Modeling Cisplatin-Induced Kidney Injury to Increase Translational Potential

Efficacy of Trametinib in Alleviating Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury: Inhibition of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Tubular Cell Death in a Mouse Model

Cisplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapeutic, is effective against various solid tumors, but its use is often limited by its nephrotoxic effects. This study evaluated the protective effects of trametinib, an FDA-approved selective inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2), against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice. The experimental design included four groups, control, trametinib, cisplatin, and a combination of cisplatin and trametinib, each consisting of eight mice. Cisplatin was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg to induce kidney injury, while trametinib was administered via oral gavage at 3 mg/kg daily for three days. Assessments were conducted 72 h after cisplatin administration. Our results demonstrate that trametinib significantly reduces the phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), mitigated renal dysfunction, and ameliorated histopathological abnormalities. Additionally, trametinib significantly decreased macrophage infiltration and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the kidneys. It also lowered lipid peroxidation by-products, restored the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio, and downregulated NADPH oxidase 4. Furthermore, trametinib significantly inhibited both apoptosis and necroptosis in the kidneys. In conclusion, our data underscore the potential of trametinib as a therapeutic agent for cisplatin-induced AKI, highlighting its role in reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and tubular cell death.

Galectin-3 and Autophagy in Renal Acute Tubular Necrosis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a public health burden with increasing morbidity and mortality rates and health care costs. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most common cause of AKI. Cisplatin (CIS) is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of a wide variety of malignancies such as lung, breast, ovary, testis, bladder, cervix, and head and neck cancers. Autophagy plays an important role in AKI. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is significantly increased in renal tubules in AKI; however, its role in autophagy is not well understood. Male C57B6/J and B6.Cg-Lgals3 /J Gal-3 knockout (KO) mice were used to induce AKI using a CIS mouse model of ATN. Renal Gal-3 and autophagy proteins' expression were measured using standard histologic, immunofluorescent, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. The data were presented as the mean ± S.E. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were calculated between experimental groups and corresponding control groups by one-way analysis of variance. There was a significant increase in renal concentrations of Gal-3 in the Gal-3 wild-type CIS-treated mice when compared with sham control mice. There were significantly higher concentrations of renal LC3B, ATG13, Ulk-1, Beclin, ATG5, ATG12, ATG9A, and p-AMPK in the CIS-treated Gal-3 KO mice than in the Gal-3 wild-type CIS-treated mice. Further, there were significantly higher concentrations of mTOR, p- NF-κB, beta-catenin, and p62 in the kidneys of the Gal-3 wild-type CIS-treated mice than in the Gal-3 KO CIS-treated mice. Our findings affirm the connection between Gal-3 and autophagy, revealing its central role as a connector with prosurvival signaling proteins. Gal-3 plays a pivotal role in orchestrating cellular responses by interacting with prosurvival signal pathways and engaging with autophagy proteins. Notably, our observations highlight that the absence of Gal-3 can enhance autophagy in CIS-induced ATN.

The ameliorating effect of limosilactobacillus fermentum and its supernatant postbiotic on cisplatin-induced chronic kidney disease in an animal model

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem affecting millions of people. Probiotics and postbiotics are associated with valuable compounds with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, preserving renal function in CKD patients. The current study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Limosilactobacillus fermentum (L. fermentum) and its postbiotic in an animal model of cisplatin-induced CKD.

METHODS

The animals were divided into four experimental groups (normal mice, CKD mice with no treatment, CKD mice with probiotic treatment, and CKD mice with postbiotic treatment). CKD mice were induced by a single dose of cisplatin 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. For 28 days, the cultured probiotic bacteria and its supernatant (postbiotic) were delivered freshly to the related groups through their daily water. Then, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) of plasma samples as well as glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species, and total antioxidant capacity of kidneys were assessed in the experimental mice groups. In addition, histopathological studies were performed on the kidneys.

RESULTS

Application of L. fermentum probiotic, and especially postbiotics, significantly decreased BUN and Cr (P < 0.0001) as well as ROS formation and lipid peroxidation levels (P < 0.0001) along with increased total antioxidant capacity and GSH levels (P < 0.001). The histopathologic images also confirmed their renal protection effect. Interestingly, the postbiotic displayed more effectiveness than the probiotic in some assays. The improvement effect on renal function in the current model is mainly mediated by oxidative stress markers in the renal tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it was found that the administration of L. fermentum probiotic, and particularly its postbiotic in cisplatin-induced CKD mice, showed promising effects and could successfully improve renal function in the animal model of CKD. Therefore, probiotics and postbiotics are considered as probably promising alternative supplements to be used for CKD.

The Role of Ketone Bodies in Various Animal Models of Kidney Disease

The kidney is a vital organ that carries out significant metabolic functions in our body. Due to the complexity of its role, the kidney is also susceptible to many disease conditions, such as acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite the prevalence and our increased understanding of the pathophysiology of both AKI and CKD as well as the transition of AKI to CKD, no well-established therapeutics have been applied clinically to these conditions, rendering an urgent need for a novel potential therapeutic target to be developed. In this article, we reviewed the function of ketone bodies in some common kidney conditions, such as drug-induced nephrotoxicity, ischemia and reperfusion injury, fibrosis development, diabetic kidney disease, kidney aging, hypertension, and CKD progression. All the selected studies reviewed were performed in animal models by primarily utilizing rodents, which also provide invaluable sources for future clinical applications. Ketone bodies have shown significant renal protective properties via attenuation of oxidative stress, increased expression of anti-inflammatory proteins, gene regulation, and a reduction of apoptosis of renal cells. A physiological level of ketone bodies could be achieved by fasting, a ketogenic diet, and an exogenous ketone supplement. Finally, the limitations of the long-term ketogenic diet were also discussed.

Cisplatin-Induced Kidney Toxicity: Potential Roles of Major NAD+-Dependent Enzymes and Plant-Derived Natural Products

Cisplatin is an FDA approved anti-cancer drug that is widely used for the treatment of a variety of solid tumors. However, the severe adverse effects of cisplatin, particularly kidney toxicity, restrict its clinical and medication applications. The major mechanisms of cisplatin-induced renal toxicity involve oxidative stress, inflammation, and renal fibrosis, which are covered in this short review. In particular, we review the underlying mechanisms of cisplatin kidney injury in the context of NAD⁺-dependent redox enzymes including mitochondrial complex I, NAD kinase, CD38, sirtuins, poly-ADP ribosylase polymerase, and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) and their potential contributing roles in the amelioration of cisplatin-induced kidney injury conferred by natural products derived from plants. We also cover general procedures used to create animal models of cisplatin-induced kidney injury involving mice and rats. We highlight the fact that more studies will be needed to dissect the role of each NAD⁺-dependent redox enzyme and its involvement in modulating cisplatin-induced kidney injury, in conjunction with intensive research in NAD⁺ redox biology and the protective effects of natural products against cisplatin-induced kidney injury.