Niaoduqing granules inhibits TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells

Objective Chronic renal failure(CRF)is a worldwide public health burden.Niaoduqing granules(NDQ)is widely used for CRF treatment in China.However,the underlying mechanism of NDQ is not fully studied.This study is aimed to investigate whether NDQ ameliorate CRF by inhibiting transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-induced EMT in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells.Methods 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylterazolium bromide assay and colony formation assay were used to investigate the cytotoxicity of NDQ in HK-2 cells.Morphological changes of HK-2 cells after TGF-β1 or/and NDQ treatment were observed under a microscope.Wound-healing,migration and invasion assays were performed to determine the cell movement,migratory and invasive abilities,respectively.Western blot analysis was carried out to examine the protein levels of TGF-βreceptor I(TβRI)and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-associated factors.Fluorescence confocal microscopy was applied to observe the organization of filamentous actin.Results NDQ suppressed TβRI expression dose-dependently.NDQ inhibited TGF-β1-stimulated EMT in HK-2 cells,supported by the evidences that NDQ prevented morphology change,attenuated cell migration and invasion,downregulated EMT factors and reorganized filamentous actin distribution in TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cells.Conclusions NDQ attenuates chronic renal failure which may be associated with inhibition of TβRI expression and EMT process.

Clinical observation and experimental study on Kangfuxin fluid in treating indwelling needle-related phlebitis

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Kangfuxin Fluid on indwelling needle-related phlebitis by observation of clinical samples and pharmacological study.Methods Eighty-five patients with indwelling needle-related phlebitis in the neurosurgery department of a Grade A hospital in Shanxi Province from June 2019 to November 2021 were randomly divided into the study group(43 cases)and the vehicle group(42 cases).Patients in the study group were treated with KFX,and patients in the control group were treated with hydrocolloid dressing.The time for symptoms(such as redness and pain)to disappear was recorded.The effect of tissue repair was evaluated by the fin crosscutting model and the anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by the inflammatory models.Q-PCR assay was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-αin LPS-stimulated zebrafish.The effect on promoting angiogenesis was evaluated by the inter-segmental blood vascular defect model of zebrafish.Results The curative effect of the study group was better than the control group.The pain resolution time and the swelling resolution time in the study group were(1.67±0.90)d and(2.25±0.92)d,respectively,shorter than those in the control group(P<0.05).KFX can improve the ISV index,increase the regeneration length of the fin,inhibit the migration of neutrophils in three inflammatory models and reduce the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-αin LPS-stimulated zebrafish.Conclusion KFX exerts great clinical efficacy in the treatment of indwelling needle-induced phlebitis which may be associated with inflammation inhibition,angiogenesis promotion,and tissue repair.