title: [Effects and mechanisms of Qifu decoction ameliorating renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis through inhibiting ERK1/2 signaling pathway in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats with yang deficiency].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the effects and mechanisms of Qifu decoction( QFD) on renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) in model rats with yang-deficiency syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the Sham group (Group A), the Model group (Group B), the Qifu decoction group (Group C) and the Enalapril group (Group D). The RIF model was established by adenine administrated and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) of the left ureter. After the model was successfully established, the rats in Group C and D were administrated with QFD or the Enalapril suspension,while the rats in Group A and B were administrated with distilled water. All rats were administrated for 3 weeks. Before administration and at the end of week 1, 2 and 3, the rats were weighted, and 24 h urinary protein excretion (Upro), urinary β2-microglobulin (Uβ2-MG) and urinary N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were examined, respectively. All rats were killed after administration for 3 weeks. Blood and renal tissues were collected, renal morphology and tubulointerstitial morphology were evaluated, respectively. Serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and uric acid (UA) were detected, respectively. The protein expressions of E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), onnective tissue growth factor (CTGF) extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2(ERK1/2) and phosphorylated-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in kidney were evaluated, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QFD ameliorated serum cAMP level and the rate of cAMP/cGMP, attenuated urinary β2-MG level, NAG level and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, increased E-cadherin protein expression, and reduced α-SMA, TGF-β1, CTGF and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions in the kidney. However, QFD had no influence on renal function in vivo. In addition, these effects were better than those of the model rats treated by Enalapril.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QFD could alleviate yang-deficiency parameters, as well as urinary β2-MG level and NAG level in model rats induced by adenine administration and UUO. Moreover, QFD could improve EMT and RIF by up-regulating E-cadherin protein expression, and down-regulating α-SMA, TGF-β1, CTGF and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions, the key molecular in ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xue-Jiao
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Yi-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005355:Fibrosis; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000150:complications*; D016711:Yang Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C027492:Huang Qi; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases