2. Academic Validation
  3. Mechanism of action of M-XQLD treatment for asthma: role of STARD13 in Th17 suppression

Mechanism of action of M-XQLD treatment for asthma: role of STARD13 in Th17 suppression

  • Inflamm Res. 2025 Sep 16;74(1):129. doi: 10.1007/s00011-025-02094-5.
Mingyue Ren 1 2,  Mengmeng Sun 1,  Bingxue Zhang 1,  Minghao Peng 1,  Guihua Song 3 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 2 School of Pediatrics, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
  • 3 Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. songgh8916@hactcm.edu.cn.
  • 4 School of Pediatrics, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. songgh8916@hactcm.edu.cn.
PMID: 40956436 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-025-02094-5
Abstract

Objective: Xiaoqinglong Decoction (XQLD) is a traditional oriental medicine. Modified- Xiaoqinglong Decoction (M-XQLD) was established by adding astragalus membranaceus and codonopsis pilosula on the basis of XQLD. M-XQLD has been shown to be effective in therapying asthma in clinical trials, but the mechanism of M-XQLD in asthma is currently unknown.

Methods: Mice were sensitized by ovalbumin (OVA) to induce asthma. M-XQLD were administered by oral gavage. Label-free proteomics was conducted to identify the downstream target of M-XQLD. Histopathological assessment, multiple cytokine examination in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were conducted. In vitro, we isolated Naïve CD4 + T cells for analysis.

Results: OVA stimulation decreased the expression of StAR Related Lipid Transfer Domain Containing 13 (STARD13), while M-XQLD treatment increased it. STARD13 overexpression reduced the inflammatory cell infiltration and goblet cells. STARD13 overexpression reduced the levels of OVA-specific IgE, IL-4, and IL-5 in serum and BALF. STARD13 overexpression inhibited the expression of IL-1β, IL-17A, and IL-22, and reduced Th17 differentiation. STARD13 overexpression inhibited the RhoA/ROCK2, while knockdown of STARD13 resulted in continuous activation of RhoA. Furthermore, STARD13 overexpression decreased p38 phosphorylation level. SB203580 treatment further inhibited the RORC expression and p38 phosphorylation. More importantly, the therapeutic efficacy of M-XQLD in OVA-induced mice was significantly reduced by STARD13 knockdown.

Conclusions: This study revealed that M-XQLD targets to STARD13, and highlighted that STARD13 alleviated asthma by reducing Th17 differentiation via inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK2/p38 signaling.

Keywords

Asthma; Modified- Xiaoqinglong decoction; STARD13; Th17 cells; p38.

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