Chinese Medicine Astragalus Red Mixture 1 Expression Of Tissue Inhibitor Of Matrix Metalloproteinases In Renal Interstitial Fibrosis In Renal Tissue Of Rats

Objective:To investigate the expression of TIMP-1 in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in rats with Unilatreal Ureteral Obstruction .To investigate the theraputic effects and its mechanisms of Astragalus and Safflower mixture.Methods:Rat renal interstitial fibrosis model was produced by unilateral ureteral obstruction,40 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into four groups,10 in each :sham group(A group), UUO group(B group), A&S group(C group) and ACEI group(D group). Astragalus and Safflower mixture,ACEI or the same amount of water were administered by gavage beginning 3 days before UUO preparation and continued through forteen days after UUO.Sera and kidney tissues were collected from each group on the forteenth day.Bun and Scr were measured.It was carried out to measure the level of tubulointerstitial damage by Masson staining. The expression of TIMP-1 and fibronectin(FN) in kidneys was analyzed by immunohistochemical method. TIMP-1mRNA was detected by in-situ hybridization method.Result: There was no changed in sham group.But in UUO group ,it was shown that there was tubular epithelial cells denaturalization,renal tubular expand or atrophy,interstitial macrophage and monocyt infiltration,interstitial expand,and there was no glomeruli change.While the change in A&S group and ACEI group were lighter than that in UUO group. The protein expression of TIMP-1 and FN and the renal interstitial fibrotic area were highter significantly than that in sham group(P<0.01). Compared with UUO group, those of the treatment groups decreased markedly(P<0.01). There was no significant difference between A&S group and ACEI group(P>0.05). The expression of TIMP-1mRNA were highter significantly than that in sham group(P<0.01). Compared with UUO group, those of the treatment groups decreased markedly(P<0.05)(P<0.01). There was no significant difference between two treatment groups(P>0.05). The level of BUN and Scr in UUO group were significantly highter than that in sham group(P<0.01).Compared with UUO group ,the level of BUN and Scr in A&S group and ACEI group were significantly lower(P<0.01).There was no significantly difference in these two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion: Astragalus and Safflower mixture can downregulate the level of BUN and Scr in UUO animal model rats, Astragalus and Safflower mixture can suppress the upregulation of TIMP-1 and FN expression in kidneys of UUO animal model rats and decrease their interstitial fibrotic area.It is inferred that it may be one of the mechanisms of Astragalus and Safflower mixture suppressing renal tubular damage and interstitial fibrosis.