation, especially in HLJDD high concentration group.Figure 1
The effect of HLJDD treatment in psoriasis mouse. (a) Workflow of the study. (b) Images of phenotypical presentation of mouse back skin on day 6 and day 14. (c) H&E staining of the back skin of mice (magnification 10× and 40×).
(a)(b)(c)


### 3.2. HLJDD Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Psoriatic Mice

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway overexpression promotes inflammatory response [32]. Figure 2(a) showed that the expressions of all three proteins in the sections of control mice was low, while the expressions of all three proteins in the cytoplasm was significantly upregulated under IMQ induction, indicating that the IMQ induction activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, the number of positive cells expressing Wnt1 decreased dose-dependently after HLJDD treatment (Figure 2(b)), as well as β-catenin and c-Myc, suggesting that HLJDD had a significant inhibitory effect on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriasis mice. The decrease levels of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc protein expression in the high-dose HLJDD treatment group were almost the same as that in the positive drug QD group.Figure 2
HJLDD reduced Wnt1,β-catenin, and c-Myc in psoriasis mouse. (a) Representative IHC staining of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc in section of mouse skin samples. Scale bars, 500 μm. (b) Percentage of Wnt1-, β-catenin-, and c-Myc-positive cells in psoriasis mouse skin samples. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. ∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)


### 3.3. The Regulatory Mechanism of HLJDD Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin in Psoriasis Mice

The Wnt receptors are heterodimers of two transmembrane proteins, Frizzled and LRP. On the cell surface, Wnt proteins bind to a complex receptor of Frizzled proteins with 7-transmembrane structures and a single transmembrane molecule LRP5/6, causing a conformational change to deliver Wnt signals [33]. In order to explore the effect of HLJDD on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriatic mice in more detail, we examined the changes in the expression levels of Wnt transmembrane receptor proteins Frizzled-2, LRP6 and LRP5 by WB (Figure 3(a)). The results showed that the expression levels of Frizzled-2, LRP6, and LRP5 were all significantly decreased after IMQ treatment, demonstrating that IMQ also has an activation effect on Wnt receptor proteins. The gavage of HLJDD resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of both Frizzled-2 and LRP6 proteins in the skin of psoriatic mice, but the decrease of LRP5 expression level was not significant. This suggests that HLJDD has an inhibitory effect on Wnt receptors Frizzled-2 and LRP6. The key switch in the canonical Wnt pathway is the cytoplasmic protein β-catenin, whose stability is controlled by the destruction complex (DC). The tumor suppressor protein Axin acts as a DC scaffold interacting with β-catenin, the tumor suppressor protein APC, and two constitutively active serine-threonine kinases (CK1 and GSK3). Hence, we further examined several DC-related proteins GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2 of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by WB (Figure 3(b)) and found that the expressions of all three proteins were inhibited by IMQ and restored by the action of HLJDD. These two sets of WB results showed that HLJDD intervened in both Wnt receptors and DCs in the transmission process of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Figure 3
The expression of Wnt receptors and DCs in back skin sample of psoriatic mice. (a) Western blot of Frizzled-2, LRP6, and LRP5 protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. (b) Western blot of GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2 protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. ∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)


### 3.4. HLJDD Reduced the Expression of Wnt Target Genes in Psoriatic Mice

Next, we detected the expression levels of downstream target genes of Wnt signaling pathway, transcription factors TCF4, LEF1, and TBX, cyclin D1 and tyrosine kinase receptor EPH receptor B2 (EPHB2). The expressions of TCF4, LEF1, and cyclin D1 increased significantly after 6 days of IMQ stimulation, whereas they decreased dose-dependently after HLJDD treatment. Although the expressions of TBX3 and EPHB2 were not significantly regulated by IMQ, HLJDD, and QD, they increased after IMQ application and similarly showed a decreasing trend after HLJDD treatment. Although the trends of the expressions of the five target genes affected by IMQ and HLJDD differed, the overall trends were similar (Figure4(c)). The result showed that the expression of this inhibitor was upregulated in a feedback manner after IMQ action, while it was decreased in the dose-dependent manner after HLJDD treatment.Figure 4
The effect of HLJDD on Wnt target genes in psoriatic mice. (a, b) Western blot of TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, EPHB2, and NOTUM protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. (c) A comparison of TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, EPHB2, and NOTUM protein expression levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate.∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)(c)


