AUTHOR=Liu Xinhui , Wu Shanshan , Peng Yu , Gao Liwen , Huang Xi , Deng Ruyu , Lu Jiandong 

TITLE=Delineation of renal protein profiles in aristolochic acid I-induced nephrotoxicity in mice by label-free quantitative proteomics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1341854

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2024.1341854

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is a kidney injury syndrome caused by aristolochic acids exposure. Our study used label-free quantitative proteomics to delineate renal protein profiles and identify key proteins after exposure to different doses of aristolochic acid I (AAI).</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Male C57BL/6 mice received AAI (1.25 mg/kg/d, 2.5 mg/kg/d, or 5 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 5 days.</p><p><bold>Results and discussion:</bold> The results showed that AAI induced dose-dependent nephrotoxicity. Differences in renal protein profiles between the control and AAI groups increased with AAI dose. Comparing the control with the low-, medium-, and high-dose AAI groups, we found 58, 210, and 271 differentially expressed proteins, respectively. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction network analysis identified acyl-CoA synthetase medium-chain family member 3 (Acsm3), cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily E member 1 (Cyp2e1), microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (Mgst1), and fetuin B (Fetub) as the key proteins. Proteomics revealed that AAI decreased Acsm3 and Cyp2e1 while increasing Mgst1 and Fetub expression in mice kidneys, which was further confirmed by Western blotting. Collectively, in AAI-induced nephrotoxicity, renal protein profiles were dysregulated and exacerbated with increasing AAI dose. Acsm3, Cyp2e1, Mgst1, and Fetub may be the potential therapeutic targets for AAN.</p>