OBJECT To investigate the effects of Huaiqihuang Granule, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on expressions of nephrin and podocin of slit diaphragm of glomerular podocytes in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrosis and to explore the mechanism in reducing the proteinuria. METHODS Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, glucocorticoid group, Huaiqihuang Granule group and Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid group. The 24-hour urine was collected 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after adriamycin injection respectively to measure 24-hour urinary protein, and all rats were sacrificed after 28-day treatment. Pathological changes in renal tissues were observed under a light microscope and an electron microscope. Expressions of nephrin and podocin mRNAs in renal cortex were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels of nephrin and podocin were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS (1) In the model group and the treatment groups, the level of urinary protein increased significantly from the 14th day. (2) Under the light microscope, inflammatory cells and slight fibroplasia were found in renal interstitium of the model group, but there were less inflammatory cells in renal interstitium in the intervention groups than in the model group. Under the electron microscope, 29 days after adriamycin injection, extensive fusion of foot processes was observed. (3) The expressions of nephrin and podocin were higher in treatment groups than in the model group. (4) Proteinuria level was negatively correlated with the expressions of nephrin mRNA and nephrin and podocin proteins. CONCLUSION The above results indicate that Huaiqihuang Granule can maintain the integrity of the slid diaphragram in podocyte, alleviate the lesion of glomerular filtration membrane, and decrease the proteinuria by up-regulating the expressions of nephrin and podocin. Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid maybe has better effects than glucocorticoid alone.

中文翻译：

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怀芪黄颗粒对阿霉素肾病大鼠肾组织中nephrin和podocin表达的影响

目的观察中药怀芪黄颗粒对阿霉素肾病大鼠肾小球足细胞裂膜隔膜nephrin和podocin表达的影响，并探讨其降低蛋白尿的机制。方法20只SD大鼠随机分为5组：对照组，模型组，糖皮质激素组，怀芪黄颗粒组和怀芪黄颗粒加糖皮质激素组。分别在注射阿霉素后7、14、21和28天收集24小时尿液，以测量24小时尿蛋白，并在28天治疗后处死所有大鼠。在光学显微镜和电子显微镜下观察肾组织的病理变化。实时聚合酶链反应检测肾皮质中nephrin和podocin mRNA的表达，Western blotting检测nephrin和podocin的蛋白水平。结果（1）模型组和治疗组的尿蛋白水平从第14天开始显着增加。（2）在光学显微镜下，模型组的肾间质中发现了炎性细胞和轻度纤维化，但干预组的肾间质中的炎性细胞却少于模型组。在电子显微镜下，阿霉素注射29天后，观察到足突广泛融合。（3）治疗组中nephrin和podocin的表达高于模型组。（4）蛋白尿水平与nephrin mRNA，nephrin和podocin蛋白的表达呈负相关。结论以上结果表明，怀芪黄颗粒可通过上调nephrin和podocin的表达，维持足细胞滑图的完整性，减轻肾小球滤过膜的损害，减少蛋白尿。怀芪黄颗粒加糖皮质激素可能比单独使用糖皮质激素具有更好的疗效。