Effect of Pentoxifylline Combined with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Inflammatory Factors and NF-κB Signaling Pathways in Glomerular Mesangial Cells Induced by High Glucose

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect on pentoxifylline(PTX) combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on inflammatory factors and NF-κB signaling pathways of glomerular mesangial cells induced by high glucose. METHODS Mice mesangial cells were cultured in high glucose in vitro and divided into 6 groups:control group, DN(diabetic nephropathy) group, MSCs group, MSCs+PTX 0.1 mmol·L^-1 group, MSCs+PTX 0.3 mmol·L^-1 group and MSCs+PTX 1 mmol·L^-1 group. The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in mesangial cells of each group were detected by ELISA. The expressions of NF-κB p65, IKKα and IKKβ proteins in mesangial cells were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the injured mesangial cells of DN group were significantly increased(P<0.05), and the relative expression of NF-κB p65, IKKα and IKKβ proteins were significantly increased(P<0.05). Compared with the DN group, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α secreted by mesangial cells in MSCs group and MSCs combined with different concentrations of PTX groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05), and the expression levels of NF-κB p65, IKKα and IKKβ proteins were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the MSCs group, IL-6 and TNF-α levels in MSCs+PTX 0.1 mmol·L^-1 group, MSCs+PTX 0.3 mmol·L^-1 group and MSCs+PTX 1 mmol·L^-1 group were significantly decreased(P<0.05), and the relative expression levels of NF-κB p65, IKKα and IKKβ were significantly decreased(P<0.05), and it was PTX concentration dependence. CONCLUSION PTX combined with MSCs can treat DN by inhibiting the expression of NF-κB signaling pathway and the level of inflammatory factors in glomerular mesangial cells induced by high glucose.