Dendrobium mixture attenuates renal damage in rats with diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

A zebrafish model of diabetic nephropathy shows hyperglycemia, proteinuria and activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), as a complication of diabetes, is a substantial healthcare challenge owing to the high risk of morbidity and mortality involved. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of DN, more efficient models are required to develop new therapeutics. Here, we created a DN model in zebrafish by crossing diabetic Tg(acta1:dnIGF1R-EGFP) and proteinuria-tracing Tg(l-fabp::VDBP-GFP) lines, named zMIR/VDBP. Overfed adult zMIR/VDBP fish developed severe hyperglycemia and proteinuria, which were not observed in wild-type zebrafish. Renal histopathology revealed human DN-like characteristics, such as glomerular basement membrane thickening, foot process effacement and glomerular sclerosis. Glomerular dysfunction was restored upon calorie restriction. RNA sequencing analysis demonstrated that DN zebrafish kidneys exhibited transcriptional patterns similar to those seen in human DN pathogenesis. Notably, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway was activated, a phenomenon observed in the early phase of human DN. In addition, metformin improved hyperglycemia and proteinuria in DN zebrafish by modulating Akt phosphorylation. Our results indicate that zMIR/VDBP fish are suitable for elucidating the mechanisms underlying human DN and could be a powerful tool for therapeutic discovery.

Enhancement of specialized metabolites using CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology in medicinal plants

Plants are the richest source of specialized metabolites. The specialized metabolites offer a variety of physiological benefits and many adaptive evolutionary advantages and frequently linked to plant defense mechanisms. Medicinal plants are a vital source of nutrition and active pharmaceutical agents. The production of valuable specialized metabolites and bioactive compounds has increased with the improvement of transgenic techniques like gene silencing and gene overexpression. These techniques are beneficial for decreasing production costs and increasing nutritional value. Utilizing biotechnological applications to enhance specialized metabolites in medicinal plants needs characterization and identification of genes within an elucidated pathway. The breakthrough and advancement of CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing in improving the production of specific metabolites in medicinal plants have gained significant importance in contemporary times. This article imparts a comprehensive recapitulation of the latest advancements made in the implementation of CRISPR-gene editing techniques for the purpose of augmenting specific metabolites in medicinal plants. We also provide further insights and perspectives for improving metabolic engineering scenarios in medicinal plants.

Hypoglycemic Effects and Quality Marker Screening of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. at Different Growth Years

(1) Background: The effect of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. (D. nobile) on hyperglycemic syndrome has only been recently known for several years. Materials of D. nobile were always collected from the plants cultivated in various growth ages. However, regarding the efficacy of D. nobile on hyperglycemic syndrome, it was still unknown as to which cultivation age would be selected. On the other hand, with the lack of quality markers, it is difficult to control the quality of D. nobile to treat hyperglycemic syndrome. (2) Methods: The effects of D. nobile cultivated at year 1 and year 3 were checked on alloxan-induced diabetic mice while their body weight, diet, water intake, and urinary output were monitored. Moreover, levels of glycosylated serum protein and insulin were measured using Elisa kits. The constituents of D. nobile were identified and analyzed by using UPLC-Q/trap. Quality markers were screened out by integrating the data from UPLC-Q/trap into a network pharmacology model. (3) Results: The D. nobile cultivated at both year 1 and year 3 showed a significant effect on hyperglycemic syndrome at the high dosage level; however, regarding the significant level, D. nobile from year 1 showed the better effect. In D. nobile, most of the metabolites were identified as alkaloids and sesquiterpene glycosides. Alkaloids, represented by dendrobine, were enriched in D. nobile from year 1, while sesquiterpene glycosides were enriched in D. nobile from year 3. Twenty one metabolites were differentially expressed between D. nobile from year 1 and year 3. The aforementioned 21 metabolites were enriched to 34 therapeutic targets directly related to diabetes. (4) Conclusions: Regarding the therapy for hyperglycemic syndrome, D. nobile cultivated at year 1 was more recommended than that at year 3. Alkaloids were recommended to be used as markers to control the quality of D. nobile for hyperglycemic syndrome treatment.

