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Kuang BC, Wang ZH, Hou SH, Zhang J, Wang MQ, Zhang JS, Sun KL, Ni HQ, Gong NQ. Methyl eugenol protects the kidney from oxidative damage in mice by blocking the Nrf2 nuclear export signal through activation of the AMPK/GSK3β axis. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2023; 44:367-380. [PMID: 35794373 PMCID: PMC9889399 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00942-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupted redox homeostasis contributes to renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Abundant natural products can activate nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), thereby providing therapeutic benefits. Methyl eugenol (ME), an analog of the phenolic compound eugenol, has the ability to induce Nrf2 activity. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of ME against renal oxidative damage in vivo and in vitro. An IR-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) model was established in mice. ME (20 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.p.) was administered to mice on 5 consecutive days before IR surgery. We showed that ME administration significantly attenuated renal destruction, improved the survival rate, reduced excessive oxidative stress and inhibited mitochondrial lesions in AKI mice. We further demonstrated that ME administration significantly enhanced Nrf2 activity and increased the expression of downstream antioxidative molecules. Similar results were observed in vitro in hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR)-exposed proximal tubule epithelial cells following pretreatment with ME (40 μmol·L-1). In both renal oxidative damage models, ME induced Nrf2 nuclear retention in tubular cells. Using specific inhibitors (CC and DIF-3) and molecular docking, we demonstrated that ME bound to the binding pocket of AMPK with high affinity and activated the AMPK/GSK3β axis, which in turn blocked the Nrf2 nuclear export signal. In addition, ME alleviated the development of renal fibrosis induced by nonfatal IR, which is frequently encountered in the clinic. In conclusion, we demonstrate that ME modulates the AMPK/GSK3β axis to regulate the cytoplasmic-nuclear translocation of Nrf2, resulting in Nrf2 nuclear retention and thereby enhancing antioxidant target gene transcription that protects the kidney from oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Cheng Kuang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhi-Heng Wang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shuai-Heng Hou
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ji Zhang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Meng-Qin Wang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jia-Si Zhang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Kai-Lun Sun
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hai-Qiang Ni
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Nian-Qiao Gong
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation of Ministry of Education, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Kuang BC, Hou SH, Zhan GJ, Wang MQ, Zhang JS, Sun KL, Wang ZH, Li QW, Gong NQ. [Effect of methyl eugenol on hypoxia/reoxygenation injury of human renal tubular epithelial cells and its mechanism]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2021; 46:6502-6510. [PMID: 34994143 DOI: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20210918.402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of methyl eugenol(ME) on hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)-induced injury of human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells and its mechanism. The viability of HK-2 cells cultured with different concentrations of ME and exposed to H/R was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay. The effect of ME on the morphology of HK-2 cells was observed under an inverted microscope. The content of intracellular reactive oxygen species in different groups was detected after 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA) fluorescence staining. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were monitored by JC-1 dye. The concentrations of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphatase oxidase 4(Nox4) were measured by Western blot, followed by the assay of Nrf2 concentration changes in cytoplasm and nucleus by confocal fluorescence staining. The results showed that when the concentration of ME was 0-40 μmol·L~(-1), the activity of HK-2 cells was not affected. Compared with the model group, ME enhanced the activity of HK-2 cells and the cell morphology was normal. As revealed by further experiments, ME inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species and the decline in mitochondrial membrane potential of HK-2 cells after H/R injury, promoted Nrf2/HO-1 expression and Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus, and down-regulated the expression of Nox4, thereby significantly reducing apoptosis. This protective effect of ME could be reversed by the specific Nrf2 inhibitor ML385. These findings have preliminarily proved that ME effectively protected HK-2 cells against H/R injury, which might be related to its promotion of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and inhibition of Nox4. Such exploration on the possible mechanism of ME in the treatment of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI) and protection of organ function from the perspective of antioxidant stress has provided reference for related research on the treatment of acute kidney injury with traditional Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Cheng Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Shuai-Heng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - G Ji Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Meng-Qin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Jia-Si Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Kai-Lun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Zhi-Heng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Qing-Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
| | - Nian-Qiao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430030,China
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