Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Potential Protective Effects and Biomarkers of Pien Tze Huang on CCl4-induced Liver Cancer (lncRNA and mRNA)

Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a traditional Chinese medicinal formula that has been extensively used in Asia for the treatment of liver diseases. We created two groups of liver cancer mouse models induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4): one group received treatment with PZH and the other did not receive any treatment. In the non-PZH treated group, we observed a significant increase in liver function indices including albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Histological examination using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining revealed inflammation around the hepatic vein in the non-PZH treated group. Furthermore, Masson's trichrome staining demonstrated the presence of blue-stained collagen fibers around the hepatic vein in the non-PZH treated group. These findings suggest that PZH may have therapeutic effects on liver inflammation and cancer. To further explore the molecular mechanisms of PZH's action, we conducted mRNA, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing to identify potential drug targets at the transcriptome level. We identified 478 differentially expressed protein-coding transcripts and 68 differentially expressed lncRNA transcripts. Our study provides insights into potential transcriptional therapeutic targets for the clinical use of PZH in treating liver diseases.