Effects of matrine on the balance of Th1/Th2 cells in diabetes nephropathy rats
Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of matrine on diabetes nephropathy in rats based on the signal pathway of high mobility group box-1(HMGB1)/Toll like receptor 4(TLR4).Methods The rats with diabetes nephropathy were fed with high fat and high sugar and injected with streptozocin(STZ)solution.The rats were grouped into control group,model group,matrine group(200 mg·kg-1),and HMGB1 inhibitor group(glycyrrhizic acid,10 mg·kg-1),after anesthesia,blood samples were collected to detect blood glucose and lipid levels,renal function indicators,and inflammatory cytokines levels,respectively.Hematoxylin eosin staining,periodic acid-Schiff staining,and Masson staining were applied to observe the pathological changes of renal tissue;the levels of Th1 and Th2 cells in rat spleen tissue were detected by flow cytometry;Western blot was applied to detect the expression of HMGB1/TLR4 pathway related proteins.Results The levels of fasting blood-glucose(FBG)in control group,model group,matrine group and glycyrrhizic acid group were(5.15±0.61),(26.24±2.15),(6.10±0.85)and(5.85±0.74)mmol·L-1,respectively;total cholesterol(TC)levels were(1.56±0.14),(4.15±0.36),(1.89±0.15)and(1.82±0.13)mmol·L-1,respectively;triacylglycerol(TG)levels were(1.46±0.14),(11.01±1.00),(3.04±0.21)and(3.15±0.18)mmol·L-1,respectively;serum creatinine(SCr)levels were(23.45±3.26),(69.78±7.32),(38.71±5.45)and(41.36±6.02)mmol·L-1,respectively;blood urea nitrogen(BUN)levels were(6.27±1.03),(17.02±1.72),(9.32±1.04)and(8.35±1.34)μmol·L-1,respectively;tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)levels were(102.35±14.68),(263.78±18.63),(134.02±11.47)and(122.35±15.04)pg·mL-1,respectively;Th1/Th2 cell ratios were 2.71±0.45,14.23±1.01,4.38±0.64 and 4.03±0.49,respectively;the relative expression levels of HMGB1 protein were 0.25±0.03,1.33±0.16,0.64±0.06,0.61±0.08,respectively;the relative expression levels of TLR4 protein were 0.33±0.06,1.25±0.18,0.51±0.07,0.47±0.09,respectively.Treatment group compared with the control group,the differences of the above indexes were statistically significant(all P<0.05);Matrine group and glycyrrhizic acid group were compared with model group,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Matrine can alleviate renal inflammation and pathological damage in diabetes nephropathy rats by regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 cells,which may be related to inhibiting the activation of HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway.
matrinehigh mobility group box-1/Toll like receptor 4 pathwaydiabetes nephropathyTh1/Th2 cells