HL156A, a novel pharmacological agent with potent adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator activity ameliorates renal fibrosis in a rat unilateral ureteral obstruction model

BACKGROUND: Renal fibrosis is characterized by excessive production and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), which leads to progressive renal failure. Adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a highly conserved kinase that plays a key role in Smad-3 signaling. Here, we examined the effect of a novel AMPK activator, HL156A, on the inhibition of renal fibrosis in in vivo and in vitro models. METHODS: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) was induced in male Wistar rats. Rats with UUO were administered HL156A (20mg/kg/day), and then the kidneys were harvested 10 days after ligation for further analysis. RESULTS: In the rat UUO model, HL156A attenuated ECM protein deposition. After HL156A treatment, expressions of TGF-β1, p-Smad3, α-SMA, fibronectin, and type IV collagen were suppressed, and E-cadherin expression was up-regulated. In the in vitro experiment, NRK52E cells were treated with HL156A before TGF-β1 stimulation. The inhibitory effects of HL156A upon the signaling pathways and markers of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were analyzed. In TGF-β1-treated NRK-52E cells, HL156A co-treatment inhibited the TGF-β1-induced Smad3 signaling pathway and EMT markers. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the above findings suggest that HL156A, a novel AMPK activator, ameliorates renal fibrosis in vivo and in vitro.