Effect of Modified Qinghao Biejia Decoction on Th17 Cells and Renal Pathology of MRL/lpr Mice with Lupus Nephritis / 广州中医药大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of modified Qinghao Biejia Decoction ( QBD) on Th17 cells and renal pathology of MRL/lpr mice with spontaneous systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods Thirty-two female MRL/lpr mice aged 8 to 10 weeks were divided into 4 groups model group, Chinese medicine group, prednisone group, and combination group, 8 mice in each group. Eight female C57BL/6 mice aged 8 to 10 weeks served as normal control. Mice in Chinese medicine group were given concentrated solution of modified QBD (19.25 g·kg-1·d-1), mice in the prednisone group were given water solution of prednisone acetate (8.75 mg·kg-1·d-1) , mice in the combination group were given the above two kinds of medicine, and mice in the model group and normal control group were given physiological saline. After medication for 7 weeks, spleens and kidneys in all of the groups were taken out for the experiment. Th17 cells in splenic mononuclear cell suspension were detected by flow cytometry, the pathological changes of renal tissue were observed under light microscope, and activity index (AI) of renal tissue in lupus nephritis mice was scored. Results The proportion of Th17 cells in the model group was significantly higher than that of normal control group ( P<0.05) . The proportion of Th17 cells in Chinese medicine group and combination group was lower than that of the model group ( P<0.05) , and prednisone group had higher proportion of Th17 cells than Chinese medicine group ( P<0.05) . Compared with the model group, pathological changes of renal tissue were relieved, and AI scores were decreased in Chinese medicine group, the prednisone group and the combination group ( P<0.05) . Except for the normal control group , AI scores in all groups were positively correlated with the proportion of Th17 cells ( r=0.77, P<0.01) . Conclusion Modified QBD can inhibit the expression of Th17 cells and improve the pathological changes of MRL/lpr mice with lupus nephritis.