Combination therapy of chitosan, gynostemma, and motherwort alleviates the progression of experimental rat chronic renal failure by inhibiting STAT1 activation

The therapeutic effect of wine-processed Corni Fructus on chronic renal failure in rats through the interference with the LPS/IL-1-mediated inhibition of RXR function

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Corni Fructus, derived from the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc, is a widely utilized traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with established efficacy in the treatment of diverse chronic kidney diseases. Crude Corni Fructus (CCF) and wine-processed Corni Fructus (WCF) are the main processed forms of Corni Fructus. Generally, TCM is often used after processing (paozhi). Despite the extensive use of processed TCM, the underlying mechanisms of processing for most TCMs have been unclear so far.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, an integrated strategy combined renal metabolomics with proteomics was established and investigated the potential processing mechanisms of CCF or WCF on chronic renal failure (CRF) models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the differences in biochemical parameters and pathological histology were compared to evaluate the effects of CCF and WCF on CRF model rats. Then, the tissue differential metabolites and proteins between CCF and WCF on CRF model rats were screened based on metabolomics and proteomics technology. Concurrently, a combined approach of metabolomics and proteomics was employed to investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with these marker metabolic products and proteins.

RESULTS

Compared to the MG group, there were 27 distinct metabolites and 143 different proteins observed in the CCF-treatment group, while the WCF-treatment group exhibited 24 distinct metabolites and 379 different proteins. Further, the integration interactions analysis of the protein and lipid metabolite revealed that both WCF and CCF improved tryptophan degradation and LPS/IL-1-mediated inhibition of RXR function. WCF inhibited RXR function more than CCF via the modulation of LPS/IL-1 in the CRF model. Experimental results were validated by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Notably, the gene expression amount and protein levels of FMO3 and CYP2E1 among 8 genes influenced by WCF were higher compared to CCF.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for further study of Corni Fructus with different processing techniques in CRF. The findings also offer guidance for investigating the mechanism of action of herbal medicines in diseases employing diverse processing techniques.

The role of thyroid hormone in the renal immune microenvironment

Thyroid hormones are essential for proper kidney growth and development. The kidney is not only the organ of thyroid hormone metabolism but also the target organ of thyroid hormone. Kidney disease is a common type of kidney damage, mainly including different types of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, lupus nephritis, and renal cell carcinoma. The kidney is often damaged by an immune response directed against its antigens or a systemic immune response. A variety of immune cells in the innate and adaptive immune systems, including neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes, is essential for maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmune kidney disease. Recent studies have found that thyroid hormone plays an indispensable role in the immune microenvironment of various kidney diseases. Thyroid hormones regulate the activity of neutrophils, and dendritic cells express triiodothyronine receptors. Compared to hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism has a greater effect on neutrophils. Furthermore, in adaptive immune systems, thyroid hormone may activate T lymphocytes through several underlying mechanisms, such as mediating NF-κB, protein kinase C signalling pathways, and β-adrenergic receptors, leading to increased T lymphocyte activation. The present review discusses the effects of thyroid hormone metabolism regulation in the immune microenvironment on the function of various immune cells, especially neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes. Although there are not enough data at this stage to conclude the clinical relevance of these findings, thyroid hormone metabolism may influence autoimmune kidney disease by regulating the renal immune microenvironment.

Leonurine Preconditioning Attenuates Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury in Rats by Promoting Nrf2 Nuclear Translocation and Suppressing TLR4/NF-κB Pathway

Despite the precise mechanisms for renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) are poorly understood, nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathways were considered as the important targets. Leonurine (LEO) is a special alkaloid extracted from Chinese motherwort (Leonurus japonicus Houtt), which has an anti-inflammatory effect and reduces oxidative stress. We conducted the study to explore the efficacy of LEO against I/R-induced AKI in rats and further investigated the underlying mechanisms. Ischemic renal injury was induced by temporary vascular clamping for 45 min. We have measured the levels of inflammation-related biomarkers and antioxidative stress markers. Next, Western blot analysis and Real-time PCR were performed to analyze whether the Nrf2 and TLR4/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathways were involved in this process. We found that LEO pretreatment remarkably decreased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in I/R rats and attenuated acute tubular damage. In addition, LEO markedly increased the expression of antioxidant proteins and decreased the levels of inflammatory factors. Further study revealed that LEO promoted Nrf2 into the nucleus, promoted the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), and suppressed the TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway in kidney tissues of ischemic AKI rats. The study reveals that LEO has a protective effect to prevent ischemic AKI through activation of Nrf2 nuclear translocation resisting oxidative stress injury and inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway mediated inflammatory gene expression.

Chitin and Chitosan Derivatives as Biomaterial Resources for Biological and Biomedical Applications

Chitin is a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine, which is regularly found in the exoskeleton of arthropods including insects, shellfish and the cell wall of fungi. It has been known that chitin can be used for biological and biomedical applications, especially as a biomaterial for tissue repairing, encapsulating drug for drug delivery. However, chitin has been postulated as an inducer of proinflammatory cytokines and certain diseases including asthma. Likewise, chitosan, a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine and d-glucosamine derived from chitin deacetylation, and chitosan oligosaccharide, a short chain polymer, have been known for their potential therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and anti-Alzheimer effects. This review summarizes potential utilization and limitation of chitin, chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharide in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, future direction of research and development of chitin, chitosan, and chitosan oligosaccharide for biomedical applications is discussed.

Fibrosis regression is induced by AdhMMP8 in a murine model of chronic kidney injury

Adenoviral vector AdhMMP8 (human Metalloproteinase-8 cDNA) administration has been proven beneficial in various experimental models of liver injury improving liver function and decreasing fibrosis. In this study, we evaluated the potential therapeutic AdhMMP8 effect in a chronic kidney damage experimental model. Chronic injury was induced by orogastric adenine administration (100mg/kg/day) to Wistar rats for 4 weeks. AdhMMP8 (3x10¹¹vp/kg) was administrated in renal vein during an induced-ligation-ischemic period to facilitate kidney transduction causing no-additional kidney injury as determined by histology and serum creatinine. Animals were sacrificed at 7- and 14-days post-Ad injection. Fibrosis, histopathological features, serum creatinine (sCr), BUN, and renal mRNA expression of αSMA, Col-1α, TGF-β1, CTGF, BMP7, IL-1, TNFα, VEGF and PAX2 were analyzed. Interestingly, AdhMMP8 administration resulted in cognate human MMP8 protein detection in both kidneys, whereas hMMP8 mRNA was detected only in the left kidney. AdhMMP8 significantly reduced kidney tubule-interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis. Also, tubular atrophy and interstitial inflammation were clearly decreased rendering improved histopathology, and down regulation of profibrogenic genes expression. Functionally, sCr and BUN were positively modified. The results showed that AdhMMP8 decreased renal fibrosis, suggesting that MMP8 could be a possible therapeutic candidate for kidney fibrosis treatment.

Medicinal Value and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino and Its Derivatives: An Overview

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Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (GpM) and its derivatives, especially gypenosides (Gyps), are widely used as safe and convenient natural herbal drugs for the treatment of many diseases for a long time, and Gyps have different oral bioavailability (OB) values and low ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The effects of GpM and isolates on fibrosis, inflammation, oxidation, proliferation and migration are proved. GpM shows bidirectional regulation effect on proliferation, oxidation and apoptosis in tumor and non-tumor cells. GpM and its extractions can resist proliferation, activate oxidation and apoptosis in tumor cells and have opposite effects on non-tumor cells. We succinctly present some current views of medicinal value and potential therapeutic mechanisms of GpM and its derivatives.