OBJECTIVETo study the expressions of gastric mucosal proteins in chronic gastritis (CG) rats of Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDHS), to investigate the pathogenesis correlated to CG rats of PWDHS, to observe the differential expressions of gastric mucosal proteins in CG rats of PWDHS, and to investigate the mechanisms of Sanren Decoction (SD) for treating CG rats of PWDHS.

METHODSTotally 36 male SD rats were adaptable fed for 3 days and randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e., the normal control group, the CG of PWDHS rat model group (abbreviated as the model group), and the SD treatment group, 12 in each group. The CG of PWDHS rat model was prepared by composite factors. The gastric mucosal protein was separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis technique, and stained by Coomassie brilliant blue. The protein spots expressed differently were analyzed by PDquest 8.0 software. The protein spots expressed differently was identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS.

RESULTSThe protein spots were 1 025 +/- 3 9, 994 +/- 51, 1 087 +/- 33 in the normal control group, the model group, and the SD treatment group respectively detected from two-dimensional gel electrophoresis profiles. Compared with the normal control group, there were 74 protein spots differentially expressed in the model group, 30 spots up-regulated and 44 spots down-regulated. Compared with the model group, there were 75 protein spots differentially expressed in the SD treatment group, 49 spots up-regulated and 26 spots down-regulated. Five protein spots differentially expressed were successfully identified, i.e., heat shock protein 72 (HSP72), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), protein disulfide-isomerase (PDI), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and unnamed protein.

CONCLUSIONSThe pathogenesis of CG of PWDHS may be correlated to energy metabolism disturbance and stress. The mechanisms of SD for treating it may possibly adjust differential expressions of gastric mucosal proteins.