Effects of blocking of p38 MAPK on the signal passway of NF-κB in glomerular mesangial cells incubated with high concentration of glucose

AIM : To investigate the effects of blocking of p38 MAPK on the signal passway of NF-κB in glomerular mesangial cells incubated with high concentration of glucose. METHODS : Rat mesangial cells(MC) were incubated in media containing 5.5 mmol/L glucose(control group),25 mmol/L high glucose(HG group),25 mmol/L glucose +10 μmol/L SB203580(specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK)(SB group).Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8.Expressions of proteins of p38 MAPK and phospho-p38 MAPK in cytoplasm and nuceli were detected by phospho-ELISA method.Total NF-κB p65,activated-NF-κB p65(NLS-NF-κB),phspho-NF-κB p65(Ser276-NF-κB) in cytoplasms and nuceli were detected by Phospho-ELISA method,too. RESULTS :Compared with control group,MC in HG group showed a high growth rate,the levels of phospho-p38 MAPK in nucli and cytoplasm were increased in HG group,and the levels of NLS-NF-κB and Ser276-NF-κB in nuceli were also increased in HG group.These changes could be reversed by treatment of SB203580. CONCLUSION : Blocking of p38 MAPK could obviously down-regulate the activities of signal passway of NF-κB of MC,then inhibite the abnormal proliferation of mesangial cells.