Aim
Elevated inflammatory signaling has been shown to play an important role in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). We previously developed a new anti-inflammatory compound LG4. In the present study, we have tested the hypothesis that LG4 could prevent DKD by suppressing inflammation and identified the underlying mechanism.
Conclusion
LG4 showed renoprotective activity through inhibiting ERK/JNK-mediated inflammation in diabetic mice, indicating that LG4 may be a therapeutic agent for DKD.
Methods
Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice were used to develop DKD and evaluate the effects of LG4 against DKD. To identify the potential targets of LG4, biotin-linked LG4 was synthesized and subjected to proteome microarray screening. The cellular mechanism of LG4 was investigated in HG-challenged SV40MES13 cells.
Results
Although LG4 treatment had no effect on the body weight and blood glucose levels, it remarkably reversed the hyperglycemia-induced pathological changes and fibrosis in the kidneys of T1DM mice. Importantly, hyperglycemia-induced renal inflammation evidenced by NF-κB activation and TNFα and IL-6 overexpression was greatly ameliorated with LG4 treatment. Proteosome microarray screening revealed that JNK and ERK were the direct binding proteins of LG4. LG4 significantly reduced HG-induced JNK and ERK phosphorylation and subsequent NF-κB activation in vivo and in vitro. In addition, LG4 did not show further anti-inflammatory effect in HG-challenged mesangial cells with the presence of JNK or ERK inhibitor.