Objective: To investigate protective effect of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) against lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice and explore its underlying mechanisms.
Methods: Forty MRL/lpr mice were randomized equally into blank control group, dexamethasone (1.5 mg/kg) group, GA (20 mg/kg) group, and GA (40 mg/kg) group with corresponding treatments for 7 days, with 10 wild-type mice as the control group. Serum levels of uric acid and creatinine and inflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney were tested after the treatments using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The pathological changes in the kidneys were detected using HE staining, and the protein expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, p-NF-κB, NF-κB, p-IκBα, and IκBα were detected with Western blotting.
Results: GA obviously decreased serum levels of uric acid and creatinine, decreased inflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney, ameliorated renal pathologies and inhibited the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, p-NF-κB, and p-IκBα proteins in MRL/lpr mice.
Conclusion: GA has protective effects against lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice.
目的: 探讨甘草酸对MRL/lpr小鼠狼疮肾炎是否具有保护作用及其机制。
方法: MRL/lpr狼疮小鼠随机分为MRL/lpr组、MRL/lpr+地塞米松（1.5 mg/kg）组，MRL/lpr+甘草酸（20 mg/kg）组，MRL/lpr+甘草酸（40 mg/kg）组，每组10只；野生型正常对照组C57BL/6小鼠10只。采用ELISA法检测各组小鼠血清中尿酸（UA）与肌酐（Cr）含量，各组小鼠血清及肾脏组织中IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α炎症因子水平；采用HE染色法检测肾脏病理改变；采用Western blot技术检测各组小鼠脾脏NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1、IL-1β、p-NF-κB、NF-κB、p-IκBα、IκBα蛋白的表达。
结果: 甘草酸能显著降低血清尿酸、肌酐含量；减少血清及肾脏IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α炎症因子表达，改善肾脏病理改变；并能显著抑制NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1、IL-1β、p-NF-κB、p-IκBα表达。
结论: 甘草酸对MRL/lpr狼疮小鼠肾脏起到保护作用。