Activation of EphA1-Epha receptor axis attenuates diabetic nephropathy in mice

The Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases serves as key modulators of various cellular functions, including inflammation, hypertrophy and fibrosis. Recent analyses have revealed that a member of the Eph family, EphA1, plays a pivotal role in regulating insulin metabolism and kidney injury. However, the importance of EphA1 in diabetic nephropathy has not been recognized. We established a diabetic nephropathy mouse model using a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Then, the recombinant adeno-associated virus type 9 (AAV9) overexpressing EphA1 or a negative control was injected locally into the kidney. Metabolite testing and histopathological analyses of kidney fibrosis, pancreatic islet function and signaling pathways were evaluated. Our study showed that hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and renal fibrosis accompanied the deterioration of kidney function in diabetic mice. The overexpression of EphA1 in the kidney attenuated renal fibrosis and improved kidney function but did not affect systemic glucose metabolism and pancreatic islet function. Furthermore, the overexpression of EphA1 decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and MYPT1 (a substrate of Rho kinase). The overexpression of EphA1 can be therapeutically targeted to inhibit diabetic renal fibrosis, which suggests that the EphA1-Epha receptor axis may be a novel therapy target for diabetic nephropathy. Mechanistically, the overexpression of EphA1 could inhibit MAPK and the Rho pathway in diabetic kidneys.