Nicorandil attenuates cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in rats via activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade and inhibition of autophagy

Cisplatin is a highly effective antitumor agent, but its clinical use is limited due to critical adverse reactions including acute kidney injury (AKI). Nicorandil is an approved antianginal agent decreasing ischemia by potassium channel opening. The aim of this study was to investigate the nephroprotective effects of nicorandil and the possible role of activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in ameliorating cisplatin-induced AKI. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly allocated in 4 groups (n = 10). Group I: rats received the vehicle and served as control. Group II: rats received a single dose of cisplatin (7 mg/kg, i.p) on the 10th day of the experiment and served as AKI group. Group III: rats received cisplatin as in group II and nicorandil (3 mg/kg/day, p.o) for 14 days. Group IV: rats received cisplatin and nicorandil as in group III as well as wortmannin (15 μg/kg, i.v) for 14 days. Nicorandil exhibited obvious nephroprotective effects via the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, nicorandil succeed to reduce the expression of the autophagy markers beclin-1 and LC-3II/I. In parallel, nicorandil showed anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects via inhibition of NF-κB inflammatory pathway and depression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Wortmannin, the PI3K inhibitor, was used to demonstrate the proposed pathway. Our study showed the nephroprotective effects of nicorandil in cisplatin-induced AKI in rats via activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade, inhibition of autophagy, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant activities. Thus, nicorandil could represent a promising renoprotective agent in cancer patients treated with cisplatin.

Nourishing Yin traditional Chinese medicine: potential role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a common and frequently occurring disease in contemporary society, has become a global health threat. However, current mainstream methods of prevention and treatment, mainly including oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin injections, do not fundamentally block the progression of T2DM. Therefore, it is imperative to find new ways to prevent and treat diabetes. Traditional Chinese medicine is characterized by multiple components, pathways, and targets with mild and long-lasting effects. Pharmacological studies have shown that nourishing yin traditional Chinese medicine (NYTCM) can play a positive role in the treatment of T2DM by regulating pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor-kappa B, and other pathways to stimulate insulin secretion, protect and repair pancreatic β cells, alleviate insulin resistance, ameliorate disordered glucose and lipid metabolism, mitigate oxidative stress, inhibit inflammatory responses, and regulate the intestinal flora. The pharmacologic activity, mechanisms, safety, and toxicity of NYTCM in the treatment of T2DM are also reviewed in this manuscript.

Isolation and characterization of a nephroprotective polysaccharide from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl against LPS-induced acute kidney injury mice

The structure and bioactivity of a novel polysaccharide from Dendrobium Chrysotoxum Lindl (DCP-1) were investigated. The crude polysaccharides of Dendrobium Chrysotoxum Lindl (DCP) were extracted by hot water extraction, and the protein was removed by enzymatic hydrolysis and Sevage. After purification, the chemical structure of polysaccharides was identified by infrared spectroscopy, methylation analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Then, a mouse model of acute kidney injury (AKI) was constructed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and pretreated with DCP. Structure characterization demonstrated that the number-average molecular weight and mass average molar mass of DCP-1 were 28.43 kDa and 15.00 kDa, respectively. DCP-1 mainly consisted of mannose (37.8 %) and glucose (55.6 %). The main linkage types of DCP-1 were contained 1,4-Linked Manp and 1,4-Linked Glcp. And DCP-1 was demonstrated to be an O-acetylglucomannan with β-ᴅ-configuration in pyranoid form. Besides, the bioactivity of DCP was further investigated. The results showed that DCP exhibited notable anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced AKI mice. After treated with DCP, the creatinine (CREA) and urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum were successfully down-regulated in AKI mice. DCP treatment prevented the characteristic morphological changes of LPS-induced renal tubular injury. The results showed that DCP treatment significantly reduced the concentration of oxidative damage indicators (MDA, SOD) and the expression of inflammatory indices (TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, COX-2). In general, the newly extracted polysaccharide DCP showed excellent nephroprotective effect, which enabled it to be an ideal natural medicine for kidney diseases therapy.

Dendrobium mixture ameliorates hepatic injury induced by insulin resistance in vitro and in vivo through the downregulation of AGE/RAGE/Akt signaling pathway

Dendrobium mixture (DM) is a patented Chinese herbal medicine which has been shown to ameliorate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in vivo and in vitro. We aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of DM as a therapeutic agent in attenuating liver steatosis in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DM (16.2 g/kg/d) was administered to db/db mice for 4 weeks. The db/m mice and db/db mice in the control and model groups were given normal saline. Additionally, DM (11.25 g/kg/d) was administered to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and the serum was collected and used in an experiment involving palmitic acid (PA)-induced human liver HepG2 cells with abnormal lipid and glucose metabolism. In db/db mice, the administration of DM significantly alleviated liver steatosis, including histological damage and cell apoptosis. DM was found to prevent the upregulation of the RAGE and AKT1 proteins in liver tissues. The underlying mechanism of DM was further studied in PA-induced HepG2 cells. Post-DM administration serum from SD rats reduced lipid accumulation and regulated glucose metabolism in HepG2 cells. Consequently, it inhibited RAGE/AKT signaling and restored autophagy activity. The upregulated autophagy was associated with the mTOR-AMPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, post-DM administration serum reduced apoptosis of hepatocytes in PA-induced HepG2 cells. Our study supports the potential use of DM as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of NAFLD in T2DM. The mechanism underlying this therapeutic potential is associated with the downregulation of the AGE/RAGE/Akt signaling pathway.

