Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (2): 324-333.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20240203.001

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Protective effect of modified Huangqi Chifeng decoction (加味黄芪赤风汤) on immunoglobulin A nephropathy through toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway

LI Liusheng1,2, ZHAO Mingming3,4, CHANG Meiying3,4, SI Yuan3,4, ZHAO Jinning6, YANG Bin5(), ZHANG Yu3,4()   

  1. 1 Department of Oncology, Beijing Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing 100039, China
    2 Department of Nephropathy, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China
    3 Department of Nephropathy, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China
    4 Xin-Huangpu Joint Innovation Institute of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510070, China
    5 Department of Pathology Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China
    6 Department of Experimental Research Center, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China
  • Received:2022-12-09 Accepted:2023-05-04 Online:2024-04-15 Published:2024-02-03
  • Contact: Prof. ZHANG Yu, Department of Nephropathy, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China. zhangyu8225@126.com; YANG Bin, Department of Pathology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China. yangbin555@126.com Telephone: +86-13611079831
  • Supported by:
    Joint Innovation Fundation of JIICM: Health Management of Chronic Kidney Disease Based on Integrated Traditional Chinese And Western Medicine(2021IR009);Natural Science Foundation-funded Project: the Mechanism of Modified Huangqi Chifeng Decoction Protect Damaged Podocyte via Cross-Talking of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 Signaling Pathway Regulate Autophapy(81873300);The Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences: Comprehensive Evaluation of Clinical efficacy of Modified Huangqi Chifeng Decoction on IgA Nephropathy(ZZ11-023);The Beijing Municipal of Science and Technology Major Project: Evaluation of Clinical Efficacy of Modified Huangqi Chifeng Decoction in Treating Proteinuria in IgA Nephropathy Based on "Deficiency-Wind-Blood-Stasis-Toxicity" Mechanism in Chinese Medicine(Z191100006619063)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To examine the nephroprotective mechanism of modified Huangqi Chifeng decoction (加味黄芪赤风汤, MHCD) in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) rats.

METHODS: To establish the IgAN rat model, the bovine serum albumin, lipopolysaccharide, and carbon tetrachloride 4 method was employed. The rats were then randomly assigned to the control, model, telmisartan, and high-, medium-, and low-dose MHCD groups, and were administered the respective treatments via intragastric administration for 8 weeks. The levels of 24-h urinary protein, serum creatinine (CRE), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured in each group. Pathological alterations were detected. IgA deposition was visualized through the use of immunofluorescence staining. The ultrastructure of the kidney was observed using a transmission electron microscope. The expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were examined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) P65, were examined by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: The 24-h urine protein level in each group increased significantly at week 6, and worsen from then on. But this process can be reversed by treatments of telmisartan, and high-, medium-, and low-dose of MHCD, and these treatments did not affect renal function. Telmisartan, and high-, and medium-dose of MHCD reduced IgA deposition. Renal histopathology demonstrated the protective effect of high-, medium-, and low-dose of MHCD against kidney injury. The expression levels of MCP-1, IL-6, and TGF-β1 in kidney tissues were downregulated by low, medium and high doses of MHCD treatment. Additionally, treatment of low, medium and high doses of MHCD decreased the protein and mRNA levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB.

CONCLUSIONS: MHCD exerted nephroprotective effects on IgAN rats, and MHCD regulated the expressions of key targets in TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby alleviating renal inflammation by inhibiting MCP-1, IL-6 expressions, and ameliorating renal fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β1 expression.

Key words: glomerulonephritis, IGA, toll-like receptor 4, myeloid differentiation factor 88, NF-kappa B, signal transduction, inflammation, renal fibrosis, modified Huangqi Chifeng decoction

Cite this article

LI Liusheng, ZHAO Mingming, CHANG Meiying, SI Yuan, ZHAO Jinning, YANG Bin, ZHANG Yu. Protective effect of modified Huangqi Chifeng decoction (加味黄芪赤风汤) on immunoglobulin A nephropathy through toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024, 44(2): 324-333.