HuangQi decoction improves renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the Up-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Object: To explore the effects of HuangQi decoction on tubulointerstitial fibrosis in mice and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model was used. A total of 120 C57/BL mice were randomly divided into 6 groups, sham group, sham+HuangQi decoction group (1.08 g/kg), UUO group, UUO+HuangQi decoction group (0.12, 0.36, 1.08 g/kg). Immunohistochemical analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot were employed to examine the proteins and genes related to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Results: In UUO mice models, expression levels of Wnt3,4, Frizzled4, LRP5,6, β-catenin, LEF-1, TCF-1, Snail, MMP2,7 genes were positively correlated with the degree of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, while expression levels of GSK-3β, Axin, APC, CK1 were negatively correlated. HuangQi decoction could down-regulate expression levels of Wnt3,4, Frizzled4, LRP5,6, β-catenin, LEF-1, TCF-1, Snail, Twist, MMP2,7 and up-regulate expression levels of GSK-3β, Axin, APC, CK1 and E-cadherin. Conclusion: HuangQi decoction could effectively inhibit the up-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway induced by UUO, implying a possible role in improving renal interstitial fibrosis.