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.

Meta-Analysis of Niaoduqing Granules Combined With RAAS System Blocker in the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy

To systematically evaluate the efficacy of urinary granules combined with RAAS system blockers in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy(DN).A meta-analysis of the data required in the literature in accordance with this study was performed using Rev Man 5.3 software.Fifteen randomized controlled trials were analyzed in the present study to evaluate the clinical effect of Niaoduqing-angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blocker(ACEI/ARB)in DN patients.A total of 1063 patients were involved,including 538 patients receiving the combination treatment and 525 patients in the control group.The results showed that the clinical efficacy of Niaoduqing granule combined with ACEI/ARB was significantly better than of the control group(odds ratio=2.92,95%confidence interval[CI]1.76–4.86).The treatment combined with Niaoduqing granule decreased the 24-h urinary protein quantitation(mean difference[MD]0.71,95%CI 0.28–1.14)and urine albumin excretion rate(UAER)(MD 41.13,95%CI 26.66–55.59)levels.However,the combination group had no treatment advantage on reducing serumurea nitrogen(MD 0.86,95%CI 0.05–1.68,P=0.02)and fasting blood glucose(MD-0.03,95%CI-0.15–0.09,P=0.61).And there was no significance in adverse events between two groups(risk ratio=2.34,95%CI 0.69–7.95,P=0.17).Niaoduqing granule-ACEI/ARB combination group maybe as safe as ACEI/ARB alone,and the combination played an advantage in improvement in total effective rate,reduction of 24-h urinary protein quantitation and UAER.