Acteoside delays the fibrosis process of diabetic nephropathy by anti-oxidation and regulating the autophagy-lysosome pathway

Luteolin-7-O-glucuronide alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting PPAR-mediated ferroptosis

Inhibiting ferroptosis has been proposed to rescue myocardial cell death in Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). Here, we aimed to investigate whether luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (LOG) alleviates DIC via ferroptosis suppression in zebrafish and H9C2 cardiomyocytes, as well as the potential mechanism. We found that LOG improved zebrafish cardiac function and mitigated the upregulation of CK-MB, cTnT, nppa, and nppb caused by DOX. Moreover, LOG suppressed the high levels of ROS, GSSG, and MDA in response to DOX and increased GSH activity and gpx4 levels in zebrafish. Additionally, LOG increased cell viability and the GSH/GSSG ratio, reduced oxidative damage and the accumulation of ferrous ions, and maintained mitochondrial function in H9C2 cells. Mechanistically, LOG improved the abnormal expression of key genes in the PPAR signaling pathway and ferroptosis induced by DOX. In conclusion, our study emphasized that LOG attenuates DIC by mitigating oxidative stress-triggered lipid peroxidation related to the inhibition of PPAR-mediated ferroptosis.

mTOR-mediated nutrient sensing and oxidative stress pathways regulate autophagy: a key mechanism for traditional Chinese medicine to improve diabetic kidney disease

Context

Autophagy plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of DKD, and the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which regulates nutrient sensing and oxidative stress responses, is a key regulator of autophagy. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has garnered attention for its potential to treat DKD by modulating the mTOR signaling pathway, reducing oxidative stress, and restoring autophagic function.

Objective

The objective of this study is to examine how mTOR-mediated regulation of nutrient sensing and oxidative stress impacts autophagy in DKD, and to explore how TCM modulates these pathways to improve the condition.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), with the search extended to December 2024. The search subject terms included 'diabetic kidney disease,' 'Traditional Chinese Medicine,' 'mTOR,' 'nutrient sensing,' and 'oxidative stress.' Studies were rigorously screened by two investigators.

Results

This review systematically examines the pathogenesis of mTOR-mediated nutrient sensing dysfunction and oxidative stress in DKD, highlighting their impact on autophagy. It further clarifies how these mechanisms are targeted by Chinese medicine in the treatment of DKD. The review summarizes the potential mechanisms by which TCM, including monomers (e.g., Astragaloside IV), individual botanical drugs (e.g., Dendrobium nobile Lindl.), and compound formulations (e.g., Tongluo Digui Decoction), regulate autophagy in DKD through pathways such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mTOR, sirtuins (Sirt), and the phosphatidylinositol three kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. TCM compound formulas share a common foundational framework, with the majority being formulated based on therapeutic principles such as 'Yiqi', 'Yangyin', 'Tongluo', and 'Huashi'.

Conclusion

TCM shows promise in treating DKD, with unique advantages in modulating key signaling pathways. However, the underlying mechanisms remain complex and warrant further investigation.

Natural products in traditional Chinese medicine for renal fibrosis: a comprehensive review

Renal fibrosis represents the terminal pathological manifestation of most chronic kidney diseases, driving progressive loss of renal function. Natural products have emerged as promising therapeutic agents for preventing and ameliorating renal fibrosis due to their multi-target efficacy and favorable safety profiles. In this review, we conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed using the keywords "natural product" and "renal fibrosis" from 2004 to 2025, identifying 704 relevant articles. We systematically categorize and discuss the biological effects of key natural products and formulations with antifibrotic potential, focusing on five major classes: glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, anthraquinones, and terpenoids. Representative compounds from each category are highlighted for their mechanisms of action, including modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, autophagy, and fibrosis signaling pathways. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for the development of natural product-based therapies to combat renal fibrosis, offering insights into their therapeutic potential and future research directions.

