ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the roles of Arsenic Trioxide to the lupus nephritis in MRL/ lpr mice and the effect on the expression of TGF-pl in the renal tubule. Methods 45 MRL/lpr mice were chosen for such experiment, then separated in 3 different groups, including arsenic trioxide ( ATO) group, cyclophosphamide (CYC) group and sodium chloride (NS) group. Urine of these mice was kept after the treatment to detect the urine protein levels. The pathological changes and the expression of IgG were observed , and the complement 3 of the nephridial tissue as well as the TGF-pl were detected by immunohisto-chemistry. Result The levels of urine protein in ATO group and CTX group were lower than NS group after the treatment ( P <0.05). The expression of IgG along the glomerular mesangium and capillary loop in ATO and CTX groups was less than NS group ( P <0.05). The expression of C3 had no significant difference within three groups ( P > 0.05). The glomcrulus spherulous cells and the integral of activity in ATO group and CTX group were less than that in NS group ( P <0.05). TGF-β1 wildly presented in the epithelial cells endochylema of the nephric tubule, but it was rarely seen in glomcrulus in NS group. The expression in the nephric tubule of ATO group was less than NS group (20.28 ± 1. 90 vs 68. 23 ± 2. 87, P < 0.01) , and the expression in the nephric tubule in CTX group was less than that in NS group (23. 26 ± 1.71 vs 68. 23 ±2. 87, P <0. 01). Conclusion TGF-pl may take part in the immunopathogenesis of lupus nephritis in MRI/lpr mice. ATO can relieve the inflammation of nephric tubule by down regulation the expression of TGF-β1. ATO can also relieve the tissue damage of kidney in lupus nephritis through reducing the inflammation of glomcrulus and interstitial substance,as well as the expression of the immunocomplex.