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ObjectiveTo preliminarily predict the active ingredients， targets， and signaling pathways of modified Zhenwutang in the treatment of chronic renal failure （CRF） based on network pharmacology and explore its potential mechanism for delaying disease progression through molecular docking and animal experiments. MethodThe effective ingredients and targets of modified Zhenwutang were obtained from the HERB database. The targets related to CRF were obtained from the GeneCards. The intersection target genes were obtained using Venny 2.1 software and a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed using the STRING. The core targets for treating CRF with modified Zhenwutang were screened using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. The intersection genes were analyzed using Metascape database for gene ontology （GO） analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis. Molecular docking validation was performed using AutoDockTools 1.5.6 software for the key targets and active ingredients. An experimental CRF model was established in rats by administering adenine via gavage for 12 weeks， followed by intervention with modified Zhenwutang and benazepril hydrochloride for four weeks. After treatment， the rats were euthanized， and immunohistochemistry （IHC）， immunofluorescence （IF）， real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and western blot were performed to detect the expression levels of prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins 1 （PHD1）， prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins 2 （PHD2）， hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）， and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in the renal tissues of the rats. ResultA total of 426 drug target genes of modified Zhenwutang were obtained from the HERB database. A total of 2 698 target genes related to CRF were obtained from the GeneCards database. There were 154 intersection genes between the drug and the disease. Eight core targets were identified， including albumin （ALB）， protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， insulin （INS）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， tumor protein p53 （TP53）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， which might be closely related to the treatment of CRF with modified Zhenwutang. KEGG enrichment analysis predicted that the main mechanism of modified Zhenwutang in treating CRF involved lipid and atherosclerosis， HIF-1 signaling pathway， cell apoptosis， and nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that the ingredients of modified Zhenwutang had stable binding activity with the core targets ALB， Akt1， TNF， IL-6， INS， VEGFA， TP53， and IL-1β， which may regulate inflammation and cell apoptosis by affecting the target proteins. The animal model validation results demonstrated that modified Zhenwutang could reduce the expression levels of HIF-1α and α-SMA in the renal tissues of CRF rats， increase the expression levels of PHD1 and PHD2， alleviate renal tissue hypoxia injury， reduce myofibroblast formation， and slow down the progression of CRF in rats. ConclusionModified Zhenwutang may improve renal tissue hypoxia， inhibit cell transdifferentiation， cell apoptosis/necroptosis， and inflammation by affecting the expression of target proteins such as ALB， Akt1， TNF， IL-6， INS， VEGFA， TP53， and IL-1β， as well as regulating the HIF-1 signaling pathway， thus delaying the progression of CRF.
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ObjectiveTo observe the modulatory effect of modified Zhenwutang on the interleukin-6 （IL-6）， matrix metallopeptidase-9（MMP-9）， type Ⅳ collagen（COL-Ⅳ） in rats with chronic renal failure （CRF） and to investigate the potential mechanism of its treatment of CRF. MethodFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a modeling group of 40 rats and a normal group of 10 rats， and the modeling group was prepared by continuous adenine gavage for 12 weeks. After successful modelling， the modelling group was divided into the model group， the low dose （7.2 g·kg-1·d-1） group， the medium dose （14.4 g·kg-1·d-1） group， the high dose （28.8 g·kg-1·d-1） group and the Benadryl hydrochloride （10 mg·kg-1·d-1） group for gavage according to the random number table method， In the normal group and the model group， equal volume of distilled water was administered by gavage for 4 weeks. After the administration， the levels of blood creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN） and 24 h urine protein （24 h-UTP） were measured， the levels of serum IL-6 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1）， IL-6， MMP-9， and other molecules in the rat kidney. The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA， IL-6 mRNA， MMP-9 mRNA and COL-Ⅳ mRNA in rat kidney tissues was measured by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expression levels of ICAM-1， IL-6， MMP-9 and COL-Ⅳ in rat kidney tissues were measured by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the levels of SCr， BUN and 24 h-UTP were significantly increased in the model group （P<0.01）； the serum IL-6 level was significantly increased （P<0.01）， the tubular lumen was dilated