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Study on the inhibitory effect of Herba Selaginellae Uncinatae on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction

XU Jian1, YUAN Hong-ling1, NI Kai2, ZHOU Xiao-ping1, LI Rong1, ZHOU Yan1, GAO Min2   

  1. 1 Renal Department of Internal Medicine, First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunhua Hospital Affiliated to Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650032,China;2 Yunnan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650032, China

  • Online:2016-12-28 Published:2016-12-29
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81460649; Applied Basic Research Project of Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province, 2013FZ

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Abstract:

Objective · To investigate the inhibitory effect of Herba Selaginellae Uncinatae (HSU) on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and possible mechanisms. Methods · One hundred and eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the sham-operation group, the model group, the low-dose HSU group, and the high-dose HSU group. The model of left ureteral obstruction was built in the latter three groups. The low-dose HSU group and the high-dose HSU group received lavage with 2 and 4 g/kg of HSU extract for 14 days, respectively. Renal tissue sections from nine rats in each group were prepared 3, 7, and 14 days,respectively, after the model was built. H-E staining and Masson staining were used to observe renal histopathological changes and renal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expressions of MCP-1, TGF-β1, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in renal tissues. RT-PCR was used to quantitatively measure mRNA levels of TGF-β1, α-SMA, and MCP-1. Results · Renal pathological changes in the model group 3 days after operation were mainly inflammatory cell infiltration with tubular dilation, insignificant renal interstitial fibrosis, and normal glomeruli. Some renal tubules were atrophic with disorganized arrangement 14 days after operation. Diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in renal interstitium with severe fibrosis. Compared with the control group, two HSU groups had less inflammatory cell infiltration, renal tubular atrophy, and fibrosis. The immunohistochemical results showed that α-SMA, MCP-1, and TGF-β1 distributed in renal tubular interstitium and on small vessel walls. The normal saline group had the darkest staining 14 days after operation. The optical density was significantly lower in two HSU groups than in the control group (P<0.05). RT-PCR results showed that mRNA levels of TGF-β1, α-SMA, and MCP-1 in renal tissues were significantly lower in two HSU groups than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion · HSU can down-regulate α-SMA, TGF-β1, and MCP-1 levels in renal tissues of UUO rats, reduce inflammatory cell infiltration, and inhibit the progression of renal fibrosis.

Key words: Herba Selaginellae Uncinatae, UUO rat, renal interstitial fibrosis, inhibition