[Effects of Astragalus polysaccharides and Cordyceps sinensis mycelium mixture on the transforming growth factor-beta1 expression in chronic rejection of artery transplantation: experiment with rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and Cordyceps sinensis (CP) mycelium mixture on the chronic rejection of artery transplantation.


METHODS
The abdominal arteries of 180 Wistar rats were isolated and transplanted to 180 SD rats whose with their abdominal arteries resected. The 180 recipient SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group (n = 20), APS group (n = 40, receiving gastric perfusion of APS 1 mg/kg bid), APS + low-dose CP group (n = 40, receiving APS and CP mycelium powder 1.25 g/d), APS + medium-dose CP group (n = 40, receiving APS and CP mycelium powder 2.5 g/d), and APS + high-dose CP group (n = 40, receiving APS and CP mycelium powder 5 g/d). Thirty days later the SD rats were killed with the transplanted abdominal arteries taken out to undergo microscopy. The expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) in the transplanted artery was examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
In the control group, overexpression of TGF-beta(1) was observed in the intimal smooth muscle cells, monocytes, arterial endothelial cells, and arteriole, venule, and blood capillary endothelial cells in extima. However, the expression levels of TGF-beta(1) in the APS group and the 3 mixture administration groups were all significantly lower, especially in the medium- and high-dose groups (all P < 0.01). Severe edema of arterial endothelial cells and proliferation of monocytes were observed microscopically in the control group. Under electron microscope, rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi body were abundant in the control group. While in the mixture administration groups these changes were either weakened or absent.


CONCLUSIONS
Astragalus polysaccharides and Cordyceps sinensis mycelium polysaccharides mixture can decrease the expression of TGF-beta(1) and inhibit the synthesis of collagen in the transplanted arteries.
Zhao
Song
S
Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150001, China.
Zhang
Wei-hui
WH
Fu
Ying-mei
YM
Cui
Hua-zi
HZ
Chi
Yue-ming
YM
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D004338:Drug Combinations; D011134:Polysaccharides; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D003094:Collagen