Fig. 1
PNS alleviates cardiac dysfunction, cardiac fibrosis, and pyroptosis in CRS4 model rats. A Echocardiography determines LVPWd, LVIDs, LVEF, and LVFS. B Masson staining for cardiac tissues; scale bar = 20 μm. C RT-qPCR was used to measure the relative mRNA expression of fibrosis-associated genes (COL-I, COL-III, TGF-β, and α-SMA) in cardiac tissues. D Levels of LDH, CK-MB, BNP, Scr, IS and BUN in serum was determined by ELISA, and 24 h urine protein was determined by an automatic chemistry analyzer. E Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins (NLRP3, ASC, IL-1β) and pyroptosis-related proteins (GSDMD-N, caspase-1) in cardiac tissues. Male Sprague Dawley rats received 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy to construct a CRS4 rat model; model rats were administered intragastrically with corresponding doses of PNS (50 mg/kg d−1, 100 mg/kg d−1, and 200 mg/kg d−1). **p < 0.01 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01 vs. model group; ^p < 0.05, ^^p < 0.01 vs. model + 50 mg/kg d−1 PNS group; &p < 0.05, &&p < 0.01 vs. model + 100 mg/kg d−1 PNS group. PNS: Panax notoginseng saponins; CRS4: Cardiorenal syndrome type 4; LVPWd: left ventricular posterior wall thickness at diastole; LVIDs: left ventricular internal diameter systolic; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; LVFS: left ventricular fractional shortening; LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase; CK-MB: Creatine kinase isoenzymes; BNP: brain natriuretic peptide; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; IS: plasma sulfate; Scr: serum creatinine; COL: collagen; TGF: transforming growth factor; IL: interleukin; GSDMD-N: N terminal of gasdermin D