Figure 4.

LOC498759 was involved in the Jixuepaidu Tang-1-mediated renal protection in DN mice.

C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control group (Control), DN model group (DN), high dose of Jixuepaidu Tang-1 group (HD), high dose of Jixuepaidu Tang-1 + empty lentivirus group (HD + LV-vector) group, and high dose of Jixuepaidu Tang-1 + LOC498759 lentivirus group (HD + LV-LOC498759). At the end of the experiment, the mice were sacrificed and the kidneys were separated for the following analysis. (a) The glomerular mesangial extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in mouse kidney tissues was assessed using PAS staining. The percentage of glomerular mesangial ECM/glomerular area was calculated. Scale bar: 25 μm. (b) The apoptosis of glomerular cells in mouse kidney tissues was examined using TUNEL staining. The number of TUNEL positive cells (brown) was counted. Scale bar: 25 μm. (c) Representative western blot analysis of nephrin, P-cadherin, desmin, vimentin, TGF-β1, and SGK1 expression in mouse kidney tissues. The graph represents the densitometric analysis normalized to β-actin. (d) qRT-PCR was performed to detect relative LOC498759 expression in mouse kidney tissues. *p < 0.05 vs. control; ^#P < 0.05 vs. DN; ^&p < 0.05 vs. LV-vector.