title: [Effects of tripterygium wilfordii polyglucoside on expression of Activin A and influence of transdifferentiation in renal tubulointerstitium of rats with diabetic nephropathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of tripterygium wilfordii polyglucoside (TWP) on expression of Activin A (Act-A) and influence of transdifferentiation in renal tubulointerstitium of rats with diabetes nephropathy (DN).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, DN model, irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups (n = 10 each). The animal model of DN was established by an injection of streptozotocin. After modeling, irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups received an intragastric injection of corresponding drugs. The body weights were recorded and the 24 h Pro quantitative levels detected at Weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 respectively. After sacrificing at Week 16, serum creatinine (Scr) was detected. The renal tissues were excised and examined after HE and PAS staining. The expressions of Act-A, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type IV (Co-IV) and E-cad in renal tubulointerstitium were detected by immunohistochemistry. And the expressions of Act-A, α-SMA, Co-IV and mRNA of E-cad in renal tissue were detected by real-time quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with DN model group, 24 hPro ((67.1 ± 9.6), (61.8 ± 8.0) vs (158.3 ± 13.3) mg), quantitative Scr ((31.7 ± 4.1), (32.6 ± 6.2) vs (55.3 ± 8.9) µmol/L) and renal hypertrophic index ((9.14 ± 0.65), (7.50 ± 0.34) vs (11.28 ± 0.70) mg/g) of irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups decreased obviously at Week 16 (all P < 0.05). However, no statistical significance existed between irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups. The body weights of irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups increased versus DN model group. Pathological sections showed that lesion degree of renal tubulointerstitium became alleviated in each group. Yet no statistical significance existed between irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups. Both immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR showed that the expressions of Act-A, α-SMA and Co-IV significantly decreased in renal tubulointerstitium (P < 0.01) while the expression E-cad significantly increased (P < 0.01) in inirbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups versus DN model group. And no statistical significance existed between irbesartan treatment and TWP treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TWP may down-regulate the expression of Act-A and inhibit the transdifferentiation of renal tubulointerstitial so as to delay renal fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
authors.forename: Chenguang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Dayi Hospital, Taiyuan 030032, China. Email: ywm4158963@163.com.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005960:Glucosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029757:Tripterygium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005960:Glucosides; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins