Objective  To investigate the impact of matrine (Mat) on renal injury in rats with chronic glomerulonephritis by regulating the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)/chemokine C-C-motif receptor 2 (CCR2) signaling pathway. Methods  The rat model of chronic glomerulonephritis was established by subcutaneous injection of bovine serum albumin, the rats were randomly grouped into control group, model group, low and high dose matrine groups (Mat-L group, Mat-H group), and matrine+CCR2 group (Mat+CCR2 group), with 10 rats in each group. After continuous gavage for 4 weeks, 24-hour urine protein excretion was measured; spleen and thymus were removed and organ index was calculated; The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine(Scr) in the serum of each group were detected, the pathological changes of renal tissue were observed by HE staining; the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in renal tissue were detected by ELISA; Flow cytometry was applied to detect the proportion of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of rats in each group; Western blotting was applied to determine the expression of MCP-1 and CCR2 proteins.  Results  The spleen index and thymus index of rats in the model group rats were obviously reduced, and there were a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal tissue, the 24-hour urine protein, BUN, Scr, TNF-α, IL-6, and the expression of MCP-1 and CCR2 obviously increased, the peripheral blood T cell subpopulations CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio obviously reduced, the proportion of CD8⁺ obviously increased (P<0.05); The spleen index and thymus index of rats in the Mat-L and Mat-H groups of rats increased, and the phenomenon of renal tissue inflammation and infiltration improved, the 24-hour urine protein, BUN, Scr, TNF-α, IL-6, and the expression of MCP-1 and CCR2 obviously decreased, the peripheral blood T cell subpopulations CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio obviously increased, the proportion of CD8⁺ obviously decreased (P<0.05); CCR2 attenuated the effect of Mat-H on immune function in rats with chronic glomerulonephritis.  Conclusion  Matrine can alleviate the inflammatory damage and improve the peripheral immune function of rats with chronic glomerulonephritis, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of MCP-1/CCR2 signaling pathway. 

Matrine, Bovine serum albumin, Monocyte chemotactic protein-1/chemokine receptor 2 signaling pathway, Chronic glomerulonephritis, Flow cytometry, Western blotting, Rat