The protective effects of calycosin against diabetic nephropathy through Sirt3/SOD2/caspase-3 signaling pathway: In vitro

One of the important mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy is the production of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Calycosin as an herbal compound with many medicinal uses from ancient times is the major active component of Radix astragali. In the present study, the protective effects of calycosin against high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative stress in renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E) were assessed by different cellular assays. It was indicated that calycosin recovered the viability and membrane damage of cells exposed to HG through reduction in the ROS generation, and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, it was seen that calycosin resulted in a significant increase in the expression of (sirtuin-3) SIRT-3/superoxide dismutase2 (SOD2) at both mRNA and protein levels in HG‐treated cells. Also, it was determined that calysocin increased the activity of SOD2 and SIRT-3 and reduced the activity of caspase-3 in NRK-52E incubated with HG and these antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects were inhibited in the presence of 3-TYP. These results demonstrated that calycosin can prevent the cytotoxicity induced by HG in NRK-52E through regulation of SIRT-3/SOD2 pathway and it could be used as a potential candidate in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.