{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T04:17:23Z","timestamp":1791951443871,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,22]],"date-time":"2014-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1405987200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Inflammation and transforming growth factor-\u03b21 (TGF-\u03b21) contribute to the development of peritoneal fibrosis (PF), which is associated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus) has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in many diseases. The goal of this study was to determine the anti-fibrotic effects of Astragalus on the PF response to PD. A rat model of PD was induced using standard PD fluid, and PF was verified by HE and Masson\u2019s staining, as well as through the expression of fibroblast surface protein (FSP) and collagen III. The expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, F4\/80 (macrophage\/monocyte marker in rat), TGF-\u03b21 and the downstream proteins phospho-SMAD 2\/3 in dialyzed peritoneal tissue treated with or without Astragalus was evaluated using immunohistochemistry analysis. Overall correlations between MCP-1 and TGF-\u03b21 staining were analyzed using both the Spearman and Pearson methods. The results showed that Astragalus could inhibit the recruitment and activation of monocytes\/macrophages, thereby reducing the production of TGF-\u03b21 in the dialyzed peritoneal membrane. PF was also significantly decreased following treatment with Astragalus. MCP-1 expression had a strong positive correlation with TGF-\u03b21 sensitivity, suggesting that the anti-fibrotic function of Astragalus was mediated by MCP-1 and the TGF-\u03b21 pathway. Our results indicate that Astragalus could be a useful agent against PD-induced PF.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms150712959","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,22]],"date-time":"2014-07-22T11:19:25Z","timestamp":1406027965000},"page":"12959-12971","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":38,"title":["Astragalus membranaceus Inhibits Peritoneal Fibrosis via Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-1 and the Transforming Growth Factor-\u03b21 (TGF-\u03b21) Pathway in Rats Submitted to Peritoneal Dialysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Zhenghong","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lu","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Weiming","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Changle","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinsong","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Meixiao","family":"Sheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,  Baixia Hanzhong Road 155, Nanjing 210029, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1159\/000046937","article-title":"Peritoneal dialysis should be considered as the first line of renal replacement therapy for most ESRD patients","volume":"19","author":"Burkart","year":"2001","journal-title":"Blood Purif."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.2215\/CJN.07920910","article-title":"Peritoneal dialysis first: Rationale","volume":"6","author":"Chaudhary","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin. 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