0271

Astragalus and Angelica Mixture promotes hepatic IGF-ImRNA and IGFBP-3mRNA in rats with nephrotic syndrome

Jiang XY，Chen SM, Lin SZ, Du ML, Mo Y, Lai F, Shu XL

Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, GuangZhou, China

Objective: To study the effect of Astragalus and Angelica Mixture on IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in rats with nephrotic syndrome (NS).

Methods: Adriamycin-induced nephrotic rats were randomly divided into four groups:control group, NS group, NS group treated with distilled water, and NS group treated with Astragalus and Angelica mixture. Serum and urine concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were assayed by RIA and IRMA respectively; and IGF-I mRNA and IGFBP-3 mRNA levels in liver were assayed by RT-PCR.

Results: Weight gain and length gain, serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in NS group were significantly lower than that of the control group, and urine IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were higher than that of the control group. Liver IGF-I mRNA levels in NS group were similar to control rats, but hepatic IGFBP-3mRNA levels in NS group were reduced. Liver IGF-I mRNA and IGFBP-3 mRNA levels, serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels, weight gain and length gain in NS group treated with Astragalus and Angelica mixture were higher than those in NS group treated with distilled water.

Conclusion: Abnormal IGF-I and IGFBP-3 metabolism and growth failure were observed in nephrotic rats .The low serum IGF-I levels were due to increased urinary loss of IGF-I, and the low serum IGFBP-3 levels were due to both decreased synthesis and increased urinary loss. The low serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels may contribute to growth failure in nephrotic rats. Astragalus and Angelica mixture can improve growth failure of nephrotic rats by increasing hepatic IGF-I mRNA and IGFBP-3 mRNA levels and elevating serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels.