title: Yi Qi Qing Re Gao formula ameliorates puromycin aminonucleoside-induced nephrosis by suppressing inflammation and apoptosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Yi Qi Qing Re Gao (YQQRG) formula is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat chronic nephritis. This study was designed to evaluate the underlying mechanism in the use of YQQRG formula to treat nephrosis induced by puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 12 rats each: a sham group, a vehicle-treated PAN model group (PAN), and a group treated with YQQRG (PAN + YQQRG). The PAN model was established by a single intravenous injection of PAN at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight; rats in the sham group received the same volume of saline. Twenty-four hour urinary protein was measured 0, 3, 5, 10, and 15 days after the injection. The rats were sacrificed on day 10 and day 15 and the serum lipid profile examined. The renal cortex of each rat was stained with periodic acid-Schiff reagent and the pathologic alterations and ultrastructural changes were examined by transmission electron microscopy. In situ cell apoptosis was detected by a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated uridine 5'-triphosphate-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay. Transcriptive levels of inflammatory markers and molecules associated with apoptosis were detected by a real-time polymerase chain reaction and expression of proteins was examined by either immunohistochemistry or Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  YQQRG significantly decreased urinary protein level, and lowered serum lipid level. YQQRG also attenuated histologic lesions in the rat kidneys. Activation of inflammatory markers was largely restored by the administration of YQQRG. TUNEL assay showed that YQQRG decreased the number of apoptotic cells. Both mRNA and protein levels of caspase-3 were significantly reduced in the group treated with YQQRG, whereas expression of the Bcl-2 protein increased in the YQQRG group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  YQQRG alleviated kidney injury in PAN-treated rats, possibly through anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects.
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 10029, China. colline0725@163.com.|Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 10029, China. colline0725@163.com.|Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Beijing, 10029, China. colline0725@163.com.
authors.forename: Yumin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China. zhanyongli88@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yongli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Shunyi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 101300, China. liuhuijie66@163.com.
authors.forename: Huijie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 10029, China. ttfrfr@163.com.|Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Beijing, 10029, China. ttfrfr@163.com.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China. relyssia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 10029, China. zhhj529@163.com.|Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Beijing, 10029, China. zhhj529@163.com.
authors.forename: Haojun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 10029, China. yaolishi2001@163.com.|Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Beijing, 10029, China. yaolishi2001@163.com.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 10029, China. lp8675@163.com.|Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Beijing, 10029, China. lp8675@163.com.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009393:Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009401:Nephrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011692:Puromycin Aminonucleoside; D019413:Qi; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011692:Puromycin Aminonucleoside; D053148:Caspase 3