Niaoduqing Granules Inhibits TGF-β1-induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Renal Tubular Epithelial HK-2 Cells

Abstract Background: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a worldwide public health burden. Niaoduqing granules (NDQ) is widely used for CRF treatment in China. However, the underlying mechanism of NDQ is not fully studied. This study is aimed to investigate whether NDQ ameliorate CRF by inhibiting TGF-β1-induced EMT in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells.Methods: MTT assay and colony formation assay were used to investigate the cytotoxicity of NDQ in HK-2 cells. Morphological changes of HK-2 cells after TGF-β1 or/and NDQ treatment were observed under a microscope. Wound-healing, migration and invasion assays were performed to determine the cell movement, migratory and invasive abilities, respectively. Western blot analysis was carried out to examine the protein levels of TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI) and EMT-associated factors. Fluorescence confocal microscopy was applied to observe the organization of F-actin.Results: NDQ suppressed TβRI expression dose-dependently. NDQ inhibited TGF-β1-stimulated EMT in HK-2 cells, supported by the evidences that NDQ prevented morphology change, attenuated cell migration and invasion, downregulated EMT factors and reorganized F-actin distribution in TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cells.Conclusions: NDQ attenuates chronic renal failure which may be associated with inhibition of TβRI expression and EMT process.