Objective To observe the effect of Sanqi Oral Liquid on the podocytes and the expression of slit diaphragm-associated molecules (including Nephrin, Podocin and CD2AP proteins) of diabetes mellitus (DM) rats after unilateral nephrectomy, so as to explore its mechanism for protecting renal function. Methods SD male rats were randomized into sham operation group, model group and Chinese medicine group. The experimental diabetes mellitus ( DM) model was given unilateral nephrectomy and intraperitoneal injection of 35 mg/kg of streptozocin (STZ). And then the model rats were given intragastric administration of Sanqi Oral Liquid (2.5 g· kg-1·d-1) and the same volume distilled water respectively for 8 weeks. After treatment, the density of podocytes and the podocytic foot process width of different groups were measured. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the changes of the expression of Nephrin, Podocin and CD2AP in renal tissues of different groups. Results After treatment with Sanqi Oral Liquid, the density of podocytes was increased, the foot process lesion was relieved, and the expression levels of Nephrin, Podocin and CD2AP proteins were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01 as compared with those in the model group). Conclusion The protective mechanism of Sanqi Oral Liquid for renal function of unilateral nephrectomy DM rats is possibly related with the alleviation of podocyte injury and with the regulation of the expression of Nephrin, Podocin and CD2AP proteins in podocytes.

Objective To study the expression difference and the meaning of interleukin (IL)-1β and Claudin-5 in the kidney and kidney's membrane between lupus mice and the control mice. Methods Gene expression difference of IL-1βand claudin-5 between lupus mice and control mice in their kidney and kidney's membrane was detected with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). The location of the expression was identified by immunohistochemistry. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of each group, pair-wise comparison was used to compare the difference between multiple sample means. LSD method was used when the variance was equal, and Tamhane's T2 method was used when the variance was different. Results Q-PCR test results showed that IL-1β expression in lupus mice's kidney membrane (0.0095±0.0052) was statistically higher than lupus mice's kidney parenchyma (0.0057±0.0013) (t=2.137, P=0.0458) and control mice's kidney membrane (0.0045±0.0033) (t=2.709, P=0.0131), however, there's no statistical significant difference between control mice's kidney membrane and parenchyma (0.0065± 0.0011) (P>0.05), and there's no statistical difference between control and lupus mice's kidney parenchyma (P>0.05). Claudin-5 expression was statistically higher in control mice kidney membrane (0.0192 ±0.0048) than its kidney parenchyma (0.01156 ±0.002190) (t=4.009, P=0.0015) but statistically lower in lupus mice kidney membrane (0.0069±0.0004) than its kidney parenchyma (0.0098±0.0027) (t=2.727, P=0.0173);there's no statistical significant difference between control mice's kidney parenchyma and lupus mice's kidney parenchyma (P>0.05), and lupus mice's kidney membrane expression was statistically lower than control mice's kidney membrane (t=6.018, P=0.0001). Immun-ohistochemistry showed that IL-1β expression was mainly around glomerulus and membrane, but not renal tu-bule. Claudin-5 expression was mainly around glomerulus and membrane. Conclusion Immune inflammation induced by IL-1β has mainly shown in blood vessels, while claudin-5 has protective effect on lupus immune inflammation.