Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 6, 2025

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium
08:46

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium

Published on: September 1, 2015

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Obacunone Retards Renal Cyst Development in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease by Activating NRF2

Zhiwei Qiu1, Jinzhao He1, Guangying Shao1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Obacunone effectively inhibits cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) models. This natural compound acts as a NRF2 activator, offering a promising new therapeutic avenue for ADPKD treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common inherited disorder causing kidney failure.
  • Current ADPKD treatments are limited, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify a potential therapeutic drug for ADPKD from a natural antioxidant compound library.

Main Methods:

  • Virtual screening and various cyst models (MDCK, embryonic kidney, PKD mouse) were employed.
  • In vitro and in vivo experiments assessed obacunone's efficacy.
  • Western blot and morphological analyses elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Obacunone significantly inhibited cyst formation and expansion in both in vitro and in vivo models.
  • Obacunone functions as a NRF2 activator, suppressing lipid peroxidation via GPX4 upregulation.
  • It also restrained cell proliferation by downregulating mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Obacunone demonstrates potent renal cyst inhibitory effects in ADPKD.
  • This compound shows potential for development into an effective therapeutic agent for ADPKD.
Keywords:
MAPKNRF2autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseaseglutathione peroxidaselipid peroxidationmTORobacunone

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