Abstract
Our previous work demonstrated that the anisodamine (ANI) and neostigmine (NEO) combination produced an antiseptic shock effect and rescued acute lethal crush syndrome by activating the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). This study documents the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanisms of the ANI/NEO combination in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Treating mice with ANI and NEO at a ratio of 500:1 alleviated the DSS-induced colitis symptoms, reduced body weight loss, improved the disease activity index, enhanced colon length, and alleviated colon inflammation. The combination treatment also enhanced autophagy in the colon of mice with DSS-induced colitis and lipopolysaccharide/DSS-stimulated Caco-2 cells. Besides, the ANI/NEO treatment significantly reduced INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-22 expression in colon tissues and decreased TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA levels in Caco-2 cells. Meanwhile, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine and ATG5 siRNA attenuated these effects. Furthermore, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and the α7nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA) weakened the ANI/NEO-induced protection on DSS-induced colitis in mice. Overall, these results indicate that the ANI/NEO combination exerts therapeutic effects through autophagy and α7nAChR in a DSS-induced colitis mouse model.