## 3.1. HLJDD Ameliorates Psoriasis-Like Skin Alteration

Firstly, we explored the effects of HLJDD on psoriasis mice. We used IMQ to induce psoriasis lesions in nude mice to establish a mouse model of psoriasis (Figure1(a)). IMQ is a potent immune activator that can induce and aggravate psoriasis [30,31]. Redness, scales, skin damage, or crust formation occurred on the back of mice after 6 days of IMQ application. The skin appearance of control mice was normal without significant change, and the inflammation degree of the IMQ group increased continuously. After 7 days of HLJDD intragastric administration, the macroscopic skin lesions on the back of the mice were significantly improved, and erythema, scales, and skin lesions were reduced (Figure 1(b)). The normal mouse epidermis contains only three cell layers, and the thickness is very thin. Histological analysis of dorsal skin sections (Figure 1(c)) showed that after IMQ treatment, epidermal thickness increased, with acanthosis characteristics caused by excessive proliferation of keratinocytes such as the presence of nuclei in the cuticle, and there was infiltration of inflammatory cells. After HLJDD treatment, epidermal thickening level decreased, the IMQ-induced inflammatory cell infiltration was inhibited, and the skin structure was improved in macro and microscopic observation, especially in HLJDD high concentration group.Figure 1
The effect of HLJDD treatment in psoriasis mouse. (a) Workflow of the study. (b) Images of phenotypical presentation of mouse back skin on day 6 and day 14. (c) H&E staining of the back skin of mice (magnification 10× and 40×).
(a)(b)(c)


## 3.2. HLJDD Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Psoriatic Mice

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway overexpression promotes inflammatory response [32]. Figure 2(a) showed that the expressions of all three proteins in the sections of control mice was low, while the expressions of all three proteins in the cytoplasm was significantly upregulated under IMQ induction, indicating that the IMQ induction activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, the number of positive cells expressing Wnt1 decreased dose-dependently after HLJDD treatment (Figure 2(b)), as well as β-catenin and c-Myc, suggesting that HLJDD had a significant inhibitory effect on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriasis mice. The decrease levels of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc protein expression in the high-dose HLJDD treatment group were almost the same as that in the positive drug QD group.Figure 2
HJLDD reduced Wnt1,β-catenin, and c-Myc in psoriasis mouse. (a) Representative IHC staining of Wnt1, β-catenin, and c-Myc in section of mouse skin samples. Scale bars, 500 μm. (b) Percentage of Wnt1-, β-catenin-, and c-Myc-positive cells in psoriasis mouse skin samples. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. ∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)


