Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026
11:06
Live Cell Imaging of the TGF- β/Smad3 Signaling Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo Using an Adenovirus Reporter System
Published on: July 30, 2018
11.1K
Petchiether A attenuates obstructive nephropathy by suppressing TGF-β/Smad3 and NF-κB signalling
Yong-Ke You1,2, Qi Luo3, Wei-Feng Wu1
1School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
|June 19, 2019
Summary
Petchiether A, a novel compound, effectively combats kidney inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway, offering a potential new treatment for obstructive nephropathy.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Obstructive nephropathy results from blocked kidney drainage.
- Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad3 signaling drives renal fibrosis, a common pathway in obstructive nephropathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate petchiether A (petA) as a potential inhibitor of TGF-β1-induced Smad3 phosphorylation.
- To evaluate the therapeutic effects of petA on obstructive nephropathy in a mouse model.
Main Methods:
- Obstructive nephropathy induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in mice.
- Mice treated with petA or vehicle via intraperitoneal injection.
- Assessed renal inflammation, fibrosis, cytokine expression, extracellular matrix deposition, and Smad3/NF-κB phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro.
Main Results:
- Petchiether A reduced renal inflammation and fibrosis in UUO mice.
- petA inhibited macrophage infiltration, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), and extracellular matrix deposition.
- Suppression of Smad3 and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, along with reduced Smad3-responsive gene expression, was observed.
Conclusions:
- Petchiether A demonstrates protective effects against renal inflammation and fibrosis.
- The mechanism involves selective inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway.
- petA shows promise as a therapeutic agent for obstructive nephropathy.
Related Concept Videos
01:16TGF - β Signaling Pathway
10.6K
The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors...
10.6K
02:26NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
9.8K
The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
9.8K
02:42Transcription Attenuation in Prokaryotes
18.2K
Transcriptional attenuation occurs when RNA transcription is prematurely terminated due to the formation of a terminator mRNA hairpin structure. Bacteria use these hairpins to regulate the transcription process and control the synthesis of several amino acids including histidine, lysine, threonine, and phenylalanine. Transcription attenuation takes place in the non-coding regions of mRNA.
There are several different mechanisms used to attenuate transcription. In ribosome mediated...
There are several different mechanisms used to attenuate transcription. In ribosome mediated...
18.2K
02:03What is Cell Signaling?
129.9K
Despite the protective membrane that separates a cell from the environment, cells need the ability to detect and respond to environmental changes. Additionally, cells often need to communicate with one another. Unicellular and multicellular organisms use a variety of cell signaling mechanisms to communicate to respond to the environment.
129.9K
01:45Endocrine Signaling
67.9K
Endocrine cells produce hormones to communicate with remote target cells found in other organs. The hormone reaches these distant areas using the circulatory system. This exposes the whole organism to the hormone but only those cells expressing hormone receptors or target cells are affected. Thus, endocrine signaling induces slow responses from its target cells but these effects also last longer.
67.9K
01:30Bacterial Signaling
40.3K
Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
40.3K