title: The aqueous extract of Lycopus lucidus Turcz ameliorates streptozotocin-induced diabetic renal damage via inhibiting TGF-β1 signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Renal fibrosis characterized by accumulation of extracellular matrix protein results in chronic renal diseases including diabetic nephropathy. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathway plays a key role in mediating renal fibrosis. Hence, agents that antagonize TGF-β signaling could be candidate for kidney disease therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We established renal fibrosis model both in vitro with fibroblast cells treated with rhTGF-β1 and streptozocin(STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy rats model in vivo and evaluated the effect of the aqueous extract of Lycopus lucidus Turcz, the blood-circulation-promoting Chinese herb, on diabetic nephropathy and investigated the mechanism of action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that Lycopus suppressed rhTGF-β1-induced Smad2 and ERK1/2 activation, down-regulated the expression of TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, Smad4 and Smad7 in SV40 MES13 cells without inhibiting cell viability. In vivo, lycopus inhibited Smad2 phosphorylation, reduced mRNA level of TGF-β1, ameliorated expansion of the mesangial area in glomerular tissue and reduced the levels of Scr and BUN of serum and total-SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lycopus is a novel inhibitor of renal fibrosis by blocking TGF-β signaling pathway and possess a protective effect on renal damage of STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yuanzhang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xueting
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Wuguang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chunping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhenghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Shihui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Xiaoxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002460:Cell Line; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053630:Depsides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D047311:Luteolin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D031333:Lycopus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000494:pharmacology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid
chemical_list: D002109:Caffeic Acids; D002934:Cinnamates; D053630:Depsides; D005960:Glucosides; D047311:Luteolin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013311:Streptozocin; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid; C066408:luteolin-7-glucoside; C040048:caffeic acid
keywords: Lycopus lucidus; Smad; TGF-β; renal disease