Zhang Zhilong, Li Xinju, Liu Liang, Sun Jiya, Wang Xu, Zhao Zhiheng, Yang Yuanqing
Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin 300120, China.
Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, China.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Apr 23;2018:1913691. doi: 10.1155/2018/1913691. eCollection 2018.
Diabetic nephropathy is a common and serious complication of diabetes and a major cause of end-stage renal disease. Tiaolipiwei acupuncture is a safe treatment approach that may be effective for lowering albuminuria in diabetic nephropathy. Yet, the exact mechanisms of this therapeutic effect are unclear.
A rodent model of type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) was induced by a high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin. T2DN rats were treated with Tiaolipiwei acupuncture (ACU) for 4, 8, or 12 weeks. At the end of treatment, urinary and blood samples were collected for analysis. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe morphological changes, and protein expression levels of nephrin, CD2AP, podocalyxin, and desmin were quantified in renal tissue.
Compared to the T2DN groups, the T2DN + ACU groups showed significant improvements in 24-hour urinary protein, serum urea, cholesterol, and triglycerides at all time points. ACU treatment also improved the density of slit diaphragms. Simultaneously, ACU promoted the renal expression of nephrin, CD2AP, and podocalyxin and decreased the expression of desmin.
Our study suggests that Tiaolipiwei acupuncture ameliorates podocyte lesions to reduce albuminuria and prevent the progression of T2DN in a rat model.
糖尿病肾病是糖尿病常见且严重的并发症，也是终末期肾病的主要病因。挑脾温肾针刺法是一种安全的治疗方法，可能对降低糖尿病肾病患者的蛋白尿有效。然而，这种治疗效果的确切机制尚不清楚。
采用高脂饮食联合低剂量链脲佐菌素诱导建立2型糖尿病肾病（T2DN）大鼠模型。将T2DN大鼠分别用挑脾温肾针刺法治疗4周、8周或12周。治疗结束时，收集尿液和血液样本进行分析。采用透射电子显微镜观察形态学变化，并对肾组织中nephrin、CD2AP、足细胞标记蛋白和结蛋白的蛋白表达水平进行定量分析。
与T2DN组相比，T2DN + ACU组在所有时间点的24小时尿蛋白、血清尿素、胆固醇和甘油三酯均有显著改善。针刺治疗还改善了裂孔隔膜的密度。同时，针刺促进了nephrin、CD2AP和足细胞标记蛋白在肾脏中的表达，并降低了结蛋白的表达。
我们的研究表明，挑脾温肾针刺法可改善足细胞损伤，减少蛋白尿，防止大鼠模型中T2DN的进展。
