title: Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract exerts renal anti-fibrotic effects in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sedum sarmentosum Bunge, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has a wide range of clinical effects, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer properties. In this study, we determined whether S. sarmentosum Bunge Extract (SSBE) has anti-fibrotic effects on renal tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effects of SSBE on aristolochic acid (AA)-induced injury to renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) in vitro and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis in vivo by evaluating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Furthermore, we examined the expression levels of TGF-β1 and its receptor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cultured RTECs (NRK-52E), AA promoted renal EMT and ECM accumulation by up-regulating the expression of mesenchymal markers and ECM components and by down-regulating the expression of epithelial markers. In addition, AA induced an imbalance between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 and enhanced expression of TGF-β1 and its receptor. SSBE treatment significantly inhibited AA-induced TGF-β1 expression and prevented the induction of EMT and deposition of ECM. In the UUO rats, tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis were obviously increased. SSBE administration protected renal function, as indicated by reduced serum creatinine levels, and alleviated renal interstitial fibrosis. These anti-fibrotic effects were associated with a reduction in TGF-β1 expression and inhibition of EMT and ECM accumulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that SSBE may have therapeutic potential for fibrotic kidney diseases.
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Yongheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Luzhou City, Luzhou 646000, China.
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Cunzao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Chengcheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China. Electronic address: greatsailor@163.com.
authors.forename: Bicheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D034341:Aristolochic Acids / Q000633:toxicity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D031963:Sedum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D034341:Aristolochic Acids; D017931:DNA Primers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; C000228:aristolochic acid I
keywords: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; Matrix accumulation; Renal fibrosis; Sedum sarmentosum Bunge; Transforming growth factor-β1