Effect of Sedum sarmentosum BUNGE extract on aristolochic acid-induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury

J Pharmacol Sci. 2014;124(4):445-56. doi: 10.1254/jphs.13216fp. Epub 2014 Mar 27.

Abstract

Aristolochic acid (AA) is known as a potent mutagen that induces significant cytotoxic and mutagenic effects on renal tubular epithelial cells. Clinically, the persistent injury of AA results in the infiltration of inflammatory cells, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. There are no truly effective pharmaceuticals. In this study, we investigated the potential role of the extract of Sedum sarmentosum Bunge (SSB), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on rat tubuloepithelial (NRK-52E) cells after AA injury in vitro. Evidence revealed that AA induced mitochondrial-pathway-mediated cellular apoptosis, accompanied by cell proliferation in a feedback mechanism. Treatment with SSB also induced cells to enter early apoptosis, but inhibited cell proliferation. In cultured NRK-52E cells, AA induced the imbalance of MMP-2/TIMP-2 and promoted EMT and ECM accumulation. SSB treatment significantly alleviated AA-induced NRK-52E cells fibrosis-like appearance, inhibited the induction of EMT, and deposition of ECM. SSB also decreased the activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway, resulting in down-regulated expression of NF-κB-controlled chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including MCP-1, MIF, and M-CSF, which may regulate the macrophage-mediated inflammatory reaction during renal fibrosis in vivo. Therefore, these findings suggest that SSB exerts protective effects against AA-induced tubular epithelial cells injury through suppressing the synthesis of inflammatory factors, EMT, and ECM production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Aristolochic Acids / toxicity*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Fibrosis
  • Inflammation
  • Kidney Tubules / cytology*
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / metabolism
  • Mutagens / toxicity*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Sedum*
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Aristolochic Acids
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Mutagens
  • Plant Extracts
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2
  • aristolochic acid I
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2