title: [Effect of puerarin combined with felodipine on mRNA and protein expression of apelin and APJ in renovascular hypertensive rat].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of puerarin combined with felodipine on the mRNA and protein expression of apelin and APJ in renal tissue of renovascular hypertensive rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were used, of which 8 rats were randomly chosen as sham-operation group. The remaining rats were made for the rat model with renovascular hypertension. The renovascular hypertensive rats were randomly divided into 5 groups as follows: 4 groups which were treated with felodipine (0.8 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), puerarin (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), puerarin combined with felodipine (puerarin 25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) + felodipine 0.4 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) or captopril combined with felodipine (captopril 15 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x felodipine 0.4 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), and 1 group which was treated with distilled water. Drugs or distilled water were administered for 8 weeks. The expression of apelin and APJ mRNA and protein in ischemic and non-ischemic kidneys was assessed by RT-PCR or Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with sham-operation group, the expression of apelin mRNA and protein in ischemic and non-ischemic kidneys in model group was increased significantly (P < 0.01); the expression of APJ mRNA and protein in ischemic kidneys had no significance, while that in non-ischemic kidneys was decreased (P < 0. 01). Compared with model group, the expression of apelin mRNA and protein in ischemic and non-ischemic kidneys was decreased significantly in all drug-treated groups (P < 0.01); while that of APJ mRNA and protein in non-ischemic kidneys was upregulated (P < 0.01). Compared with felodipine group, the expression of apelin mRNA and protein in ischemic and non-ischemic kidneys was decreased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the group treated with both puerarin and felodipine; and the expression of APJ mRNA and protein in ischemic kidneys did not reach significant level, however, that was upregulated in non-ischemic kidneys (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puerarin downregulates the expression of apelin mRNA and protein in ischemic and non-ischemic kidneys, and upregulates that of APJ mRNA and protein in non-ischemic kidneys. Combination of puerarin and felodipine enhances the above-mentioned effects and shows no significant difference versus the combination of felodipine and captopril. The results suggest that puerarin regulates blood pressure and protects target organ through apelin/APJ pathway and that puerarin has synergetic effects with CCB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine Grade Three Laboratory, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, China. huangzhenggui2006@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zhen-Gui
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiang-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo-Ping
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000073861:Apelin; D000075244:Apelin Receptors; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015736:Felodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007511:Ischemia; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000073861:Apelin; D000075244:Apelin Receptors; C498579:Apln protein, rat; C491284:Aplnr protein, rat; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007529:Isoflavones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D002216:Captopril; D015736:Felodipine; C033607:puerarin