title: Effects of sodium houttuyfonate on expression of NF-κB and MCP-1 in membranous glomerulonephritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sodium houttuyfonate (SH) is an addition compound of sodium bisulfite and houttuynin. Houttuynin is one of the main ingredients in the volatile oil of Houttuynia cordata Thunb, which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, we investigated the effect of SH in membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) induced by cationic Bovine Serum Albumin (C-BSA) in BALB/c mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were divided into four groups, including normal vehicle-treated controls (N group), model (M group), low SH of 60 mg/kg body weight (L group), or high SH of 120 mg/kg body weight (H group). Urine protein quantification was detected by the urine protein strip test. Morphological assessment in kidneys was observed by light microscope and electron microscopy. The level of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in the nuclear was evaluated by Western blot. Immunohistochemical was used to analyze the expression of MCP-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SH was shown to reverse C-BSA induced increases in urinary protein, and changes in morphology. Treatment with SH at 60-120 mg/kg (L and H groups, respectively) dose-dependently decreased the level of nuclear NF-kappaB and MCP-1 expression compared to that of the M group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals that SH could treat C-BSA induced MGN in BALB/c mice by suppressing NF-kappaB activation and MCP-1 expression. Therefore, the most likely mechanism underlying the biological effects of SH is inhibition of an NF-kappaB mediated-cytokine pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, No. 3 People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201900, China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013447:Sulfites / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; C491768:Ccl2 protein, mouse; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016328:NF-kappa B; D013447:Sulfites; C473296:sodium houttuyfonate