title: [Effects of Qufengtongluo Recipe on podocin mRNA expression and podocyte morphology in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of Qufengtongluo Recipe (QFTLR) on the expression of podocin mRNA and podocyte morphology in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN), and explore the possible mechanism mediating the therapeutic effect of QFTLR on nephropathic proteinuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  SD rats were randomized into normal control group, AN model group (established by a single injection of adriamycin via the tail vein), and 3 intervention groups with QFTLR, prednisone, or benazepril treatment. After the corresponding treatments, the expression of podocin mRNA in the renal tissues was detected by RT-PCR methods, and the morphological changes of the podocytes were examined by electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal control group, the AN model group showed significantly lowered expressions of podocin mRNA (P<0.01) with reduced podocytes and widening, fusion or even absence of the foot processes (FP). Intervention with QFTLR significantly increased the expression of podocin mRNA (P<0.01) and the number of podocytes, and obviously lessened the structural changes of the FP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QFTLR can produce therapeutic effect against nephropathic proteinuria possibly by up-regulating the expression of podocin mRNA and improving the morphological changes of the podocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi an 710004, China. sunwansen41@163.com
authors.forename: Wan-sen
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yan-long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan-yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Qiao-ya
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004317:Doxorubicin; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009401:Nephrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050199:Podocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C407223:NPHS2 protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004317:Doxorubicin