title: Therapeutic effect of artemisinin on lupus nephritis mice and its mechanisms.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of artemisinin (Art) on lupus nephritis mice and its mechanisms by comparing the differences between lupus nephritis (LN) mice given Art and control mice in molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and histopathology. The results showed that Art could remarkably relieve the symptoms, decrease the level of urine protein/24 h, and alleviate pathological renal lesions. The differences among the four groups in the expression of the NF-κBp65 protein, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, and the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA in renal tissue suggested that Art can lower the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inhibit the expression of the NF-κBp65 protein and NF-κB and TGF-β1 mRNA in the renal tissues of LN mice. These results proved that it is reliable and effective to use Art to treat LN mice, and its therapeutic mechanisms should closely be related to the fact that Art can obviously decrease the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and down-regulate the expression of the NF-κBp65 protein and NF-κB and TGF-β1 mRNA in renal tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese Traditional and Western Medicine, Shaanxi Province Key TCM Department of Nephrology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China. wuxili1984@163.com
authors.forename: Xili
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wanggang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xingmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Wansen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors; C031327:artemisinin