## 3.3. The Regulatory Mechanism of HLJDD Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin in Psoriasis Mice

The Wnt receptors are heterodimers of two transmembrane proteins, Frizzled and LRP. On the cell surface, Wnt proteins bind to a complex receptor of Frizzled proteins with 7-transmembrane structures and a single transmembrane molecule LRP5/6, causing a conformational change to deliver Wnt signals [33]. In order to explore the effect of HLJDD on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriatic mice in more detail, we examined the changes in the expression levels of Wnt transmembrane receptor proteins Frizzled-2, LRP6 and LRP5 by WB (Figure 3(a)). The results showed that the expression levels of Frizzled-2, LRP6, and LRP5 were all significantly decreased after IMQ treatment, demonstrating that IMQ also has an activation effect on Wnt receptor proteins. The gavage of HLJDD resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of both Frizzled-2 and LRP6 proteins in the skin of psoriatic mice, but the decrease of LRP5 expression level was not significant. This suggests that HLJDD has an inhibitory effect on Wnt receptors Frizzled-2 and LRP6. The key switch in the canonical Wnt pathway is the cytoplasmic protein β-catenin, whose stability is controlled by the destruction complex (DC). The tumor suppressor protein Axin acts as a DC scaffold interacting with β-catenin, the tumor suppressor protein APC, and two constitutively active serine-threonine kinases (CK1 and GSK3). Hence, we further examined several DC-related proteins GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2 of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by WB (Figure 3(b)) and found that the expressions of all three proteins were inhibited by IMQ and restored by the action of HLJDD. These two sets of WB results showed that HLJDD intervened in both Wnt receptors and DCs in the transmission process of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Figure 3
The expression of Wnt receptors and DCs in back skin sample of psoriatic mice. (a) Western blot of Frizzled-2, LRP6, and LRP5 protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. (b) Western blot of GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2 protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. ∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)


## 3.4. HLJDD Reduced the Expression of Wnt Target Genes in Psoriatic Mice

Next, we detected the expression levels of downstream target genes of Wnt signaling pathway, transcription factors TCF4, LEF1, and TBX, cyclin D1 and tyrosine kinase receptor EPH receptor B2 (EPHB2). The expressions of TCF4, LEF1, and cyclin D1 increased significantly after 6 days of IMQ stimulation, whereas they decreased dose-dependently after HLJDD treatment. Although the expressions of TBX3 and EPHB2 were not significantly regulated by IMQ, HLJDD, and QD, they increased after IMQ application and similarly showed a decreasing trend after HLJDD treatment. Although the trends of the expressions of the five target genes affected by IMQ and HLJDD differed, the overall trends were similar (Figure4(c)). The result showed that the expression of this inhibitor was upregulated in a feedback manner after IMQ action, while it was decreased in the dose-dependent manner after HLJDD treatment.Figure 4
The effect of HLJDD on Wnt target genes in psoriatic mice. (a, b) Western blot of TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, EPHB2, and NOTUM protein levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. (c) A comparison of TCF4, LEF1, cyclin D1, TBX3, EPHB2, and NOTUM protein expression levels in skin samples of psoriasis mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicate.∗P<0.0001 vs. control group; #P<0.0001 vs. IMQ group.
(a)(b)(c)


