{"title":"Experimental Mechanism of Triptolide Delaying Glomerulosclerosis in Chronic Kidney Disease.","authors":"Zhidan Deng, Lijuan Chai, Jingjing Wang, Fei Wang, Jian Jiang, Wenjuan Zhang","doi":"10.56434/j.arch.esp.urol.20257807.120","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the impact of Tripterygium wilfordii glycosides (TWG) on glomerulosclerosis within a rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as the role of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway in this mechanism.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-four clean Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into Sham group (n = 8), model group (n = 8) and TWG group (n = 8). Adriamycin nephropathy (ADRN) rat model was established by jugular vein injection of adriamycin (ADR). TWG rats were given TWG 50 mg/kg intragastrically once a day for 6 weeks. After 10 weeks, the ratio of total cell number to glomerulus, extracellular matrix (ECM) and collagen (Coll) deposition, a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), type I collagen (Col1) expression, TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3mRNA expression and TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3 protein expression were compared in each group.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Masson staining revealed that in the model group, there was an increase in glomerular fibrosis, a heightened deposition of collagen fibers, and an expansion of interstitial spaces; Conversely, in the electroacupuncture group, the deposition of glomerular collagen fibers diminished. The intensity of a-SMA and ColI immunofluorescence staining in the kidney tissue of rats from the model group was markedly higher than that observed in the Sham group (<i>p</i> < 0.0001, < 0.0001 respectively). In contrast, the a-SMA and ColI immunofluorescence staining intensity in the TWG group was reduced compared to the model group (<i>p</i> = 0.009, 0.016 respectively). Furthermore, the expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the kidney tissue of rats in the TWG group were lower than those in the model group (<i>p</i> = 0.013, 0.008, respectively), while the Smad7 mRNA was elevated compared to the model group (<i>p</i> = 0.019, 0.011, respectively). Additionally, the protein expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 in the kidney tissue of rats in the TWG group were diminished compared to those in the model group (<i>p</i> < 0.0001, 0.006 respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TWG can improve glomerulosclerosis and delay its progression, which may be achieved by down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad signal pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":48852,"journal":{"name":"Archivos Espanoles De Urologia","volume":"78 7","pages":"909-916"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Archivos Espanoles De Urologia","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.56434/j.arch.esp.urol.20257807.120","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"UROLOGY & NEPHROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To explore the impact of Tripterygium wilfordii glycosides (TWG) on glomerulosclerosis within a rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as the role of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway in this mechanism.
Methods: Twenty-four clean Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into Sham group (n = 8), model group (n = 8) and TWG group (n = 8). Adriamycin nephropathy (ADRN) rat model was established by jugular vein injection of adriamycin (ADR). TWG rats were given TWG 50 mg/kg intragastrically once a day for 6 weeks. After 10 weeks, the ratio of total cell number to glomerulus, extracellular matrix (ECM) and collagen (Coll) deposition, a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), type I collagen (Col1) expression, TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3mRNA expression and TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3 protein expression were compared in each group.
Results: Masson staining revealed that in the model group, there was an increase in glomerular fibrosis, a heightened deposition of collagen fibers, and an expansion of interstitial spaces; Conversely, in the electroacupuncture group, the deposition of glomerular collagen fibers diminished. The intensity of a-SMA and ColI immunofluorescence staining in the kidney tissue of rats from the model group was markedly higher than that observed in the Sham group (p < 0.0001, < 0.0001 respectively). In contrast, the a-SMA and ColI immunofluorescence staining intensity in the TWG group was reduced compared to the model group (p = 0.009, 0.016 respectively). Furthermore, the expression levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the kidney tissue of rats in the TWG group were lower than those in the model group (p = 0.013, 0.008, respectively), while the Smad7 mRNA was elevated compared to the model group (p = 0.019, 0.011, respectively). Additionally, the protein expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 in the kidney tissue of rats in the TWG group were diminished compared to those in the model group (p < 0.0001, 0.006 respectively).
Conclusions: TWG can improve glomerulosclerosis and delay its progression, which may be achieved by down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad signal pathway.
期刊介绍:
Archivos Españoles de Urología published since 1944, is an international peer review, susbscription Journal on Urology with original and review articles on different subjets in Urology: oncology, endourology, laparoscopic, andrology, lithiasis, pediatrics , urodynamics,... Case Report are also admitted.