title: Huaiqihuang Granules () reduce proteinuria by enhancing nephrin expression and regulating necrosis factor κB signaling pathway in adriamycin-induced nephropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Huaiqihuang Granules (, HQH), a mixture of Chinese herbs including Trametes robiniophila Murr, Fructus Lycii and Polygonatum sibiricum, on adriamycininduced nephropathy (ADRN) in rats and its underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats with ADRN were divided into four groups: the sham group, the model group (distilled water), the low-dose HQH-treated (2 g/kg) group, and the high-dose HQH-treated (4 g/kg) group. Body weight and 24-h urinary protein (Upro) were checked every week. After 5-week intervention, at the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for examination of biochemical parameters, including glomerular morphological makers, podocyte shape, cellular apoptosis, expressions of nephrin, inflammatory and apoptosis markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HQH ameliorated the rat's general status, proteinuria, renal morphological appearance and glomerulosclerosis. The decreased expression of nephrin in ADRN rats was increased by HQH, as well as the impaired podocyte foot process fusion. Cytosolic levels of p65 and inhibitor of nuclear factor κBα (IκBα) were decreased in ADRN rats, and recovered by the treatment of HQH. Consistently, the induced expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), phosphorylated nuclear factor κB p65 (p-NFκB p65) and IκBα in ADRN were markedly suppressed by HQH. In addition, induction of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome C in ADRN rats were suppressed by HQH, indicating the amelioration of apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HQH could ameliorate renal impairments in ADRN rats by increasing nephrin expression, inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway via the down-regulation of p-NF-κB p65 and p-IκBα, and suppression of glomerular and tubular apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.|Graduate School, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China. jssunwei@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Center for Diabetes Care, Education and Research, Jiangsu Province Institute of Geriatrics, Nanjing, 210024, China.
authors.forename: Liu-Bao
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Bing-Yin
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C000593291:huai qi huang; C113267:nephrin; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D004317:Doxorubicin; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Chinese medicine; Huaiqihuang Granules; adriamycin-induced nephropathy; apoptosis; nephrin; nuclear transcription factor kappa B