Influence of Didang Xianxiong Decoction on Apoptosis of Podocytes in Diabetes Rats Through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20240139
- VernacularTitle:抵当陷胸汤调控PI3K/Akt信号通路对糖尿病大鼠足细胞凋亡的影响
- Author:
Kejing ZHANG
1
;
Yueqi WANG
1
;
Quangen CHU
1
;
Jun CHU
1
Author Information
1. Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230038, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
diabetic kidney disease;
Didang Xianxiong decoction;
co-treatment of phlegm and stasis;
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway;
podocyte apoptosis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2024;30(12):62-69
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo observe the protective effect of Didang Xianxiong decoction on the kidneys of diabetic rats, its regulation on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and its influence on podocyte apoptosis and explore the mechanism of Didang Xianxiong decoction in improving diabetic nephropathy. MethodThe diabetic model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) solution of 55 mg·kg-1. The successfully replicated model rats were randomly divided into the model group, Didang Xianxiong decoction group (8.10 g·kg-1), Xiao Xianxiongtang group (4.05 g·kg-1), Didangtang group (4.05 g·kg-1), and alagebrium (ALT-711) group (3 mg·kg-1), with six rats in each group. In addition, six rats were included in the blank group. After continuous administration for eight weeks, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in rats' kidney tissue. Masson staining was used to observe the degree of collagen deposition. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used to observe basement membrane lesions, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of phosphorylation (p)-PI3K and p-Akt proteins in rats' kidney tissue. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method was used to detect podocyte apoptosis. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K and Akt in rats' kidney tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), phosphorylation glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK-3β), and Caspase-3 in the kidney tissue. ResultCompared with the normal group, the model group had compensatory expansion of glomeruli, proliferation of mesangial cells, a large amount of collagen deposition in the mesangial stroma, thickening of the basement membrane, decreased mRNA expression of PI3K and Akt, and inhibition of PI3K and Akt protein phosphorylation (P<0.01). It also underwent enhanced apoptotic signaling, decreased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 (P<0.01), and increased expression of Bax, p-GSK-3β, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Didang Xianxiong decoction significantly improved kidney tissue pathology, increased mRNA expression of PI3K and Akt (P<0.01), significantly up-regulated phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt proteins (P<0.01) and Bcl-2 expression (P<0.01), downregulated the expression of Bax, p-GSK-3β, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01), and weakened podocyte apoptotic signaling. ConclusionDidang Xianxiong decoction may promote the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, inhibit podocyte apoptosis, and thus slow down the progression of diabetic nephropathy.