Overexpression of the FoxO1 Ameliorates Mesangial Cell Dysfunction in Male Diabetic Rats

Advances in oxidative stress in pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease and efficacy of TCM intervention

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common complication of diabetes and has become the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease. The pathogenesis of DKD is complicated, and oxidative stress is considered as a core of DKD onset. High glucose can lead to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the polyol, PKC, AGE/RAGE and hexosamine pathways, resulting in enhanced oxidative stress response. In this way, pathways such as PI3K/Akt, TGF-β1/p38-MAPK and NF-κB are activated, inducing endothelial cell apoptosis, inflammation, autophagy and fibrosis that cause histologic and functional abnormalities of the kidney and finally result in kidney injury. Presently, the treatment for DKD remains an unresolved issue. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has unique advantages for DKD prevention and treatment attributed to its multi-target, multi-component, and multi-pathway characteristics. Numerous studies have proved that Chinese herbs (e.g., Golden Thread, Kudzuvine Root, Tripterygium glycosides, and Ginseng) and patent medicines (e.g., Shenshuaining Tablet, Compound Rhizoma Coptidis Capsule, and Zishen Tongluo Granule) are effective for DKD treatment. The present review described the role of oxidative stress in DKD pathogenesis and the effect of TCM intervention for DKD prevention and treatment, in an attempt to provide evidence for clinical practice.

CTLA4-Ig protects tacrolimus-induced oxidative stress via inhibiting the AKT/FOXO3 signaling pathway in rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Although the conversion from tacrolimus (TAC) to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) is effective in reducing TAC-induced nephrotoxicity, it remains unclear whether CTLA4-Ig has a direct effect on TAC-induced renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the effects of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury in terms of oxidative stress.

METHODS

In vitro study was performed to assess the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and the protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead transcription factor (FOXO) 3 pathway in human kidney 2 cells. In the in vivo study, the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury was evaluated using renal function, histopathology, markers of oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine) and metabolites (4-hydroxy-2-hexenal, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione reductase), and activation of the AKT/FOXO3 pathway with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

RESULTS

CTLA4-Ig significantly decreased cell death, ROS, and apoptosis caused by TAC. TAC treatment increased apoptotic cell death and apoptosis-related proteins (increased Bcl-2-associated X protein and caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2), but it was reversed by CTLA4-Ig treatment. The activation of p-AKT and p-FOXO3 by TAC decreased with CTLA4-Ig treatment. TAC-induced renal dysfunction and oxidative marker levels were significantly improved by CTLA4-Ig in vivo. Concomitant IGF-1 treatment abolished the effects of CTLA4-Ig.

CONCLUSION

CTLA4-Ig has a direct protective effect on TAC-induced renal injury via the inhibition of AKT/FOXO3 pathway.

MicroRNA‑499a (rs3746444A/G) gene variant and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes‑associated end‑stage renal disease

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major risk factor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) and their variants may be implicated in health and disease, including DN. The present study aimed to investigate the association of the miRNA-499a gene (MIR499A) A/G seed region variant (rs3746444) with DN-associated ESRD susceptibility in patients with diabetes mellitus, and to determine whether there was an association between the different genotypes and the patients' laboratory and clinical data. A case-control pilot study was conducted on 180 adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 90 patients with ESRD on regular hemodialysis were considered as the cases, and 90 age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched diabetic patients with normo-albuminuria were considered as the controls. MIR499A genotyping was performed using a TaqMan Real-Time allele discrimination assay. Results demonstrated that the MIR499A rs3746444*G variant conferred susceptibility to the development of ESRD under co-dominant [(odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.49 (1.41-3.89) and 2.41 (1.61-6.68) for heterozygous and homozygous comparison, respectively], dominant [2.30 (1.18-3.90)] and allelic [1.82 (1.17-2.83)] models. Different genotypes of the specified variant did not exhibit significant associations with the clinic-laboratory data of the studied patients or the circulating miR-499a plasma levels. In conclusion, results of the present study suggested that MIR499A rs3746444 may be a susceptibility variant for DN-associated ESRD in the study population. However, larger sample size studies with different ethnicities are warranted to verify these findings.

