2. Academic Validation
  3. Crocin improves the renal autophagy in rat experimental membranous nephropathy via regulating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Crocin improves the renal autophagy in rat experimental membranous nephropathy via regulating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

  • Ren Fail. 2023;45(2):2253924. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2023.2253924.
Hongyan Liu 1,  Hong Cheng 2,  Hongyun Wang 3,  Qiong Wang 3,  Jun Yuan 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
  • 2 Renal Division, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
  • 3 The First Clinical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
PMID: 37724538 DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2023.2253924
Abstract

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a glomerular disease. Crocin is isolated from saffron and gardenia. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-tumor, free-radical scavenging and neuroprotective activities have been well established. We investigated the biological functions of crocin and its related mechanisms in MN. We established an experimental passive Heymann nephritis (PHN) rat model induced by anti-Fx1A antiserum. The rats were divided into sham, sham + crocin, PHN, PHN + crocin, and PHN + enalapril groups. Blood samples and kidneys of rats were collected for estimation of biochemical parameters in serum and oxidative stress indicators in kidney tissues. Histopathological changes of renal tissues were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Masson staining. The podocyte number was estimated by immunohistochemistry staining of Wilms tumor type 1 (WT1). The deposition of rat anti-rabbit IgG Antibodies, complement C3 and C5b-9 was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Western blotting was performed to measure the levels of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and apoptosis-related proteins. The total Cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine volume and urine albumin of PMN rats were significantly reduced by crocin. Additionally, crocin attenuated the renal histopathological changes. Moreover, the oxidative stress damage and podocyte loss and immune injury were relieved by crocin in PHN rats. Mechanistically, crocin administration activated the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathways. The results provide a scientific basis that crocin could alleviate MN by inhibiting immune injury and podocyte damage through activating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathways.

Keywords

Membranous nephropathy; Sirt1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathways; crocin; passive Heymann nephritis; podocyte; proteinuria.

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