Inhibition of RIP1-RIP3-mediated necroptosis attenuates renal fibrosis via Wnt3α/β-catenin/GSK-3β signaling in unilateral ureteral obstruction

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 12;17(10):e0274116. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274116. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Renal fibrosis represents the final common outcome of chronic kidney disease of virtually any etiology. However, the mechanism underlying the evolution of renal fibrosis remains to be addressed. This study sought to clarify whether RIP1-RIP3-mediated necroptosis is involved in renal fibrosis via Wnt3α/β-catenin/GSK-3β signaling in vitro and in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Rats with UUO were administered RIP inhibitors (necrostatin-1 or GSK872) or β-catenin/TCF inhibitor ICG-001 daily for 7 consecutive days. UUO caused significant renal tubular necrosis and overexpression of RIP1-RIP3-MLKL axis proteins, and was accompanied by activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and renal fibrosis. Oxidative stress caused by UUO was closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which resulted in apoptotic cell death via Wnt3α/β-catenin/GSK-3β signaling. All of these effects were abolished by an RIP inhibitor (necrostatin-1 or GSK872) or ICG-001. In H2O2-treated HK-2 cells, both RIP inhibitor and ICG-001 decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species production and apoptotic cells, but increased cell viability. Activated Wnt3α/β-catenin/GSK-3β signaling was decreased by either RIP inhibitor or ICG-001. Our findings suggest that RIP1-RIP3-mediated necroptosis contributes to the development of renal fibrosis via Wnt3α/β-catenin/GSK-3β signaling in UUO and may be a therapeutic target for protection against renal scarring of other origins.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fibrosis
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Inflammasomes
  • Kidney Diseases* / complications
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Necroptosis
  • Rats
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases* / metabolism
  • Ureteral Obstruction* / complications
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Inflammasomes
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • beta Catenin
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • RIPK1 protein, rat
  • Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Ripk3 protein, rat

Grants and funding

Yes-This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81560125 and No.81760293) and Science and Technology Research “13th Five-Year Plan” Projects of Education Department of Jilin Province (JJHK20180890KJ and JJHK20180915KJ).S.G.P. conceived and planned the experiments. S.G.P. and C.L. wrote the paper.