Natural phenylethanoid glycoside forsythoside A alleviates androgenetic alopecia by selectively inhibiting TRPV3 channels in mice

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen derivate, is known to be a key factor involved in androgenetic alopecia. DHT suppresses the growth of outer root sheath cells and induces apoptosis of hair keratinocytes, thereby causing hair follicle miniaturization and hair regrowth inhibition. Forsythoside A, a natural substance derived from Forsythia suspensa, has been shown to reduce DHT-induced apoptosis in human hair cells and suppress hair regrowth inhibition induced by DHT in mice. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the action of forsythoside A remains unclear. Here, we report that the alleviation of androgenetic alopecia by natural phenylethanoid glycoside forsythiaside A involves the selective inhibition of warmth-sensitive Ca2+-permeable transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 (TRPV3) channels. TRPV3 mRNA and protein expressions are upregulated in the skin of a mouse model of androgenetic alopecia induced by DHT. Ablation of the Trpv3 gene or subcutaneous injection of forsythoside A alleviates DHT-induced hair regrowth inhibition. In whole-cell patch clamp recordings, forsythoside A selectively inhibits macroscopic TRPV3 currents in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 40.1 ± 4.8 μM. At the single-channel level, forsythoside A also reduces the channel open probability and open frequency without significantly altering the channel unitary conductance. Molecular docking combined with site-directed mutagenesis reveals two residues T636 and T665 critical for forsythoside A-mediated inhibition of TRPV3. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that TRPV3 inhibition is an important a mechanism by which natural forsythoside A ameliorates DHT-induced hair regrowth. Topical TRPV3 inhibitors may hold promise as a new therapeutic approach for treating androgenetic alopecia.

Augmenter of liver regeneration inhibits renal fibrosis during acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease transition by regulating autophagic flux

BACKGROUND

Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) is believed to protect against acute kidney injury (AKI). The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of ALR in the transition from AKI to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

ALR Conditional Knockout (CKO) mice were bilateral renal artery clamped to induce AKI and CKD. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and uric acid were measured to reflect renal function. Renal histology was used to assess kidney damage. Transcriptome sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and related pathways. TUNEL assay was conducted to assess apoptosis. Polymerase chain reaction and immunohistology were used to analyze autophagy-related factors and kidney fibrosis. AAV9-mRFP-GFP-LC3 was injected to observe autophagy flux.

RESULTS

In the murine models of AKI and CKD, loss of ALR led to markedly reduced renal function and renal tubular pathology injury. Multiple autophagy-related pathways were found to be enriched in up-regulated DEGs in transcriptome sequencing of ALR CKO and control groups with AKI. Renal fibrosis was evident in ALR CKO mice, with marked suppression of Beclin-1, a factor associated with the initiation phase of autophagy, and ATG5, an important factor in the extension phase of autophagosomes. The marked accumulation of LC3 and SQSTM1/P62, which is associated with the formation of autophagosomes, was also observed, suggesting an impairment of autophagic processes. Correspondingly, the AAV9-mRFP-GFP-LC3 results indicated that decreased ALR led to the accumulation of autophagosomes and impaired autophagic lysosome generation.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these results suggested that ALR deficiency led to apoptosis and enhanced renal fibrosis by impairing autophagic flux, which in turn led to the transition of AKI to CKD.

Exploring the nephrotoxicity and molecular mechanisms of Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate: A comprehensive review

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a widely applied plasticizer in various products, can be absorbed into the human body through several channels and accumulate in the lungs, liver, testes, and kidneys, potentially impairing the function of these organs. Recently, the nephrotoxicity of DEHP has received heightened attention. Numerous epidemiologic findings have demonstrated that DEHP exposure may contribute to renal damage, leading to structural and functional abnormalities and exacerbating the progression of kidney disease. Recent research has discovered the mechanisms behind DEHP-induced nephrotoxicity may involve a variety of pathways, including apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and lipid metabolism disorders. This review discusses the impact of DEHP on kidney function and delves into the molecular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity mediated by DEHP in recent years. In addition, the review examines evidence for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of lycopene, green tea polyphenols, and quercetin in ameliorating DEHP-induced renal injury is reviewed, providing a basis for further research.

The pro-fibrotic role of autophagy in renal intrinsic cells: mechanisms and therapeutic potential in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global public health burden, affecting over 10% of the world's population. Its high morbidity, multifactorial complications, and substantial mortality impose significant burdens on healthcare systems and patients, necessitating considerable investment in healthcare resources. Renal fibrosis (RF) is a key pathological feature and driver of CKD progression. Extensive research indicates that autophagy participates in the complete pathogenesis of RF. Under physiological conditions, autophagy is essential for maintaining renal cellular homeostasis. However, under pathological conditions, perhaps aberrant and sustained activation of autophagy contributes to oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, etc. Ultimately, they accelerate the development of RF. The role of autophagy in RF is currently controversial. This review investigates the molecular mechanisms by which intrinsic renal cell autophagy contributes to RF across diverse disease models, suggesting that autophagy and its associated regulatory pathways represent potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for CKD.