title: Qingre quyu granule stabilizes plaques through inhibiting the expression of tenascin-C in patients with severe carotid stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the therapeutic effects of Qingre Quyu Granule (QQG) on the patients with severe carotid stenosis, and to explore the mechanism of it.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six patients with severe carotid stenosis were enrolled in the study and were classified into a QQG group (n=48) and a control group (n=48) randomly using consecutively numbered envelopes. The patients in the QQG group were given QQG and Western medicine, those in the control group were given Western medicine merely, the course of treatment was 16 weeks. All patients went through endarterectomy after treatment. Plaques were subjected to the analysis of CD3, CD68, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), CD40L, tenascin-C, and collagen content lipid content by immunohistochemistry or polarized light analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the end of experiment, the expressions of CD3, CD68, ICAM-1, MMP9, CD40L and tenascin-C on the plaques were statistically significant lower in the QQG group compared with the control group(P<0.01). The lipid content of the plaque was also significantly lower in the QQG group compared with the control group (P<0.01). The interstitial collagen in the tissue sections of the plaques was also significantly higher in the QQG group in comparison with the control group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QQG could stabilize carotid artery plaques through inhibiting pro-inflammation factors and restraining the tenascin-C and MMP9 pathway.
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing-pin
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D017252:CD3 Complex; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D003094:Collagen; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D008055:Lipids; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D019063:Tenascin; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule; C000604567:qingre quyu