The role of DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes, which is associated with an increased oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia and alterations in DJ-1/NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) pathway. In the present study, we investigated the role and the proper time nodes of DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway in the pathogenesis of DN. Diabetes mellitus (DM) model of rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) on male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Then, the diabetic rats were divided into 4, 8 and 12 weeks groups. As early at 4 weeks of diabetes, renal histologic evaluation score, cystatin C (Cys C), ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased, and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) level was decreased as compared with that in the control group. The protein expressions of DJ-1, NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were upregulated compared with the control group from 4 weeks and further increased with the progression of DM. The protein expressions of DJ-1, Nrf2 and HO-1 in renal tissues have good line correlations with renal histologic evaluation score, respectively. Taken together, these results suggested that the activation of DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway was involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Mechanism of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury through DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway in diabetic rats.

The objective of the present study was to investigate acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MIR) in diabetic rats and elucidate its underlying mechanism. A rat model of MIR was established by left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion for 30 min, followed by reperfusion for 2 h. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: i) Sham group, ii) sham + MIR group, iii) diabetic group and iv) diabetes + MIR group. Myocardial injury was detected by plasma creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and lactate dehydrogenase assays. AKI induced by MIR in diabetic rats was characterized by increases in cystatin C and ß2-microglobulin levels. Oxidative stress injury was accompanied by an increase of malondialdehyde levels and a decrease of total antioxidative capacity in the renal tissues. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of DJ-1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were significantly increased in the diabetes + MIR group compared with that in the sham + MIR and diabetic groups. Taken together, these results suggested that AKI induced by MIR in diabetic rats may be associated with activation of the DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway.

Overexpression of DJ-1 reduces oxidative stress and attenuates hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in NRK-52E cells exposed to high glucose.

Patients with diabetes are more vulnerable to renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, which is implicated in hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress. We previously reported that the hyperglycemia-induced inhibition of DJ-1, a novel oncogene that exhibits potent antioxidant activity, is implicated in the severity of myocardial I/R injury. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of DJ-1 in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in renal cells exposed to high glucose (HG). For this purpose, NRK-52E cells were exposed to HG (30 mM) for 48 h and then exposed to hypoxia for 4 h and reoxygenation for 2 h, which significantly decreased cell viability and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, accompanied by a decrease in DJ­1 protein expression. The overexpression of DJ­1 by transfection with a DJ­1 overexpression plasmid exerted protective effects against HG-induced H/R injury, as evidenced by increased CCK-8 levels and SOD activity, the decreased release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the decreased MDA content, and increased nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO­1) expression. Similar effects were observed following treatment with the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine. These results suggest that the overexpression of DJ­1 reduces oxidative stress and attenuates H/R injury in NRK-52E cells exposed to HG.

Lancolides, antiplatelet aggregation nortriterpenoids with tricyclo[6.3.0.0(2,11)]undecane-bridged system from Schisandra lancifolia.

A new class of highly oxygenated Schisandra nortriterpenoids, lancolides A-D (1-4), from Schisandra lancifolia, represents the first example of natural products that possess a tricyclo[6.3.0.0(2,11)]undecane-bridged system. Their structures were elucidated by NMR spectra, X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical calculations. Lancolides A (1) and D (4) had specific antiplatelet aggregation induced by platelet-activating factor (PAF).