title: Ethanolic Ginkgo biloba leaf extract prevents renal fibrosis through Akt/mTOR signaling in diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves (GbE) have become widely known phytomedicines and have shown various pharmacological activities, including improvement of blood circulation, protection of oxidative cell damage, prevention of Alzheimer's disease, treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications. This study was designed to investigate the effects of an ethanolic GbE on renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to clarify the possible mechanism by which GbE prevents renal fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the protective effects of GbE on renal fibrosis in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Rats were randomized into six groups termed normal control, diabetes mellitus, low dose of GbE (50 mg/kg/d), intermediate dose of GbE (100 mg/kg/d), high dose of GbE (200 mg/kg/d) and rapamycin (1 mg/kg/d).
  
  
  METHODS
  After 12 weeks, the rats were sacrificed and then fasting blood glucose (FBG), creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine protein, relative kidney weight, glycogen and collagen accumulation, and collagen IV and laminin expression were measured by different methods. The amounts of E-cadherin, α-SMA and snail, as well as the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6K in the renal cortex of rats, were examined by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with diabetic rats, the levels of Cr, BUN, urine protein, relative kidney weight, accumulation of glycogen and collagen, and expression of collagen IV and laminin in the renal cortex were all decreased in GbE treated rats. In addition, GbE reduced the expression of E-cadherin, α-SMA, snail and the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6K in diabetic renal cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GbE can prevent renal fibrosis in rats with diabetic nephropathy, which is most likely to be associated with its abilities to inhibit the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Zi
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Xian
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yao-Wu
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical College, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: yinxx@xzmc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xing
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C546845:mTOR protein, rat; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Akt; Diabetic nephropathy; Ethanolic ginkgo biloba extract; Renal fibrosis; mTOR