Inhibitory Effects of Rhein on Renal Interstitial Fibrosis via the SHH-Gli1 Signal Pathway

BACKGROUND: Rhein is the main extract of Rheum palmatum L., which has been proved to improve the renal function of chronic kidney disease, but its mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this experiment explored the potential pharmacological effect of rhein on renal interstitial fibrosis rats. METHODS: This study explores the potential pharmacological action of rhein. In this work, we investigate the potential pharmacological action of rhein in unilateral urethral obstruction (UUO) rats. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham, UUO, and rhein (rhein-treated UUO rats) groups. The left ureters of the UUO group rats were exposed and bluntly dissected. The rhein group rats were administered an intragastric gavage of rhein (2 mg·kg(−1)·d(−1)) for 14 d. Kidney function-related indicators were monitored in these rats, while indexes of pathologic aspects were determined histologically. The expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, SHH, Gli1, and Snail was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The NRK-49F cells were incubated with and without SHH (100 ng·ml(−1)) for 48 hours. The SHH-activated NRK-49F cells were incubated with cyclopamine (CNP, 20 umol L(−1)) or rhein (1 ng·ml(−1)). The Gli1 and Snail mRNA and protein level were detected. RESULTS: In the in vivo experiment, the results exhibited that UUO caused renal pathological damages. However, these changes could be significantly reversed by the administration of rhein. Compared with the untreated UUO group, the rhein group showed reduced kidney tubular atrophy and necrosis, interstitial fibrosis, hyperplasia, and abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix. Rhein reduced the RNA and protein expression of SHH, Gli1, and Snail of the UUO rats. In the in vitro experiment, CNP or rhein treatment decreased the expression of Gli1 and Snail on mRNA and protein levels in SHH-induced NRK-49F cells, suggesting that CNP or rhein suppresses SHH-induced NRK-49F activation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that rhein suppresses SHH-Gli1-Snail signal pathway activation, with potential implications for the treatment of renal fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with rhein remarkably ameliorated renal interstitial fibrosis in UUO rats by regulating the SHH-Gli1-Snail signal pathway.