Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is an intractable chronic interstitial lung disease with limited effective therapeutic options. Accumulating evidence suggests that astilbin (AST), a natural flavonoid isolated from traditional Chinese herbs, possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. However, its therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms in PF remain incompletely understood. In this study, a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse model was established to evaluate the in vivo anti-fibrotic efficacy of AST. HE staining and Masson's Trichrome staining were employed to assess the severity of PF. Western blot, RT-qPCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence assays were used to investigate the mechanism of AST. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) were performed to evaluate whether TGS1 may serve as a direct binding target of AST. Finally, trimethylguanosine synthase 1 (TGS1) knockdown was performed to validate whether AST exerts its anti-fibrotic effects in a TGS1-dependent manner. The results supported a direct interaction between AST and TGS1, increased telomerase-related components, and alleviated the DNA damage response (DDR). These changes were associated with suppression of the STING-IRF3-NF-κB cascade, leading to reduced release of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors. This further inhibited the TGF-β1/SMAD pathway and reduced the expression of fibrotic markers in lung tissues. Collectively, these findings indicate that AST exerts anti-fibrotic effects, at least in part, through interaction with TGS1, thereby providing a basis for the development of AST-based anti-fibrotic drugs. Download: Download high-res image (218KB) Download: Download full-size image