Astragalus membranaceus and its monomers treat peritoneal fibrosis and related muscle atrophy through the AR/TGF-β1 pathway.

To anticipate the potential molecular mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and its monomer, Calycosin, against peritoneal fibrosis (PF) and related muscle atrophy using mRNA-seq, network pharmacology, and serum pharmacochemistry. Animal tissues were examined to evaluate a CKD-PF mice model construction. mRNA sequencing was performed to find differential targets.

Astragalus polysaccharides augment BMSC homing via SDF-1/CXCR4 modulation: a novel approach to counteract peritoneal mesenchymal transformation and fibrosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) pretreatment in enhancing the homing and anti-peritoneal fibrosis capabilities of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into four groups: control, peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF), PDF + BMSCs, and PDF + BMSCs (APS-pre-treated BMSCs). A peritoneal fibrosis model was induced using PDF.

Shen-yan-yi-hao oral solution ameliorates IgA nephropathy via intestinal IL-17/NF-κB pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis in the world, it is one of the most common causes of kidney disease and can lead to end-stage kidney disease, however, its pathogenesis is still complicated. The Shen-yan-yi-hao oral solution (SOLI) is an effective prescription for the clinical treatment of IgAN while its specific mechanism remains to be further elucidated.

Aim Of The Study: This study investigates SOLI's effects on IgAN in rats, particularly on the intestinal mucosal barrier, and identifies potential therapeutic targets through network pharmacology and molecular docking, validated experimentally.

The role of macrophage-derived Exosomes in reversing peritoneal fibrosis: Insights from Astragaloside IV.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a successful renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease. Long-term PD causes mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs), leading to peritoneal fibrosis (PF), which reduces the efficiency of PD. Macrophages are thought to play a role in the onset and perpetuation of peritoneal injury.

Intercellular communication in peritoneal dialysis.

Long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) causes structural and functional alterations of the peritoneal membrane. Peritoneal deterioration and fibrosis are multicellular and multimolecular processes. Under stimulation by deleterious factors such as non-biocompatibility of PD solution, various cells in the abdominal cavity show differing characteristics, such as the secretion of different cytokines, varying protein expression levels, and transdifferentiation into other cells.

TMT quantitative proteomics and network pharmacology reveal the mechanism by which asiaticoside regulates the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway to inhibit peritoneal fibrosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional Chinese medicine, Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., has been extensively utilized in clinics to treat a variety of fibrotic disorders.

Allantoin induces pruritus by activating MrgprD in chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease with decreased, irreversible renal function. Pruritus is the most common skin symptom in patients with CKD, especially in end-stage renal disease. The underlying molecular and neural mechanism of CKD-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) remains obscure.

Causal Effects of Specific Gut Microbiota on Chronic Kidney Diseases and Renal Function-A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Targeting the gut microbiota may become a new therapeutic to prevent and delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nonetheless, the causal relationship between specific intestinal flora and CKD is still unclear.

Materials And Method: To identify genetically predicted microbiota, we used summary data from genome-wide association studies on gut microbiota in 18340 participants from 24 cohorts.

Akkermansia muciniphila attenuates LPS-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a global public health hazard with high morbidity and mortality. Sepsis accounts for nearly half of all causes of AKI. Scientists have made a great effort to explore effective therapeutic agents with limited side effects in the treatment of AKI, but have had little success.

[Advances in the mechanism of extracellular vesicles action in macrophage-related tissue fibrosis].

Fibrosis is a pathological healing process which occurs in the progression of various chronic diseases after tissue injury. Extracellular vesicles are involved in tissue fibrosis through communication between cells. Macrophages are important immune cells that maintain tissue integrity by eliminating or repairing damaged cells and matrix.

Isolation and characterization of peritoneal microvascular pericytes.

As a potential source of myofibroblasts, pericytes may play a role in human peritoneal fibrosis. The culture of primary vascular pericytes in animals has previously been reported, most of which are derived from cerebral and retinal microvasculature. Here, in the field of peritoneal dialysis, we describe a method to isolate and characterize mouse peritoneal microvascular pericytes.

Astragalus Total Saponins Ameliorate Peritoneal Fibrosis by Promoting Mitochondrial Synthesis and Inhibiting Apoptosis.

Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is a disease caused by prolonged exposure of the peritoneum to high levels of dialysis fluid. Astragalus total saponins (ATS) is a phytochemical naturally occurring in that has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. In this study, we constructed an model of PF using 4.

Tetramethylpyrazine Ameliorates Peritoneal Angiogenesis by Regulating VEGF/Hippo/YAP Signaling.

