Objective: To investigate the effect of reinforcing kidney, replenishing Qi and blood activating prescription (RKRQBAP) on extracellular signal regulating kinase-1 (ERK-1) and mitogen activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) of fetal rats with fetal growth restriction (FGR).
Methods: Passive smoking was used to establish animal model of FGR. All pregnant rats were divided into four groups: FGR group, L-arg group: rats with FGR treated with L-arginine, Chinese medicine group (CHM group): rats with FGR treated by traditional Chinese medicine and normal control group. The expression of ERK-1 and MKP-1 in brain and liver were measured by western-blot.
Results: (1) According to FGR group, L-arg group, CHM group and normal group, the expression of ERK-1 in brain was 7.63 +/- 0.22, 10.03 +/- 0.41, 11.03 +/- 0.30, 11.44 +/- 0.09 and MKP-1 was 7.41 +/- 0.38, 10.35 +/- 0.60, 10.60 +/- 0.14, 11.60 +/- 0.62. (2) The expression of ERK-1 in liver was 4.73 +/- 0.54, 5.83 +/- 0.17, 11.37 +/- 0.12, 12.34 +/- 0.14 accordingly and MKP-1 was 9.07 +/- 0.61, 10.66 +/- 0.08, 14.27 +/- 0.73, 14.92 +/- 0.17. (3) The expression of ERK-1 and MKP-1 in brain and liver was much lower in FGR group than in normal group (P < 0.01), and that of CHM group was much higher than in FGR group (P < 0.01) and closed to normal group (P > 0.05). The expression of ERK-1 in brain was much higher in CHM group than in L-arg group (P < 0.05), the expression of MKP-1 was almost the same (P > 0.05); Both of them in liver were higher in CHM group than in L-arg group (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The possible mechanism which the RKRQBAP cure FGR is to affect the expression of ERK-1 and MKP-1 and to promote growth- related genes expression and restrain apoptosis. In addition, RKRQBAP is superior to L-arginine in treatment of FGR.