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Wang Q, Xu J, Li M, Chen Y, Xu Y, Li L, Gong Y, Yang Y. Nrf2 knockout attenuates the astragaloside IV therapeutic effect on kidney fibrosis from liver cancer by regulating pSmad3C/3L pathways. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2024; 397:1687-1700. [PMID: 37712971 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02711-2] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Fibrotic kidney injury from hepatocarcinogenesis seriously impacts treatment effect. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), an extract of Astragalus membranaceus, has several pharmacological activities, which are useful in the treatment of edema and fibrosis. Nrf2/HO-1 is a key antioxidant stress pathway and help treatment of kidney injury. Smad3 phosphorylation is implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis. Our previous study clarified that Smad3 is differentially regulated by different phosphorylated forms of Smad3 on hepatocarcinogenesis. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of AS-IV on the therapy of kidney fibrosis from hepatocarcinogenesis. And the focus was on whether the phosphorylation of Smad3 and the regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway were involved during AS-IV therapy and whether there is an effect of Nrf2 knockout on the phosphorylation of Smad3. We performed TGF-β1 stimulation on HK-2 cells and intervened with AS-IV. Furtherly, we investigated renal injury of AS-IV on Nrf2 knockout mice during hepatocarcinogenesis and its mechanism of action. On the one hand, in vitro results showed that AS-IV reduced the ROS and α-SMA expression of HK-2 by promoting the expression pSmad3C/p21 of and Nrf2/HO-1 and suppressed the expression of pSmad3L/PAI-1. On the other hand, the in vivo results of histopathological features, serological biomarkers, and oxidative damage indicators showed that Nrf2 knockout aggravated renal injury. Besides, Nrf2 deletion decreased the nephroprotective effect of AS-IV by suppressing the pSmad3C/p21 pathway and promoting the pSmad3L/PAI-1 pathway. The experimental results were as we suspected. And we identify for the first time that Nrf2 deficiency increases renal fibrosis from hepatocarcinogenesis and attenuates the therapeutic effects of AS-IV via regulating pSmad3C/3L signal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Jiacheng Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Miaomiao Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yingying Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Lili Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yongfang Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, China.
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