活血解毒化瘀方通过MR/NLRP3通路抑制UUO 6个月大鼠对侧肾脏血管平滑肌细胞焦亡的机制研究

目的观察活血解毒化瘀方对单侧输尿管梗阻(Unilateral ureteral obstruction,UUO)6个月大鼠模型对侧肾脏血管平滑肌细胞(Vascular smooth muscle cell,VSMC)焦亡的干预作用,探讨活血解毒化瘀方对慢性肾脏病(Chronic kidney disease,CKD)的部分治疗机制。方法40只雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为假手术(Sham)组、单侧输尿管梗阻(UUO)组、依普利酮治疗(EPL)组和活血解毒化瘀方干预(HJHR)组(n=10)。术后EPL组给予依普利酮,HJHR组给予中药。6个月后摘取右侧肾脏。通过HE染色和Masson染色评估对侧肾脏病理改变。免疫组化检测含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶1(Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase1,Caspase-1)、白细胞介素1β(Interleukin-1β,IL-1β),核因子κappa-B,p65(Nuclear Factorκappa-B,NF-κB,p65)和血清和糖皮质激素诱导的激酶1(Serum and glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1,SGK1)的表达。通过TUNEL染色观察肾脏血管平滑肌细胞的DNA损伤情况。体外实验将大鼠血管平滑肌细胞随机分为4组:空白对照(CON)组、醛固酮刺激(ALD)组、醛固酮加依普利酮治疗(EPL)组和醛固酮加活血解毒化瘀方干预(HJHR)组。ALD组给予醛固酮刺激24 h,EPL组和HJHR组在醛固酮刺激前分别给予依普利酮和10%大鼠含中药血清预处理。通过流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率。通过免疫荧光观察细胞膜中GSDMD蛋白(Gasdermin D,GSDMD)的穿孔和核受体亚家族3C组成员2(Nuclear Receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2,NR3C2)、编码盐皮质激素受体(Mineralocorticoid receptor,MR)的核转位。通过蛋白免疫印迹法检测炎症和细胞焦亡相关信号分子的蛋白质表达。通过实时荧光定量PCR(Quantitative real-time PCR,qRT-PCR)检测细胞焦亡信号通路相关分子的信使RNA(Messenger RNA,mRNA)表达。结果与Sham组比较,UUO组肾脏血管及血管平滑肌细胞的DNA损伤加重,Caspase-1、IL-1β、SGK1、NF-κB的表达增高;与UUO组比较,EPL组和HJHR组肾脏血管及血管平滑肌细胞的DNA损伤有所减轻,Caspase-1、IL-1β、SGK1和NF-κB的表达降低。与CON组比较,ALD组出现大鼠血管平滑肌细胞焦亡及细胞DNA损伤,NR3C2、NOD样受体热蛋白结构域相关蛋白3(Nod-like receptor protein 3,NLRP3)、Caspase-1、GSDMD、IL-1β、SGK1、NF-κB的表达上调;与ALD组比较,EPL组和HJHR组细胞焦亡及细胞DNA损伤减轻,NR3C2、NLRP3、Caspase-1、GSDMD、IL-1β、SGK1、NF-κB的表达降低。结论活血解毒化瘀方通过抑制MR/NLRP3通路的激活,抑制血管平滑肌细胞焦亡,从而减轻UUO对侧肾脏血管损伤。

Huoxue Jiedu Huayu recipe(活血解毒化瘀方)alleviates contralateral renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats by inhibiting the transformation of macrophages to myofibroblast

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the action and underlying mechanisms of Huoxue Jiedu Huayu recipe(活血解毒化瘀方,HJHR)against unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)-induced injury in the contralateral kidney.METHODS:Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing(200±10)g were used in this study and randomly assigned to 4 groups:a sham group,a UUO group,a UUO+eplerenone(EPL)group,and a UUO+HJHR group.The contralateral kidneys were harvested for further study 180 d after surgery.Histological analysis,immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to study the fibrosis of the contralateral kidneys obtained from UUO rats.Contralateral kidney damagerelated pathway proteins were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.RESULTS:HJHR significantly inhibited fibrosis of the contralateral kidney in UUO rats by attenuating the UUOinduced macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition(MMT)in the contralateral kidney.Moreover,HJHR attenuated fibrosis in the contralateral kidney of UUO rats by preventing MMT through the aldosterone/mineralocorticoid receptor/serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 pathway.CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that HJHR may be a potential treatment for renal interstitial fibrosis of obstructive nephropathy.