OBJECTIVETo examine suppressive effects of multi-glycoside of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (GTW)on mesangial injury induced by two-injecti on of anti-Thy1. 1 monoclonal antibody(mAb) 1-22-3 in vitro.

METHODWe established the irreversible model of glomerulosclerosis with anti-Thy1. 1 mAb 1-22-3. After 42 days of oral treatment with GTW (50 mg x kg(-1) BW)and vehicle (distilled water), to observe effects of GTW on proteinuria, renal function, mesangial morphological change, and mRNA expressions of collagen type I and TGF-beta by light microscope (LM), immunofluorescence (IF), and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTGTW ameliorated proteinuria (from day24 to day 42) and mesangial proliferation [total cell number, GTW group 65.67+/-3.43 vs. control group 87.02+/-2.41, P < 0.05; matrix expansion, GTW group 1.20+/-0.06 vs. control group 2.77+/-0.23, P < 0.05; alpha-smooth muscle actin(alpha-SMA) expression, GTW group 1.75+/-0.33 vs. control group 2.62+/-0.15, P < 0.05; collagen type I expression, GTW group 1.68+/-0.31 vs. control group 2.06+/-0.24, P < 0.05], moreover, significantly reduced the glomerular expression of mRNA for collagen type 1(53.5% to the control group, P < 0.05)and TGF-beta(14.7% to the control group, P < 0.05)on day 42day.

CONCLUSIONGTW can not only decrease proteinuria, but also ameliorate mesangial alterations probably by the reduction of cytokines. GTW may be a promising agent for the prevention of progressive and irreversible glomerulosclerosis.

Actinin ; metabolism ; Animals ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Glomerular Mesangium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proteinuria ; drug therapy ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tripterygium ; chemistry