FOXO1 expression in chondrocytes modulates cartilage production and removal in fracture healing

Fracture healing is a multistage process characterized by inflammation, cartilage formation, bone deposition, and remodeling. Chondrocytes are important in producing cartilage that forms the initial anlagen for the hard callus needed to stabilize the fracture site. We examined the role of FOXO1 by selective ablation of FOXO1 in chondrocytes mediated by Col2α1 driven Cre recombinase. Experimental mice with lineage-specific FOXO1 deletion (Col2α1Cre⁺FOXO1^L/L) and negative control littermates (Col2α1Cre^-FOXO1^L/L) were used for in vivo, closed fracture studies. Unexpectedly, we found that in the early phases of fracture healing, FOXO1 deletion significantly increased the amount of cartilage formed, whereas, in later periods, FOXO1 deletion led to a greater loss of cartilage. FOXO1 was functionally important as its deletion in chondrocytes led to diminished bone formation on day 22. Mechanistically, the early effects of FOXO1 deletion were linked to increased proliferation of chondrocytes through enhanced expression of cell cycle genes that promote proliferation and reduced expression of those that inhibit it and increased expression of cartilage matrix genes. At later time points experimental mice with FOXO1 deletion had greater loss of cartilage, enhanced formation of osteoclasts, increased IL-6 and reduced numbers of M2 macrophages. These results identify FOXO1 as a transcription factor that regulates chondrocyte behavior by limiting the early expansion of cartilage and preventing rapid cartilage loss at later phases.

FoxO1 signaling as a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes and obesity

Glucose production and the consumption of high levels of carbohydrate increase the chance of insulin resistance, especially in cases of obesity. Therefore, maintaining a balanced glucose homeostasis might form a strategy to prevent or cure diabetes and obesity. The activation and inhibition of glucose production is complicated due to the presence of many interfering pathways. These pathways can be viewed at the downstream level because they activate certain transcription factors, which include the Forkhead-O1 (FoxO1). This has been identified as a significant agent in the pancreas, liver, and adipose tissue, which is significant in the regulation of lipids and glucose. The objective of this review is to discuss the intersecting portrayal of FoxO1 and its parallel cross-talk which highlights obesity-induced insulin susceptibility in the discovery of a targeted remedy. The review also analyses current progress and provides a blueprint on therapeutics, small molecules, and extracts/phytochemicals which are explored at the pre-clinical level.

Endothelial cells secreted endothelin-1 augments diabetic nephropathy via inducing extracellular matrix accumulation of mesangial cells in ETBR-/- mice

Endothelin B receptor (ETBR) deficiency may contribute to the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in a streptozotocin (STZ) model, but the underlying mechanism is not fully revealed. In this study, STZ-diabetic ETBR^-/- mice was characterized by increased serum creatinine and urinary albumin, enhanced glomerulosclerosis, and upregulated ET-1 expression compared with STZ-diabetic WT mice. In vitro, HG conditioned media (CM) of ETBR^-/- GENs promoted mesangial cell proliferation and upregulated ECM-related proteins, and ET-1 knockout in GENs or inhibition of ET-1/ETAR in mesangial cell suppressed mesangial cell proliferation and collagen IV formation. In addition, ET-1 was over-expressed in ETBR^-/- GENs and was regulated by NF-kapapB pathway. ET-1/ETBR suppressed NF-kappaB to modulate ET-1 in GENs. Furthermore, ET-1/ETAR promoted RhoA/ROCK pathway in mesangial cells, and accelerated mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation. Finally, in vivo experiments proved inhibition of NF-kappaB pathway ameliorated DN in ETBR^-/- mice. These results suggest that in HG-exposed ETBR^-/- GENs, suppression of ET-1 binding to ETBR activated NF-kappaB pathway, thus to secrete large amount of ET-1. Due to the communication between GENs and mesangial cells in diabetes, ET-1 binding to ETAR in mesangial cell promoted RhoA/ROCK pathway, thus to accelerate mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation.

BKCa Mediates Dysfunction in High Glucose Induced Mesangial Cell Injury via TGF-β1/Smad2/3 Signaling Pathways

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role and mechanism of BK_Ca in diabetic kidney disease.

METHODS

Rat mesangial cells (MCs) HBZY-1 were cultured with high glucose to simulate the high-glucose environment of diabetic kidney disease in vivo. The effects of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BK_Ca) on proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of HBZY-1 cells were observed. The contents of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), Smad2/3, collagen IV (Col IV), and fibronectin (FN) in the extracellular matrix were also observed.

RESULTS

High glucose significantly damaged HBZY-1 cells, which enhanced the ability of cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, and increased the secretion of Col IV and FN. Inhibition of BK_Ca and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathways can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of HBZY-1 cells and suppress the secretion of Col IV and FN. The effect of excitation is the opposite.