High-intensity interval training induces renal injury and fibrosis in type 2 diabetic mice

AIMS

Previous studies showed that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) improved fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice. However, the effect of HIIT on the kidneys of mice with T2DM has not been examined. This study aimed to investigate the impact of HIIT on the kidneys of T2DM mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

T2DM mice were induced with a high-fat diet (HFD) and one-time 100 mg/kg streptozotocin intraperitoneal injection, and then T2DM mice were treated with 8 weeks of HIIT. Renal function and glycogen deposition were observed by serum creatinine levels and PAS staining, respectively. Sirius red staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and Oil red O staining were used to detect fibrosis and lipid deposition. Western blotting was performed to detect the protein levels.

KEY FINDINGS

HIIT significantly ameliorated the body composition, fasting blood glucose, and serum insulin of the T2DM mice. HIIT also improved glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, and renal lipid deposition of T2DM mice. However, we found that HIIT increased serum creatinine and glycogen accumulation in the kidneys of T2DM mice. Western blot analysis showed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was activated after HIIT. The expression of fibrosis-related proteins (TGF-β1, CTGF, collagen-III, α-SMA) increased, while the expression of klotho (sklotho) and MMP13 decreased in the kidneys of HIIT mice.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study concluded that HIIT induced renal injury and fibrosis, although it also improved glucose homeostasis in T2DM mice. The current study reminds us that patients with T2DM should be cautious when participating in HIIT.

Chinese herbal medicine and its active compounds in attenuating renal injury via regulating autophagy in diabetic kidney disease

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the main cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide, and there is a lack of effective treatment strategies. Autophagy is a highly conserved lysosomal degradation process that maintains homeostasis and energy balance by removing protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulated autophagy may contribute to glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions in the kidney under diabetic conditions. Emerging studies have shown that Chinese herbal medicine and its active compounds may ameliorate diabetic kidney injury by regulating autophagy. In this review, we summarize that dysregulation or insufficiency of autophagy in renal cells, including podocytes, glomerular mesangial cells, and proximal tubular epithelial cells, is a key mechanism for the development of DKD, and focus on the protective effects of Chinese herbal medicine and its active compounds. Moreover, we systematically reviewed the mechanism of autophagy in DKD regulated by Chinese herb compound preparations, single herb and active compounds, so as to provide new drug candidates for clinical treatment of DKD. Finally, we also reviewed the candidate targets of Chinese herbal medicine regulating autophagy for DKD. Therefore, further research on Chinese herbal medicine with autophagy regulation and their targets is of great significance for the realization of new targeted therapies for DKD.

Sestrin2 Signaling Pathway Regulates Podocyte Biology and Protects against Diabetic Nephropathy

Sestrin2 regulates cell homeostasis and is an upstream signaling molecule for several signaling pathways. Sestrin2 leads to AMP-activated protein kinase- (AMPK-) and GTPase-activating protein activity toward Rags (GATOR) 1-mediated inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), thereby enhancing autophagy. Sestrin2 also improves mitochondrial biogenesis via AMPK/Sirt1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. Blockade of ribosomal protein synthesis and augmentation of autophagy by Sestrin2 can prevent misfolded protein accumulation and attenuate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In addition, Sestrin2 enhances P62-mediated autophagic degradation of Keap1 to release nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Nrf2 release by Sestrin2 vigorously potentiates antioxidant defense in diabetic nephropathy. Impaired autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, severe oxidative stress, and ER stress are all deeply involved in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy. It has been shown that Sestrin2 expression is lower in the kidney of animals and patients with diabetic nephropathy. Sestrin2 knockdown aggravated diabetic nephropathy in animal models. In contrast, upregulation of Sestrin2 enhanced autophagy, mitophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis and suppressed oxidative stress, ER stress, and apoptosis in diabetic nephropathy. Consistently, overexpression of Sestrin2 ameliorated podocyte injury, mesangial proliferation, proteinuria, and renal fibrosis in animal models of diabetic nephropathy. By suppressing transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)/Smad and Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcription enhancer factor 1 (TEF1) signaling pathways in experimental models, Sestrin2 hindered epithelial-mesenchymal transition and extracellular matrix accumulation in diabetic kidneys. Moreover, modulation of the downstream molecules of Sestrin2, for instance, augmentation of AMPK or Nrf2 signaling and inhibition of mTORC1, has been protective in diabetic nephropathy. Regarding the beneficial effects of Sestrin2 on diabetic nephropathy and its interaction with several signaling molecules, it is worth targeting Sestrin2 in diabetic nephropathy.

