title: [Effects of Chinese herbal medicine Huaiqihuang Granule on nephrin and podocin expressions in renal tissues of rats with adriamycin-induced nephrosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Huaiqihuang Granule, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on expressions of nephrin and podocin of slit diaphragm of glomerular podocytes in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrosis and to explore the mechanism in reducing the proteinuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, glucocorticoid group, Huaiqihuang Granule group and Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid group. The 24-hour urine was collected 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after adriamycin injection respectively to measure 24-hour urinary protein, and all rats were sacrificed after 28-day treatment. Pathological changes in renal tissues were observed under a light microscope and an electron microscope. Expressions of nephrin and podocin mRNAs in renal cortex were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels of nephrin and podocin were detected by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) In the model group and the treatment groups, the level of urinary protein increased significantly from the 14th day. (2) Under the light microscope, inflammatory cells and slight fibroplasia were found in renal interstitium of the model group, but there were less inflammatory cells in renal interstitium in the intervention groups than in the model group. Under the electron microscope, 29 days after adriamycin injection, extensive fusion of foot processes was observed. (3) The expressions of nephrin and podocin were higher in treatment groups than in the model group. (4) Proteinuria level was negatively correlated with the expressions of nephrin mRNA and nephrin and podocin proteins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The above results indicate that Huaiqihuang Granule can maintain the integrity of the slid diaphragram in podocyte, alleviate the lesion of glomerular filtration membrane, and decrease the proteinuria by up-regulating the expressions of nephrin and podocin. Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid maybe has better effects than glucocorticoid alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yong-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhong-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xue-guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009401:Nephrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C407223:NPHS2 protein; C113267:nephrin; D004317:Doxorubicin