CONCLUSIONS

BK_Ca regulates mesangial cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and secretion of Col IV and FN and is associated with TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway.

Hyperoside Alleviates High Glucose-Induced Proliferation of Mesangial Cells through the Inhibition of the ERK/CREB/miRNA-34a Signaling Pathway

PURPOSE

Hyperoside, a flavonoid isolated from conventional medicinal herbs, has been demonstrated to exert a significant protective effect in diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to determine the underlying mechanisms, by which hyperoside inhibits high glucose-(HG-) induced proliferation in mouse renal mesangial cells.

METHODS

Mouse glomerular mesangial cells line (SV40-MES13) was used to study the inhibitory effect of hyperoside on cell proliferation induced by 30 mM glucose, which was used to simulate a diabetic condition. Viable cell count was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and by the 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine incorporation assay. The underlying mechanism involving miRNA-34a was further investigated by quantitative RT-PCR and transfection with miRNA-34a agomir. The phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) were measured by Western blotting. The binding region and the critical binding sites of CREB in the miRNA-34a promoter were investigated by the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay, respectively.

RESULTS

We found that hyperoside could significantly decrease HG-induced proliferation of SV40-MES13 cells in a dose-dependent manner, without causing obvious cell death. In addition, hyperoside inhibited the activation of ERK pathway and phosphorylation of its downstream transcriptional factor CREB, as well as the miRNA-34a expression. We further confirmed that CREB-mediated regulation of miRNA-34a is dependent on the direct binding to specific sites in the promoter region of miRNA-34a.

CONCLUSION

Our cumulative results suggested that hyperoside inhibits the proliferation of SV40-MES13 cells through the suppression of the ERK/CREB/miRNA-34a signaling pathway, which provides new insight to the current investigation on therapeutic strategies for diabetic nephropathy.

FoxO1-mediated inhibition of STAT1 alleviates tubulointerstitial fibrosis and tubule apoptosis in diabetic kidney disease

Background

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) plays an important role in the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) is involved in the regulation of metabolism and cell apoptosis, but its function in renal TIF induced by DKD is less well understood.

Methods

Human kidney biopsies with DKD and normal controls were used to detect apoptosis and TIF induced by diabetes. A mouse model with kidney-specific overexpression of Pax2-3aFoxO1 was established to further investigate the functions of FoxO1 in vivo. The in vitro roles of FoxO1 were analyzed in HK-2 cells with 3aFoxO1-knockin (3aFoxO1-KI) or FoxO1-knockdown (FoxO1-KD) via CRISPR/Cas9. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and chromatin immunoprecipitation were used to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Findings

In this study, DKD patients had increased renal TIF and apoptosis. In vivo study showed that kidney-specific overexpression of Pax2-3aFoxO1 significantly reduced the expression of p-STAT1 with resultant renal functional impairment, retarding renal TIF and apoptosis in diabetic mice. Meanwhile, We observed that FoxO1-KD in HK-2 cells aggravated the expression of p-STAT1, leading to activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Conversely, EMT and apoptosis were significantly attenuated in HK-2 cells with 3aFoxO1-KI under hyperglycemic conditions.

Interpretation

Taken together, these data suggest that the protection role of FoxO1 against renal TIF and apoptosis in DKD is likely in part to target STAT1 signaling, which may be a promising strategy for long-term treatment of DKD.

Fund

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers: 81570746 and 81770812).

Vitamin D3 Activates Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B via Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 to Improve Testicular Function in Diabetic Rats

OBJECTIVE

In diabetes mellitus, vitamin D₃ deficiency affects sex hormone levels and male fertility; however, the mechanism leading to the disorder is unclear. This research was designed to investigate the mechanism of vitamin D₃ deficiency and hypogonadism in diabetic rats. Our aim was to assess serum vitamin D₃ levels and the relationship among vitamin D₃, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and testicular function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were randomly divided into four groups and treated with different doses of vitamin D₃: no vitamin D₃, low (0.025 μg/kg/day), high (0.1 μg/kg/day), and high (0.1 μg/kg/day) with JB-1 (the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor inhibitor group, 100 μg/kg/day). The groups were compared with wild-type rats, which function as the control group. Various parameters such as vitamin D₃ and IGF-1 were compared between the experimental and wild-type groups, and their correlations were determined.

