title: Effect of tangnaikang on TGF-beta1-induced transdifferentiation of human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the function of Tangnaikang (TNK) in the prevention and treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis through transdifferentiation of the human renal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1).
  
  
  METHODS
  HK-2 cells cultured in dulbecco's modified eagle medium/F12 (1 : 1) with 10% fetal calf serum were divided into six groups: blank control group, TGF-beta1 group (TGF-beta1 10 ng/mL), serum control group (TGF-beta1 10 ng/mL + 10% serum), treatment group 1 (TGF-beta1 10 ng/mL + 5% TNK serum), treatment group 2 (TGF-beta1 10 ng/mL + 10% TNK serum), and treatment group 3 (TGF-beta1 10 ng/mL + 20% TNK serum). Cell proliferation was detected by 4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and E-cadherin were observed by immunohistochemical assay. The contents of collagen I (Col I), collagen III (Col III), and fibronectin (FN) in the culture medium supernatant were detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  E-cadherin was expressed and alpha-SMA was not expressed in normal HK-2 cells. In HK-2 cells cultured with TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA expression significantly increased, HK-2 cells significantly proliferated, and secretion of Col I, Col III, and FN significantly increased compared with the blank control group (all P < 0.05). In the HK-2 cells cultured with TGF-beta1 and TNK serum, the expression of alpha-SMA significantly decreased, the expression of E-cadherin significantly increased, and the cell proliferation and the secretion of Col I, Col III and FN were significantly inhibited compared with the TGF-beta1 group (all P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNK can inhibit cell proliferation and reduce secretion of Col I, Col III, and FN. This indicates that TNK can inhibit transdifferentiation of human renal tubular epithelial cells induced by TGF-beta1, with the effect of preventing and treating renal interstitial fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory of Gansu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730050, China.
authors.forename: Lixia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xinhuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Tonghua
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Margetts Peter
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1