1.Mechanism of Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe Ameliorates Kidney Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Pyroptosis in the Contralateral Kidneys of 6-Month UUO Rats via MR/NLRP3 Pathway
Yunqian XIAN ; Yutong HAN ; Panpan QIANG ; Juan HAO ; Fan YANG ; Qingyou XU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2023;25(10):3336-3346
Objective The intervention effect of Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe on the pyroptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC)on the contralateral renal vessel of 6-month unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)rat model was observed,and part of the treatment mechanism of Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe on chronic kidney disease(CKD)was investigated.Methods Forty male wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:the sham operation(Sham)group,the unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)group,the eplerenone treatment(EPL)group and the Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe intervention(HJHR)group,10 rats in each group.The EPL group was given eplerenone and the HJHR group was given traditional Chinese medicine.The right kidney was collected after 6 months.Pathological changes were assessed by HE staining and Masson staining.The expressions of Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase1(Caspase-1),Interleukin-1β(IL-1β),Serum and glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1(SGK1)and nuclear factor κappa-B(NF-κB)were detected by immunohistochemistry.The DNA damage in renal VSMC was examined by TUNEL staining.Rat VSMCs were used for in vitro experiments.The cells were divided into 4 groups using the random number method:the control(CON)group,the aldosterone(ALD)group,the aldosterone plus eplerenone treatment(EPL)group and the aldosterone plus Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe treatment(HJHR)group.The ALD group was given aldosterone stimulation for 24 h.The EPL group and the HJHR group were given eplerenone and rat serum containing 10%Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe pretreatment before aldosterone stimulation,respectively.The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry.Perforation of gasdermin D(GSDMD)and nuclear translocation of NR3C2(Encode MR)in cell membranes were examined by immunofluorescence.The protein expression of inflammation and pyroptosis-related signaling molecules were examined by western blotting.The mRNA expression of pyroptosis signaling pathway were detected by qRT-PCR.Results Compared with the Sham group,DNA damage of renal blood vessels and VSMCs was increased in UUO group,and expressions of Caspase-1,IL-1β,SGK1 and NF-κB were increased.Compared with the UUO group,the DNA damage of renal blood vessels and VSMCs in EPL and HJHR groups was reduced,and the expressions of Caspase-1,IL-1β,SGK1 and NF-κB were decreased.Compared with the CON group,the ALD group showed pyroptosis and DNA damage of rat VSMC.The expression of NR3C2,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,SGK1 and NF-κB was up-regulated.Compared with the ALD group,the pyroptosis and DNA damage were alleviated,and the expression of NR3C2,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,SGK1 and NF-κB was decreased in EPL and HJHR groups.Conclusion Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe reduce the vascular damage of the contralateral kidneys of UUO by inhibiting the activation of the MR/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and inhibiting the pyroptosis of VSMC.