RESULTS

Twelve weeks of vitamin D₃ supplementation improved the testosterone levels, as shown by the increase in the level of serum IGF-1 in diabetic rats. Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), which was a downstream of the signaling pathway of IGF-1, was significantly increased after vitamin D₃ treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that vitamin D₃ may promote the expression of testosterone and improve testicular function in diabetic rats by activating PI3K/AKT via IGF-1.

Role of the mTOR‑FOXO1 pathway in obesity‑associated renal tubulointerstitial inflammation

Since obesity is largely responsible for the growing incidence of renal tubulointerstitial inflammation, exploration into the mechanisms of obesity‑associated tubulointerstitial inflammation is essential. Studies have demonstrated that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a crucial molecule in the pathogenesis of renal inflammation, including regulating the expression of inflammatory factors. The purpose of the present study was to further elucidate the role of mTOR in obesity‑associated tubulointerstitial inflammation. In the clinical study, obese and healthy subjects were recruited for physical examination, as well as the collection of blood and urine samples. Further study was performed on a high fat diet (HFD)‑induced obese rat model and a cultured human renal tubular epithelial cell line (HK‑2). The clinical study demonstrated that the participants with obesity had increased serum lipids, creatinine (Cr), urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and urinary neutrophil gelatinase‑associated lipocalin (u‑NGAL). Moreover, the level of urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein‑1 (u‑MCP‑1) was increased in the participants with obesity, and it was positively correlated with free fatty acid (FFA), UACR and u‑NGAL. In the in vivo study, the results indicated that the levels of serum lipids, Cr and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), as well as 24 h urine protein and u‑NGAL, were significantly increased in the HFD‑fed obese rats. In addition, the infiltration of CD68+ cells into the renal interstitial area and the release of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) was observed in the kidneys of obese rats. Meanwhile, the supernatant from HK‑2 cells treated with palmitic acid stimulated THP‑1 monocyte migration. The upregulation of MCP‑1, phosphorylated forkhead boxO1 (p‑FOXO1), and phosphorylated mTOR (p‑mTOR) was observed in vivo and in vitro. However, inhibition of mTOR was able to alleviate the above effects. Overall, these results demonstrated that activated mTOR induced FOXO1 phosphorylation, which mediates renal MCP‑1 release, causes tubulointerstitial inflammation and ultimately leads to pathological renal changes and dysfunction. However, inhibition of mTOR may play a renoprotective role during the progression of obesity‑associated tubulointerstitial inflammation.

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 2 reverses gp91phox oxidase-mediated depression- and anxiety-like behavior

Phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2) plays an important role in treatment of stress-related depression through regulation of antioxidant defense and neuroprotective mechanisms. However, the causal relationship between PDE2 and the prevalence of depression and anxiety upon exposure to oxidative stress has not been investigated. The present study examined whether the effects of PDE2 inhibition on oxidative stress were directly involved in reduced ROS by regulating NADPH subunits gp91phox oxidase. The results suggested that the PDE2 inhibitor Bay 60-7550 reversed oxidative stress-induced behavioral signature, i.e. depression and anxiety. Pretreatment with the oxidizing agent DTNB completely blocked, while the reducing agent DTT and the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin potentiated the effects of Bay 60-7550 on behavioral abnormalities, demonstrating the relationship between PDE2 and oxidative stress. Consistently, an in vitro test revealed the positive correlation between ROS and PDE2 levels. Moreover, Bay 60-7550 decreased corticosterone-induced gp91phox expression, which is the source of ROS. The subsequent study suggested that Bay 60-7550 induced decrease in ROS and increase in cAMP/cGMP, pVASP, pCREB, and the neurotrophic factor BDNF levels, which were completely blocked by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gp91phox overexpression and potentiated by gp91phox siRNA-based antioxidant strategies. The in vivo test in stressed mice further suggested that gp91phox overexpression completely blocked the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of Bay 60-7550, while gp91phox knockdown enhanced such effects. These results provide solid evidence that the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of Bay 60-7550 against stress are causally related to down-regulation of gp91phox and activation of the cAMP/cGMP-pVASP-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway.

Repression of microRNA-382 inhibits glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation via FoxO1 in mice with diabetic nephropathy

OBJECTIVES

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a nerve damaging disorder, characterized by glomerular mesangial cell expansion and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In this study, we aimed to investigate mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation when promoting or suppressing endogenous miR-382 in glomerular mesangial cells of DN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Model establishment consisted of DN induction by streptozotocin (STZ) in mice. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of miR-382 were analysed in concert with the treatment of miR-382 mimics, miR-382 inhibitors or siRNA against FoxO1 in cultured glomerular mesangial cells isolated from DN mice.

