3,3′-Diindolylmethane mitigates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury in mice by inhibiting NOX-mediated oxidative stress and the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells

3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a naturally derived indole compound found in the Brassica family of vegetables. DIM has several beneficial effects, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic functions. However, the effects of DIM on acute kidney injury (AKI) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are poorly studied. In this present study, male BALB/c mouse models of AKI were established using intraperitoneal injections of 10 mg/kg LPS. DIM (40 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 24 and 2 h before LPS exposure. The results indicated that DIM significantly mitigated histopathological changes in the kidneys and improved the levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. DIM also suppressed the LPS-induced production of reactive oxygen species and cell apoptosis. Furthermore, DIM treatment significantly decreased the expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and NOX4 in LPS-treated mice. Therefore, DIM may exert its renoprotective actions by inhibiting NOX-mediated oxidative stress and the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells.