Salidroside Attenuates Adriamycin-Induced Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis by Inhibiting the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Expression Through Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B Pathway.

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common histologic pattern of kidney injury, which may eventually lead to end-stage renal disease.

Objectives: Salidroside (SAL, p-hydroxyphenyl-β-D-glucoside) is an active component isolated from Rhodiolarosea, which has various pharmacological properties including anti-inflammation and antioxidation. SAL may attenuate FSGS, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Thus, in this study, we focus on the renoprotective role of SAL in FSGS using Adriamycin nephropathy (AN) mouse models.

Methods: In C57 BL/6 mice, AN was induced by Adriamycin (10 mg/kg body weight, diluted in normal saline) via a tail vein on day 0. Then they were organized into 6 groups for the animal experiments: AN + saline group; AN + SAL group (40 mg/kg); AN + LY294002 (a selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitors, 50 mg/kg) group; AN + SAL + LY294002 group; AN + YC-1 (a selective hypoxia-inducible factor-1α [HIF-1α] inhibitors, 50 mg/kg) group; and AN + SAL + YC-1 group. All of the drugs were given on the day of Adriamycin injection and continued for 6 weeks, and the drugs were given by intraperitoneally. At 6 weeks, the mice were sacrificed; kidneys and blood samples were collected for further analysis.

Results: In FSGS mouse models, SAL treatment could ameliorate proteinuria, renal function, and markers of Nephrotic Syndrome inhibit alpha-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin expression and downregulates the expression of HIF-1α. Besides, the levels of PI3K and p-protein kinase B (Akt) in renal tissues were significantly decreased after SAL injection. Eventually, SAL treatment results reduced inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species production.

Conclusions: In summary, SAL ameliorates FSGS mainly by inhibiting the expression of HIF-1α through PI3K/Akt pathway, which might offer an array of hope for ameliorating FSGS.