Total flavones of Desmodium styracifolium antagonize calcium oxalate monohydrate-triggered IL-2Rβ expression in renal epithelial cells

Purpose: To explore the effect of total flavone of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) on calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM)-triggered IL-2Rβ expression in human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells. Methods: Human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 was treated with COM, TFDS or both. The expression of IL-2Rβ was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) or flow cytometry. The responsiveness of HK-2 cells to IL-2 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), qPCR and western blot. The signaling mechanism underlying the effect of TFDS was studied using western blot and qPCR. The clinical relevance of IL-2Rβ to renal inflammation was investigated by re-analyzing a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Results: Total flavones of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) antagonize COM-triggered IL-2Rβ expression in HK-2 cells, thus reducing the responsiveness of HK-2 cells to IL-2 stimulation. Mechanistically, TFDS dampens IL-2Rβ expression by preventing the activation of STAT3. The level of IL-2Rβ is positively correlated with the inflammatory status of the kidney. Conclusions: The total flavones of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) prevent the upregulation of IL2Rβ in renal epithelial cells upon COM stimulation in a STAT3-dependent manner.

Membrane–based separation and concentration of total flavone glycosides from Desmodium styracifolium

Desmodium styracifolium is one of the traditional Chinese herbs. In the present study, membrane-based technologies were used to separate and concentrate of the total flavone glycosides fraction from D. styracifolium. The extracts flowed through an ultrafiltration membrane which MWCO (molecular weight cut-off) is 30KDa and the permeate was concentrated by MWCO-1KDa nano-filtration membrane. The solid content of the membrane concentrated extracts of D. styracifolium (MEDs) was 26.5 mg/ml. Moreover, the content of vicenin-2, schaftoside and isovitexin in MEDs were 4.88 %, 9.76 %, 1.89 % respectively. The assay in vitro showed MEDs has better anti-inflammatory effect which partly proved that our membrane-based processes for separation and concentration of flavone glycosides from D. styracifolium is reliable and practicable.

Quantitative and Chemical Fingerprint Analysis of Desmodium styracifolium by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Combined with Chemometrics

In this study, a valid and comprehensive evaluation method for assessing the quality of Desmodium styracifolium (Osb.) Merr has been established, based on analysis of high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint combined with the similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis (DA) and the quantitative analysis multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method. Eleven peaks of the common model were obtained and analyzed using SA, HCA, PCA and DA analysis. These methods indicated a similar conclusion that 31 batches of D. styracifolium samples were categorized into two clusters basically coincident with their geographical regions of origin. Four peaks were identified as schaftoside, isoorientin, isoschaftoside and isovitexin. Schaftoside was selected as the internal standard, and the relative correction factors between schaftoside and the other three flavonoids were calculated using the QAMS method. The accuracy of the QAMS method was verified by comparing with the results calculated by the external standard method. No significant difference between the two methods was found. In conclusion, the established methods were scientifically applied in the quality evaluation of D. styracifolium.