Effects of Dangshen extract saponin on apoptosis and the mechanism in ischemia-reperfusion injury of renal grafts

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of Dangshen （DS） extract saponins alleviating apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion injury （I/R） of renal grafts and the mechanism. Methods The I/R injury model in SD rats was established after kidney transplantation. The SD rats were randomly divided into the following 3 groups （n = 20）： sham operation group, I/R model group, DS saponin intervention group. Blood urea nitrogen （Bun） and creatinine （Scr） levels were determined at the 24th h after operation; apoptosis index （AI） was detected by using TUNEL method; the expression of Bcl2 and bax mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Results As compared with the sham operation group,the blood Bun and Scr levels were significantly increased in the I/R model and DS saponin intervention groups （P〈0. 05）. As compared with the DS saponin intervention group, the blood Bun and Scr levels were significantly increased in the I/R group （P〈0.05）. The AI was significantly increased in the I/R model group and DS saponin intervention group. After DS saponin intervention, the AI was decreased from 40. 28 % in the I/R model group to 28. 45 % in the DS saponin intervention group （P〈0. 05）. The expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in DS saponin intervention group and I/R model group was significantly decreased as compared with the sham operation group （P〈0. 05）, but that of Bax mRNA was significantly increased in the I/R model group and DS saponin intervention group as compared with the sham operation group （P〈0. 05）. After DS saponin intervention, the expression of Bcl-2mRNA was increased from 0. 25 in the I/R model group to 0. 391 （P〈0. 05）, and that of Bax mRNA was decreased from 0. 565 in the I/R model group to 0. 473 （P〈0. 05）. Conclusion DS extract saponin could significantly alleviate apoptosis in the I/R injury of renal grafts possibly by up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA and down-regulating the expression of Bax gene. Key words: Ischemia-reperfusion; Renal transplant; Dangshen extract saponin; Apoptosis