The Expression And Alteration In Oxymatrine Therapy Of E-cadherin, β-catenin And α-SMA In A Rat Model Of Adriamycin Nephrosis

The Expression and Alteration in Oxymatrine Therapy of E-cadherin,β-catenin and a-SMA in a Rat Model of Adriamycin NephrosisObjective To investigate the expression and alteration in oxymatrine therapy of E-cadherin, P-catenin and a-SMA in a rat model of adriamycin nephrosis.Methods Fifty-four specific pathogen free male wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups:the control group (CG), the model group (MG) and the oxymatrine treated group (OG).A sham operation exposing the left kidney through a right flank incisions and injecting with normal saline (5ml·kg-1) were performed in the CG. In the MG, nephropathy was induced by unilateral nephrectomy and a single tail vein injection of adriamycin (5mg·kg-1) one week after operation. In the OG, oxymatrine (25mg·kg-1·d-1) was administered daily by intramuscular injection after unilateral nephrectomy and administration of adriamycin. Six rats were sacrificed every 2 weeks in each group. Both blood and urine specimens were collected for the biochemical examination and the kidney specimens were fixed by formalin for immunohistochemistry to determine the expression and cellular distribution of E-cadherin,β-catenin andα-SMA.Results 1.In comparison with CG, the multiplication of proteuria and a-SMA and the transition from cytomembrane to cytoplasm of E-cadherin andβ-catenin were observed in MG. But the amount of expression of E-cadherin andβ-catenin determined by image analysis software differed on sections of renal tubules.2. The OG, compared with MG, had a relatively slow pattern of nephrosis and the alteration of E-cadherin andβ-catenin was delayed. But by comparison with CG, the exprssion of E-cadherin andβ-catenin was comparatively decreased in the OG.Conclusions 1.In adriamycin-induced glomerular sclerosis, renal tubules and collecting duct contribute to interstitial fibrosis similarly in a process of epithelial mesenchyme transition (EMT) but differently in the signal regulations of maintaining EMT.2. Oxymatrine, as the active ingredient of traditional herb medicine Kushen, which may affect the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, has somewhat of therapeutic action to slow down the renal fibrogenesis in adriamycin nephrosis.