Dendrobium mixture ameliorates type 2 diabetes mellitus with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through PPAR gamma: An integrated study of bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification

Dendrobium mixture (DM) is a patented Chinese herbal medicine indicated which has anti-inflammatory and improved glycolipid metabolism. However, its active ingredients, targets of action, and potential mechanisms are still uncertain. Here, we investigate the role of DM as a prospective modulator of protection against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and illustrate the molecular mechanisms potentially involved. The network pharmacology and TMT-based quantitative protomics analysis were conducted to identify potential gene targets of the active ingredients in DM against NAFLD and T2DM. DM was administered to the mice of DM group for 4 weeks, and db/m mice (control group) and db/db mice (model group) were gavaged by normal saline. DM was also given to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and the serum was subjected to the palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cells with abnormal lipid metabolism. The mechanism of DM protection against T2DM-NAFLD is to improve liver function and pathological morphology by promoting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation, lowering blood glucose, improving insulin resistance (IR), and reducing inflammatory factors. In db/db mice, DM reduced RBG, body weight, and serum lipids levels, and significantly alleviated histological damage of liver steatosis and inflammation. It upregulated the PPARγ corresponding to the prediction from the bioinformatics analysis. DM significantly reduced inflammation by activating PPARγ in both db/db mice and palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cells.

Dendrobium mixture improves gestational diabetes mellitus through regulating Nrf2/HO1 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by insulin resistance during pregnancy, and it is always combined with serious complications. Dendrobium mixture (DMix) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, and it has been proved to be an effective treatment for diabetes. However, the regulatory role of DMix in GDM remains elusive.

METHODS

High fat feed combined with streptozotocin injection and high glucose medium were used to establish GDM animal and cell models, respectively. The levels of blood glucose, blood lipid, and insulin were measured with commercial kits. Western blotting was used to detect protein expression.

RESULTS

DMix improved pancreas and placenta injury in GDM rats. DMix reversed the influence of GDM on the levels of SOD, MDA, and glutathione in the serum. Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in GDM rats were suppressed by DMix. The activation of MAPK and inhibition of Nrf2/HO1 in GDM animal and cell models were reversed by DMix. The increase of ROS intensity, apoptosis, and inflammation factors in HG treated cells were reversed by DMix.

CONCLUSION

This research proved that DMix improved GDM through inhibiting oxidative condition, inflammation factors, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. This study might provide a novel thought for the prevention and treatment of GDM.

Effect of Tanshinone IIA on Gut Microbiome in Diabetes-Induced Cognitive Impairment

Diabetes-induced cognitive impairment (DCI) presents a major public health risk among the aging population. Previous clinical attempts on known therapeutic targets for DCI, such as depleted insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and hyperglycaemia have delivered poor patient outcomes. However, recent evidence has demonstrated that the gut microbiome plays an important role in DCI by modulating cognitive function through the gut–brain crosstalk. The bioactive compound tanshinone IIA (TAN) has shown to improve cognitive and memory function in diabetes mellitus models, though the pharmacological actions are not fully understood. This study aims to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of TAN in attenuating DCI in relation to regulating the gut microbiome. Metagenomic sequencing analyses were performed on a group of control rats, rats with diabetes induced by a high-fat/high-glucose diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) (model group) and TAN-treated diabetic rats (TAN group). Cognitive and memory function were assessed by the Morris water maze test, histopathological assessment of brain tissues, and immunoblotting of neurological biomarkers. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) level was monitored throughout the experiments. The levels of serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays to reflect the circulatory inflammation level. The morphology of the colon barrier was observed by histopathological staining. Our study confirmed that TAN reduced the FBG level and improved the cognitive and memory function against HFD- and STZ-induced diabetes. TAN protected the endothelial tight junction in the hippocampus and colon, regulated neuronal biomarkers, and lowered the serum levels of LPS and TNF-α. TAN corrected the reduced abundance of Bacteroidetes in diabetic rats. At the species level, TAN regulated the abundance of B. dorei, Lachnoclostridium sp. YL32 and Clostridiodes difficile. TAN modulated the lipid metabolism and biosynthesis of fatty acids in related pathways as the main functional components. TAN significantly restored the reduced levels of isobutyric acid and butyric acid. Our results supported the use of TAN as a promising therapeutic agent for DCI, in which the underlying mechanism may be associated with gut microbiome regulation.

