Analysis of the potential biological mechanisms of geniposide on renal fibrosis by network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Background: Renal fibrosis is crucial in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to end-stage renal failure. Geniposide, an iridoid glycoside, has shown therapeutic potential in acute kidney injury, diabetic nephropathy, and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of geniposide in renal fibrosis and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: The network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used to identify potential targets and pathways of geniposide for treating renal fibrosis. In vivo, the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model was treated with geniposide. In vitro, TGF-β1-stimulated human renal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells were applied for validation. HE, PAS, Masson, and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to evaluate its effects on the kidneys of UUO mice. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression of hub genes and signaling pathways.

Results: 101 overlapping genes were identified, with the top 10 including AKT1, MMP9, GAPDH, BCL2, TNF, CASP3, SRC, EGFR, IL-1β, and STAT1. GO analysis suggested that these key targets were mainly involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis. KEGG analysis revealed that the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and Rap1 signaling pathways were associated with geniposide against renal fibrosis. Molecular docking suggested a strong binding affinity of geniposide to the hub genes. In vivo experiments showed that geniposide ameliorated kidney injury and fibrosis, and inhibited the mRNA levels of AKT1, MMP9, BCL2, and TNF. In addition, geniposide inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby suppressing renal fibrosis in UUO mice and TGF-β1-induced HK-2 cells.

Conclusions: Geniposide can attenuate renal fibrosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for renal fibrosis.