## 4. Discussion

HLJDD, as a traditional Chinese medicine, has been proved to be effective in the clinical treatment of inflammation, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, liver dysfunction, and cerebrovascular diseases [19]. Studies have shown that HLJDD reduced the production of inflammatory mediators by inhibiting MAPKs and NF-κB pathways and significantly improved the symptoms of atopic dermatitis in mice [34], and HLJDD alleviates the clinical symptoms of pneumonia by regulating the host’s immune inflammatory response and oxidative stress [35]. HLJDD has been clinically applied in our hospital for 37 years, treating a total of 35,978 patients with an efficiency of 89.4%, especially for signs and symptoms such as erythema, pruritus, and swelling in skin lesions with better therapeutic efficacy. Also, in the process of treatment, we also found that HLJDD has a good alleviating effect on patients combined hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperuricemia in the treatment of psoriasis. Therefore, we explored the mechanism of HLJDD in the treatment of psoriasis.The underlying mechanisms of psoriasis are complex as it involves inflammatory mediators, angiogenesis, and epidermal keratinocyte proliferation [36]. It is generally accepted that psoriasis is a distinct epidermal hyperplasia caused by excessive proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes [37,38]. Therefore, drugs that counteract proliferation of keratinocytes are still the mainstay of psoriasis treatment because the balanced control of keratinocyte growth and differentiation are essential for the recovery or psoriasis to normal epidermis. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is associated with abnormal cell proliferation, and it has been demonstrated that β-catenin increases in keratinocytes nuclei in both skin lesions and nonskin lesions in psoriasis patients compared with healthy controls [39]. We investigated the therapeutic effect and the regulation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by HLJDD in the treatment of psoriasis in mice. Our results indicated that HLJDD can effectively reduce skin erythema and lesions, reduce epidermal thickness, and relieve psoriasis symptoms in a dose-dependent manner by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in psoriatic mice.Wnt protein is an intercellular signal, and during its synthesis, Wnt protein is modified by the attachment of palmitoleic acid [26], which is the binding motif of the Wnt receptor Frizzled proteins, and it also makes the Wnt protein more hydrophobic and easily bound to the cell membrane. Our results suggested that HLJDD treatment reduced the expression of Wnt1, which may be due to the inhibition of Wnt1 proteins secretion by some active components in HLJDD. The 7-transmembrane proteins Frizzled have an extracellular N-terminal cysteine-rich domain (CRD), which is the dominant interaction module of Wnt binding [33]. LRP5/6 are Wnt-binding coreceptors that can be phosphorylated by protein kinases such as GSK3 at the tail of the intracellular terminal. LRP5/6 cooperates with Frizzled proteins to mediate Wnt signaling. However, Wnts are not the only ligands of Frizzled receptors, and the cysteine-knot protein Norrin, for example, encoded by the NDP gene, can also bind and activate Wnt receptors. Mutations in Norrin can cause diseases, such as in humans, where Norrin disease results in reduction of retinal vascularity and loss of visual function. In addition, a mild reduction of retinal vessels was also seen in patients with heterozygous LRP5 mutations. Our results showed that HLJDD treatment resulted in downregulation of Frizzled-2 and LRP5/6 expression, indicating a potential risk of HLJDD side effects.A destruction complex of proteins consisting of Axin, APC, Ser/Thr kinases GSK-3 and CK1, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), and E3-ubiquitin ligaseβ-TrCP can degrade β-catenin and thereby block further transmission of Wnt/β-catenin signals. Our WB results showed that the expression of GSK-3β, APC, and Axin2 all increased significantly after 7 days of HLJDD treatment, while immunohistochemical results of β-catenin expression showed a decrease. These results suggested that HLJDD promoted the expression of destruction complex, thus promoting β-catenin degradation, while inhibiting the β-catenin accumulation and transfer to the nucleus.The final cellular response of canonical Wnt signal is determined by activatingβ-catenin/TCF (T-cell factor) target genes. After activation of the Wnt pathway, β-catenin accumulates in the cytoplasm and transfer to the nucleus, where it binds and activates TCF transcription factors to drive downstream genes expression. Another downstream mediator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) is a member of the TCF/LEF1 family of high-mobility group transcription factors [40], which was also downregulated after HLJDD intragastric administration. We also detected three other Wnt downstream target genes, cyclin D1, TBX3, and EPHB2, which were also showed downregulation following HLJDD treatment. Several Wnt target genes showed similar trends under the action of HLJDD, possibly because of similar mechanisms of HLJDD inhibition of intranuclear factors. Although we did not further investigate the role of specific active components in HLJDD, our results provide a deeper understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of HLJDD in psoriasis.In conclusion, our results indicated that HLJDD, as a Chinese herbal prescription with multiple active components, could inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway at multiple stages to ameliorate psoriasis in mouse. Outside and on the membrane, HLJDD inhibited the expression of Wnt1 signaling proteins as well as Wnt receptor transmembrane proteins. In the cytoplasm, HLJDD could promote the expression of DCs components, phosphorylates β-catenin, and then degrade it, resulting in a decrease in the level of dissociated β-catenin and thus inhibiting its entry into the nucleus. In the nucleus, HLJDD could inhibit the expression of Wnt target genes and the activation of nuclear transcription factors such as TCF4, LEF1, and TBX3 by β-catenin, thereby suppressing the activation of downstream transcription and inhibiting the proliferation and nuclear differentiation of keratinocytes. In summary, HLJDD could ameliorate psoriasis through multitarget inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.



---

*Source: 3193572-2022-04-14.xml*