Effect of Qinghua Gushen Paidu Granule on expression of Wnt1 and β-catenin in Wnt signaling pathway in renal fibrosis rats / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the influence and mechaninsm of renal interstitial fibrosis of Qinghua Gushen Paidu Granule (QGPG) on renal tubular epithelial mesenchymal transition in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats. Methods: The male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (108 cases) were randomly divided into Sham-operated group, model group, high-, mid-, low-dose QGPG groups (HQ, MQ, and LQ groups), and Lotensin treated group, 18 in each group. The rats in HQ, MQ, LQ, and Lotensin treated groups were respectively ig administered with QGPG (3, 1.5, and 0.75 g/kg) and Lotensin (1.6 mg/kg, dissolved in nomal saline). At the same time, nomal saline was ig administered in Sham-opration and model groups, once daily. At days 7, 14, and 21, six rats in each group were randomly sacrificed. Serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatitine (SCr) were tested. Also their left surgery renal tissues were collected for pathological examination. The pathological changes of the obstruction renal tissue were examined by HE and Masson staining. The protein expression of Wnt1 and β-catenin was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results: Compared with the Sham-operation group, serum levels of BUN and SCr of rats in other groups were increased (P<0.05), protein expression level of β-catenin increased in the renal tissue (P<0.05). The renal interstitial fibrosis degree was gradually aggratated along with the ureteral obstruction time. Compared with the model group, after the treatment, serum levels of BUN and SCr in rats decreased significantly (P<0.05), protein expression of β-catenin decreased in the renal tissue (P<0.05). Compared with the Sham-operation group, the protein expression of Wnt1 in other group increased (P<0.05). The protein expression of Wnt1 was the highest in day 7 after ureteral obstruction (P<0.05), then decreased. Compared with the model group, after the treatment by drugs, the protein expression of Wnt1 decreased in the renal tissue (P<0.05). Conclusion: QGPG may ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis by down-regulating the expression of Wnt1 and β-catenin.