Research Progress of Chinese Herbal Medicine Intervention in Renal Interstitial Fibrosis

Chronic kidney diseases usually cause renal interstitial fibrosis, the prevention, delay, and treatment of which is a global research hotspot. However, no definite treatment options are available in modern medicine. Chinese herbal medicine has a long history, rich varieties, and accurate treatment effects. Hitherto, many Chinese herbal medicine studies have emerged to improve renal interstitial fibrosis. This paper reviews the mechanisms of renal interstitial fibrosis and recent studies on the disease intervention with Chinese herbal medicine through literature search, intend to reveal the importance of Chinese herbal medicine in renal interstitial fibrosis. The results show that Chinese herbal medicine can improve renal interstitial fibrosis, and the effects of Chinese herbal medicine on specific pathological mechanisms underlying renal interstitial fibrosis have been explored. Additionally, the limitations and advantages of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis, possible research directions, and new targets of Chinese herbal medicine are discussed to provide a basis for studies of renal interstitial fibrosis.

Effect of dendrobium mixture in alleviating diabetic cognitive impairment associated with regulating gut microbiota

Dendrobium mixture (DM) is a patent Chinese herbal formulation consisting of Dendrobii Caulis, Astragali Radix, Rehmanniae Radix as the main ingredients. DM has been shown to alleviate diabetic related symptoms attributed to its anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effect on diabetic induced cognitive dysfunction has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate the effect of DM in improving diabetic cognitive impairment and associated mechanisms. Our study confirmed the anti-hyperglycaemic effect of DM and showed its capacity to restore the cognitive and memory function in high fat/high glucose and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The neuroprotective effect was manifested as improved learning and memory behaviours, restored blood-brain barrier tight junction, and enhanced expressions of neuronal survival related biomarkers. DM protected the colon tight junction, and effectively lowered the circulated proinflammatory mediators including tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and lipopolysaccharides. In the gut microbiota, DM corrected the increase in the abundance of Firmicutes, the increase in the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, and the decrease in the abundance of Bacteroidetes in diabetic rats. It also reversed the abundance of Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus and Allobaculum genera. Short chain fatty acids, isobutyric acid and ethylmethylacetic acid, were negatively and significantly correlated to Ruminococcus and Allobaculum. Isovaleric acid was positively and significantly correlated with Lactobacillus, which all contributing to the improvement in glucose level, systemic inflammation and cognitive function in diabetic rats. Our results demonstrated the potential of DM as a promising therapeutic agent in treating diabetic cognitive impairment and the underlying mechanism may be associated with regulating gut microbiota.

β-Amyrin ameliorates diabetic nephropathy in mice and regulates the miR-181b-5p/HMGB2 axis in high glucose-stimulated HK-2 cells

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a diabetic complication that can cause renal failure. β-amyrin has been identified to possess anti-diabetic property. This study was designed to evaluate the potential role of β-amyrin in DN and its underlying mechanism. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice were used as the in vivo model, and high glucose (HG)-stimulated human proximal tubular HK-2 cells were utilized as the in vitro model. Renal histological changes in mice were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining. HK-2 cell viability and apoptosis were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. β-amyrin was found to ameliorate kidney injury in DN mice and suppressed inflammatory response as well as apoptosis of HG-stimulated HK-2 cells. miR-181-5p expression in murine renal tissues and HK-2 cells was detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). MiR-181b-5p, a previously identified target for diabetic kidney disease, was downregulated in renal tissues and HG stimulated HK-2 cells, and β-amyrin induced the upregulation of miR-181b-5p. Binding relationship between miR-181b-5p and high mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. MiR-181b-5p bound to 3' untranslated region of HMGB2 to suppress its expression. As shown by immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining, HMGB2 was upregulated in the in vivo and in vitro models of DN, and β-amyrin induced the downregulation of HMGB2. Moreover, HMGB2 overexpression neutralized the suppressive effects of miR-181b-5p elevation on the inflammatory response and apoptosis of HG-treated HK-2 cells. Overall, β-amyrin ameliorates DN in mice and suppresses inflammatory response and apoptosis of HG-stimulated HK-2 cells via the miR-181b-5p/HMGB2 axis.