Effect of Bushen Tongluo Prescription on TGF-β1/Smads Pathway in Pulmonary Fibrosis Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the effect of Bushen Tongluo prescription on the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis induced by bleomycin and the transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1)/Smads pathway protein in rats,and reveal the mechanism of this formula in inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis. Method:Totally 48 male SD rats were randomly divided into five groupsnormal group(8 rats),model group(10 rats),high and low-dose Bushen Tongluo group(10 rats)and hydrocortisone sodium succinate group(10 rats). The model of pulmonary fibrosis was made with bleomycin except for normal group.Since day 3 after surgery,14.2,7.1 g·kg-1 Bushen Tongluo prescription were given by ig in high and low-dose Bushen Tongluo groups,and 4.58 g·kg-1 hydrocortisone sodium succinate was given by gavage(ig) in normal group and model group.All of the rats were put to death after 28 days.The contents of hydroxyproline (HYP),hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN) were measured after the death of the rats.Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and Masson tricolor staining were used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to observe the changes of mRNA and protein expressions of lung tissues TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3, Smad7 in each group. Result:Compared with normal group, the level of pulmonary fibrosis was more significant in model group, and the serum HYP,HA and LN were increased obviously(PPβ1, Smad2,Smad3 proteins and mRNA in lung tissues were increased obviously(PPPPPβ1, Smad2, Smad3 protein and mRNA were decreased obviously(PPConclusion:Bushen Tongluo prescription can effectively improve the pathological process of pulmonary fibrosis, and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of TGF-β1/Smads pathway.