Angiogenesis of human peritoneal vascular endothelial cells (HPVECs), linked to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling, is a complication of peritoneal fibrosis (PF). Hippo/YAP signaling interacts with VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling, but the effect on peritoneal angiogenesis and PF has not been studied. We tested VEGF/Hippo/YAP inhibition by tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) in PF mice and HPVECs.

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Herbal Formula Granules in Treating Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3: A Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Background: It is generally considered that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy postpones the progression of some chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). Chinese medicine herbs are widely applied in TCM therapy. We aimed to evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal formula granules in patients with CKD stage 3 through a prospective randomized controlled study.

The Efficacy of Tai Chi and Qigong Exercises on Blood Pressure and Blood Levels of Nitric Oxide and Endothelin-1 in Patients with Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: Tai Chi and Qigong are the two similar traditional Chinese wellness exercises. A strong body of published clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has investigated the health benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong exercises (TCQE) in patients with essential hypertension (EH). This is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of TCQE on blood pressure (BP) and blood levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in EH patients and explore the potential antihypertensive mechanism of TCQE.

Asiaticoside inhibits TGF-β1-induced mesothelial-mesenchymal transition and oxidative stress via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in the human peritoneal mesothelial cell line HMrSV5.

Background: Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is a frequent complication caused by peritoneal dialysis (PD). Peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs), the first barrier of the peritoneum, play an important role in maintaining structure and function in the peritoneum during PD. Mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MMT) and oxidative stress of PMCs are two key processes of PF.

Astragalus Inhibits Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells by Down-Regulating β-Catenin.

Background/aims: The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) is a crucial event in the induction of peritoneal fibrosis (PF), in which canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling participates. Smads signaling is reported to interact with β-catenin and synergistically regulates EMT. This study was aimed to reveal the effect of Astragalus on β-catenin in EMT of PMCs.

Efficacy of Chinese herb Cistanche Yishen granules in treatment of tinnitus for patients with chronic nephritis.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Chinese herb Cistanche Yishen granules (CYG) in the treatment of tinnitus for patients with chronic nephritis.

Methods: A total of 89 adult patients were diagnosed with chronic glomerulonephritis from January 2016 to December 2017. All the patients were randomly divided into two groups, such as the control group and the CYG group.

The RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway affects the development of diabetic nephropathy resulting from the epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes and is related to the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. In this study, we aimed to find whether the RhoA/ROCK pathway affects the development of diabetic nephropathy caused by the epithelial to mesenchymal transition both in vivo and in vitro. The results show that inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway improved the pathology and degree of fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy as determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining.

Exosomes: The New Mediator of Peritoneal Membrane Function.

Fibrosis and angiogenesis are the most common processes that result in progressive peritoneal tissue remodeling and, eventually, peritoneal membrane dysfunction. The role of exosomes, which contributes to intercellular communication, in these processes has been neglected. Various biomolecules, including DNA, mRNA, proteins, lipids, and particular certain miRNAs, can be transferred by exosomes to local, neighboring and distal cells.

Angiogenesis and Inflammation in Peritoneal Dialysis: The Role of Adipocytes.

Chronic inflammation and angiogenesis are the most common complications in patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD), resulting in progressive peritoneum remolding and, eventually, utrafiltration failure. Contributing to the deeper tissue under the peritoneal membrane, adipocytes play a neglected role in this process. Some adipokines act as inflammatory and angiogenic promoters, while others have the opposite effects.

The Role of TLR4 in M1 Macrophage-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells.

Background/aims: Peritoneal fibrosis is a frequent complication of peritoneal dialysis that follows inflammation. It is recognized that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs), plays a key role in fibrogenesis. However, the relationship between inflammatory macrophages and PMCs remains elusive.

Effects of Astragaloside IV Against the TGF-β1-Induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells by Promoting Smad 7 Expression.

Background/aims: To investigate the effect of Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on the regulation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway in peritoneal mesothelial cells with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods: EMT of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HMrSV5) was induced using 2 ng/ml TGF-β1. Cells were randomly divided into a vehicle group, a vehicle group with AS-IV, a TGF-β1 treated group, and a TGF-β1 treated group receiving varied doses of AS-IV or NAC.

Astragalus membranaceus inhibits peritoneal fibrosis via monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) pathway in rats submitted to peritoneal dialysis.

Inflammation and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contribute to the development of peritoneal fibrosis (PF), which is associated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus) has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in many diseases. The goal of this study was to determine the anti-fibrotic effects of Astragalus on the PF response to PD.