with atrophy， the tubular epithelial cells were necrotic， swollen and vacuolated， the interstitium was infiltrated by a large number of inflammatory cells and collagen fibers were deposited， the levels of IL-6， ICAM-1 and COL-Ⅳ were strongly positive in the tubular interstitium of the model group （P<0.01）， The levels of ICAM-1 mRNA， IL-6 mRNA and COL-Ⅳ mRNA were significantly increased （P<0.01） and MMP-9 mRNA was significantly decreased （P<0.05） in the model rats. ICAM-1， IL-6 and COL-Ⅳ protein expression was significantly increased （P<0.01） and MMP-9 protein expression was significantly increased （P<0.01） in the renal tissue， and MMP-9 protein expression was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the 24 h-UTP， SCr and BUN levels of rats were significantly reduced after treatment with modified Zhenwutang （P<0.01）， the serum IL-6 level was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， the renal lesions of rats were significantly improved and collagen fiber deposition was reduced； the expression of IL-6， ICAM-1 and COL-Ⅳ in renal tubules and interstitium was weakened， and MMP-9 in ICAM-1 mRNA， IL-6 mRNA and COL-Ⅳ mRNA levels were significantly reduced （P<0.01） and MMP-9 mRNA levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）， ICAM-1， IL-6 and COL-Ⅳ protein expression was significantly reduced （P<0.01） and MMP-9 protein expression was significantly The expression of ICAM-1， IL-6 and COL-Ⅳ proteins was significantly decreased （P<0.01） and MMP-9 protein expression was significantly increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Zhenwutang may regulate the IL-6/MMP-9/COL-Ⅳ signaling pathway， thereby reducing proteinuria， improving renal function， reducing renal pathological damage and delaying the progression of CRF interstitial fibrosis.
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ObjectiveTo explore the preparation method of a rat model of adenine-induced chronic renal failure complicated with cardiovascular disease by investigating the effect of different time points of adenine gastric lavage on general vital signs， biochemical indicators， and cardiac and renal tissue structure and function of model rats. MethodRats in the model group were administered adenine at 150 mg·kg-1·d-1 by gavage for 16 weeks， while those in the normal group were given an equal volume of 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium solution by gavage. At weeks 5， 13， 17， 24-hour urinary protein quantification （24 h-UTP）， biochemical indicators， cardiac ultrasound， and changes in cardiac and renal tissue structure and function were measured in both the model and normal groups. Blood pressure was measured at weeks 5 and 13 in both groups. Weekly changes in body weight were recorded， and general conditions of the rats were observed daily. Result① Compared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant decrease in body weight （P<0.05）. ② Rats in the model group exhibited a significant increase in urine volume， and proteinuria appeared at week 13. ③ Compared with the normal group， the model group showed significant differences in triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， creatinine （Cr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， blood potassium， and blood phosphorus at week 5 （P<0.05）， which increased gradually over time. At week 17， uric acid levels were significantly elevated （P<0.05）， and blood calcium levels were reduced at the end of week 17 （P<0.01）. ④ Compared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant increase in blood pressure at week 5 （P<0.05）， which progressively worsened. ⑤ There was no statistically significant difference in left ventricular wall thickness between the model and normal groups at week 5， but a significant difference was observed at week 13 （P<0.05）. ⑥ Fibrosis appeared in the kidneys of rats in the model group at week 5 and gradually worsened， while obvious fibrosis occurred around the cardiovascular system at week 13 as compared with the results in the normal group. ⑦ In the proximal tubular epithelial cells of the model group， there was an increasing presence of high-density rhomboid needle-shaped crystals， damaged cell membrane integrity， increased cell spacing， increased lysosomes， increased mitochondrial proliferation， denser mitochondrial cristae， and outer mitochondrial membrane. ⑧ Compared with the rats in the normal group， rats in the model group exhibited depressed spirits， significantly reduced activity， hunched posture， dry fur， pale ears and toes， swollen cheeks， increased nocturnal urination， and dark and viscous blood. ConclusionAdenine by gavage at 150 mg·kg-1·d-1 for 12 weeks can be used to establish a rat model of chronic renal failure complicated with cardiovascular disease， which can be used for the prevention and treatment research on chronic renal failure and its associated cardiovascular complications. The syndrome of adenine-induced rat model of chronic renal failure belongs to the deficiency of spleen and kidney， turbidity and stasis obstruction， and can be used to study the mechanisms of warming and tonifying the spleen and kidney， resolving stasis， and eliminating turbidity in the treatment of chronic renal failure.