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Cordyceps sinensis protects against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

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Abstract

Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is an entomogenous fungus used as a tonic food and Chinese medicine to replenish health. This study investigated the protective effects of CS in rats post-renal ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) sequence by analyzing the influence on stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α and chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) expressions and senescence during recovery. Chemokine SDF-1 [now called chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 12 (CXCL12)] and its receptor CXCR4 are crucial in kidney repair after ischemic acute renal failure. CS treatment significantly alleviated I/R-induced renal damage assessed by creatinine levels (p < 0.05) and abated renal tubular damages assessed by periodic acid-Schiff with diastase (PASD) staining. CS induced early SDF-1α expression and increased CXCR4 expression 1–6 h post-reperfusion. Histology studies have revealed that CS induced SDF-1α in squamous cells of Bowman’s capsule, mesangial cells, distal convoluted tubules (DCT), and proximal convoluted tubules (PCT). CS also improved renal repair in I/R-induced injury by increasing Ki-67 staining. I/R induced renal senescence after 3 and 6 h of reperfusion. However, CS alleviated I/R-induced senescence at early stage (1 and 3 h). We conclude that CS protects against I/R injury via the SDF-1/CXCR4-signaling axis and alleviates senescence.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by grants from E-Da Hospital/I-Shou University (EDAHP98020 and EDAHP99019) and the National Science Council in Taiwan (NSC 99-2320-B-214-001-MY3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Urology, E-Da Hospital/I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Hua-Pin Wang & Ya-Zhu Sung

  2. School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Ching-Wen Liu

  3. Department of Biological Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Hsueh-Wen Chang

  4. Department of Pathology, E-Da Hospital/I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Jen-Wei Tsai

  5. Department of Occupational Therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Li-Ching Chang

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  1. Hua-Pin Wang
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  2. Ching-Wen Liu
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  3. Hsueh-Wen Chang
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  4. Jen-Wei Tsai
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  5. Ya-Zhu Sung
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Correspondence to Li-Ching Chang.

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Wang, HP., Liu, CW., Chang, HW. et al. Cordyceps sinensis protects against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Mol Biol Rep 40, 2347–2355 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-2316-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-2316-2

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