RESULTS

FoxO1 was identified as the downregulated gene in DN based on the microarray data of GSE1009. We found that miR-382 was significantly upregulated in renal tissues of DN mice and its downregulation dephosphorylated FoxO1, reduced glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation in vitro. The determination of luciferase activity suggested that miR-382 negatively targeted FoxO1. Expectedly, distinct levels of phosphorylated FoxO1 were observed in the renal cortices of DN mice, while the silencing of FoxO1 was found to increase glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation in vitro. Reduced glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation elicited by miR-382 inhibitors were reversed by silencing FoxO1.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates miR-382 suppression exerts a potent anti-proliferative effect that may be applied to inhibit glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation in DN.

Urinary levels of sirtuin-1 associated with disease activity in lupus nephritis

Identifying new markers of disease flares in lupus nephritis (LN) that facilitate patient stratification and prognosis is important. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze whether urinary SIRT1 expression was altered in LN and whether SIRT1 values in urine could be valuable biomarker of disease activity. In a cohort study, urinary pellets from 40 patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were analyzed. Clinical measures of lupus activity were assessed. The expression of SIRT1 was quantified by quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunoblot, then compared between patients with active lupus nephritis, in remission and healthy controls. Association with lupus activity and renal histological features was also analyzed. A significant increase in SIRT1 mRNA levels in patients with active LN was observed compared with those in remission (P=0.02) or healthy controls (P=0.009). In addition, SIRT-1 protein levels were also augmented in LN group than remission (P=0.029) and controls (P=0.001). A strong association was found between SIRT1 expression with anti-dsDNA in SLE and in patients with LN. In addition, histological features in LN biopsies were related with SIRT1, increasing its expression in proliferative forms. Finally, SIRT1 expression values showed a strong discriminatory power of renal injury in SLE. Our study demonstrated an altered urinary expression of SIRT1 and a strong association with disease activity in LN patients, being a valuable marker of renal injury. These results showed the role of the SIRT1 pathway in the SLE pathogenesis.

Liraglutide ameliorates early renal injury by the activation of renal FoxO1 in a type 2 diabetic kidney disease rat model

AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of liraglutide on renal injury and the renal expression of FoxO1 in type 2 diabetic rats.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetic rats model was induced by a high-sugar and high-fat diet and intraperitoneal injection of low-dose Streptozotocin (STZ) (30 mg/kg). Five weeks after STZ injection, diabetic rats were randomly treated with or without subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (0.2 mg/kg/12 h) for eight weeks. Diabetes-related physical and biochemical indicators, renal histopathological and ultrastructural changes, the expression of renal transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), fibronectin (FN), type IV collagen (Col IV), protein kinase B (Akt), forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) were measured.

RESULTS

Rats in DN group showed a significant increase in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, kidney to body weight index, serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urinary albumin excretion, mesangial matrix index, glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening, podocyte foot process fusion, the mRNA and protein levels of renal TGF-β1, FN and Col IV and a dramatic decrease in the mRNA and protein levels of renal MnSOD, all of which were significantly ameliorated by liraglutide. In addition, liraglutide also increased the expression of FoxO1 mRNA and reduced renal phosphorylation levels of Akt and FoxO1 protein.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that liraglutide may exert a renoprotective effect by a FoxO1-mediated upregulation of renal MnSOD expression in the early DKD.

Prunella vulgaris Attenuates Diabetic Renal Injury by Suppressing Glomerular Fibrosis and Inflammation

Diabetic nephropathy is both the most common complication and the leading cause of mortality associated with diabetes. Prunella vulgaris, a well-known traditional medicinal plant, is used for the cure of abscess, scrofula, hypertension and urinary diseases. This study confirmed whether an aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris (APV) suppresses renal inflammation and fibrosis. In human mesangial cell (HMC), pretreatment of APV attenuated 25[Formula: see text]mM HG-induced suppressed TGF-[Formula: see text] and Smad-2/4 expression; it increased the expression level of Smad-7. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and collagen IV, fibrosis biomarkers, were significantly decreased by APV. APV suppressed inflammatory factors such as intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). APV inhibited activation and translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-[Formula: see text]B) in HG-stimulated HMCs. Moreover, APV significantly improved HG-induced ROS in a dose-dependent manner. In diabetic rat models, APV significantly decreased blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and ameliorated plasma creatinine (PCr). APV reduced the PAS positivity staining intensity and basement membrane thickening in glomeruli of diabetic rats. Fibrosis related proteins such as collagen IV and TGF-[Formula: see text]1 were also inhibited by APV. These results suggest that APV has a significant protective effect against diabetic renal dysfunction including inflammation and fibrosis through disruption of the TGF-[Formula: see text]/Smad signaling. Therefore, APV may be useful in potential therapies that target glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis, which lead to diabetic nephropathy.

