TMP combined with salvia miltiorrhiza delays the progression of chronic allograft nephropathy in rats

Objective To investigate the effects of ligustrazine (TMP) combined with salvia miltiorrhiza on the progression of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) in rats and the action mechanism.Methods Fischer 344 rats and Lewis rats were used as renal transplant recipients and donors for ortlotopic kidney transplantation. The CAN model was established.By using random number table,the kidney transplant recipients were divided into five groups:cyclosporine A (CsA) group (A),TMP + CsA group (B),Salvia + CsA group (C),TMP + Salvia + CsA group (D) and blank control group (E,receiving no treatment).At 2nd,4th,6th,8th and 12th week after operation,5 mice in each group were sacrificed,and the transplanted kidney was removed for examination of renal histopathological changes. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in the renal allograts,and by using fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction,TGF-β1 mRNA expression in the renal allograts assayed.Results In blank control group,the survival time was no more than two weeks.In group A,the CAN pathological changes occurred at 4th week postoperation,those in group B and group C occurred later than in group A,and latest in group D with mild pathological lesions.In all groups after operation,Banff scores showed an upward trend,and at the same time point,those in group A were significantly higher than groups B,C and D ( P＜0.05 and P＜0.01 ).and those in group D was significantly lower than in group B and group C (P＜0.05),but no significant difference was found between group B and group C (P＞0.05).With time over,the TGF-β1 expression intensity showed an increasing trend.At the same time point,TGF-β1 expression intensity in group A was strongest among groups A,B,C and D (P＜0.05 and P＜0.01 ),and that in group D was significantly lower than in group B and group C (P＜0.05),but no significant difference was found between group B and group C (P＞00.05).The changes of TGF-β1mRNA expression pattem in each group showed the same trends as TGF-β1 protein expression.Conclusion TMP or salvia miltiorrhiza can delay the progression of CAN in kidney transplant rats by down-regulating the TGF-β1 expression,and the combined use of them exerts synergic effects. Key words: Rats;  Kidney transplantation;  Chronic allograft nephropathy;  Tetramethylpyrazine; Salvia miltiorrhiza