Apigenin Nanoparticle Attenuates Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Inflammatory Injury by Regulation of miR-140-5p/CXCL12/NF-B Signaling Pathway

Apigenin as a natural flavonoid product has been proved previously to play a renoprotective effect during ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRO, but the particular mechanisms involving the positive effects of apigenin remain totally unclear. The study investigated apigenin's roles and underlying biological mechanisms in IR-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Thirty-six mice received a right nephrectomy and clamping of the left renal artery for 30 minutes, and then perfusion for 24 h. Apigenin was loaded onto a biodegradable polymer carrier (nanoparticle) to enhance its bioavailability. Mice were subjected to intraperitoneally injection with apigenin (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg) for 24 h before surgery. For in vitro experiments, mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTECs) and miR-140-5p mimic/inhibitor transfected mRTECs were subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation in the presence or absence of apigenin. In vitro, we uncovered that hypoxia/reoxygenation stimulation caused inflammatory injury in mRTECs. Apigenin reduced the hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced cell inflammatory injury and NF-kappa B p65 nuclear translocation from cytoplasm and activation. Moreover, apigenin reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation-triggered miR-140-5p down-regulation. What's more, the luciferase reporter system revealed that miR-140-5p negatively regulates CXCL12, which is its direct target of action. CXCL12 exhibited an inhibitory effect on the apigenin-induced inactivation of NF-kappa B signaling pathway. Furthermore, we observed that apigenin pretreatment attenuated the IR-triggered up-regulation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion and tubular cell apoptosis, enhancement of CXCL12 and decline of miR-140-5p in vivo. Our studies show that apigenin protects against IR-triggered renal cell inflammatory injury in vivo and in vitro by miR-140-5p up-regulation and CXCL12 downregulation via quenching the NF-kappa B pathway activation. Apigenin may be an encouraging therapeutic agent for patients with IR-associated kidney injury.