Involvement of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Autophagy, and Apoptosis in Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced Glomerular Mesangial Cell Injury

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)-induced mesangial cell death is one of major causes of glomerulus dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy. Both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy are adaptive responses in cells under environmental stress and participate in the renal diseases. The role of ER stress and autophagy in AGEs-induced mesangial cell death is still unclear. Here, we investigated the effect and mechanism of AGEs on glomerular mesangial cells. AGEs dose-dependently decreased mesangial cell viability and induced cell apoptosis. AGEs also induced ER stress signals in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of ER stress with 4-phenylbutyric acid effectively inhibited the activation of eIF2α and CHOP signals and reversed AGEs-induced cell apoptosis. AGEs also activated LC-3 cleavage, increased Atg5 expression, and decreased p62 expression, which indicated the autophagy induction in mesangial cells. Inhibition of autophagy by Atg5 siRNAs transfection aggravated AGEs-induced mesangial cell apoptosis. Moreover, ER stress inhibition by 4-phenylbutyric acid significantly reversed AGEs-induced autophagy, but autophagy inhibition did not influence the AGEs-induced ER stress-related signals activation. These results suggest that AGEs induce mesangial cell apoptosis via an ER stress-triggered signaling pathway. Atg5-dependent autophagy plays a protective role. These findings may offer a new strategy against AGEs toxicity in the kidney.

Salidroside protects against kainic acid-induced status epilepticus via suppressing oxidative stress

There are numerous mechanisms by which the brain generates seizures. It is well known that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in status epilepticus (SE). Salidroside (SDS) extracted from Rhodiola rosea L. shows multiple bioactive properties, such as neuroprotection and antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. This study explored the role of SDS in kainic acid (KA)-induced SE and investigated the underlying mechanism. Latency to SE increased in the SDS-pretreated mice compared to the KA group, while the percentage of incidence of SE was significantly reduced. These results suggested that pretreatment with SDS not only delayed SE, but it also decreased the incidence of SE induced by KA. KA increased MDA level and reduced the production of SOD and GSH at multiple timepoints after KA administration. SDS inhibited the change of MDA, SOD and GSH induced by KA prior to SE onset, indicating that SDS protects against KA-induced SE via suppressing oxidative stress. Based on these results, we investigated the possible molecular mechanism of SDS. Pretreatment with SDS reversed the KA-induced decrease in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK); increased the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) deacetylase activity in KA-treated mice, which had no demonstrable effect on SIRT1 mRNA and protein; and suppressed the KA-induced increase in Ace-FoxO1. These results showed that AMPK/SIRT1/FoxO1 signaling is possibly the molecular mechanism of neuroprotection by SDS.

Overexpression of FOXO1 ameliorates the podocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by high glucose in vitro and in vivo

Accumulating evidence has suggested that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a pathway that potentially leads to podocyte depletion and proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the protective effects of forkhead transcription factor O1 (FOXO1) on podocyte EMT, under high-glucose (HG) conditions in vitro and under diabetic conditions in vivo. The results showed that HG-induced podocyte EMT was associated with FOXO1 inactivation, which was accompanied by activation of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/SMAD3/integrin-linked kinase (ILK) pathway. Accordingly, constitutive FOXO1 activation suppressed the TGF-β1/Smad3/ILK pathway and partially reversed EMT, similar to the effects observed after treatment with SIS3 or QLT0267, which are selective inhibitors of TGF-β1-dependent SMAD3 phosphorylation and ILK, respectively. In addition, lentiviral-mediated FOXO1 overexpression in the kidneys of diabetic mice considerably increased FOXO1 expression and activation, while decreasing proteinuria and renal pathological injury. These data suggested that forced FOXO1 activation inhibited HG-induced podocyte EMT and ameliorated proteinuria and renal injury in diabetic mice. Our findings further highlighted that FOXO1 played a protective role against diabetes in mice and may potentially be used as a novel therapeutic target for treating diabetic nephropathy.