Protective effect of Huashi Baidu formula against AKI and active ingredients that target SphK1 and PAI-1

Huashi Baidu Formula (HBF) is a clinical formula known for its efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). HBF may reduce the number of patients with abnormal serum creatinine while improving respiratory symptoms, suggesting that this formula may have potential for treating acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the protective effect of HBF on AKI has not been definitively confirmed, and the mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, the present study explored the renoprotective effects and molecular mechanisms of HBF and screened for its active ingredients to identify new potential applications of renoprotection by HBF.

The present study first assessed the protective effects of HBF on AKI in a DOX-induced mouse model. Then, RNA-seq and bioinformatics analyses were used to explore the related pathological processes and potential molecular mechanisms, which were subsequently validated using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Furthermore, candidate compounds with potential binding affinity to two pivotal targets, sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), were screened from the 29 constituents present in the blood using Microscale Thermophoresis (MST). Finally, to identify the active ingredients, the candidate components were re-screened using the SphK1 kinase activity detection system or the uPA/PAI-1 substrate colorimetric assay system.

In the DOX-induced AKI mouse model, therapeutic administration of HBF significantly reduced the levels of CRE, BUN, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and UA in plasma and the levels of MDA, T-CHO, and TG in kidney tissue. Additionally, the levels of TP and Alb in plasma and SOD and CAT in the kidney tissue were significantly increased. Histopathological assessment revealed that HBF reduced tubular vacuolation, renal interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular atrophy, and positive staining of renal interstitial collagen. RNA-seq and bioinformatics analyses showed that oxidative stress, the immune-inflammatory response, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation could be the pathological processes that HBF targets to exerts its renoprotective effects. Furthermore, HBF regulated the APJ/SPHK1/NF-κB and APJ/PAI-1/TGFβ signaling axes and reduced the phosphorylation levels of NF-κB p65 and SMAD2 and the expression of cytokines and the ECM downstream of the axis. Finally, six SphK1 inhibitors (paeoniflorin, astragalin, emodin, glycyrrhisoflavone, quercetin, and liquiritigenin) and three PAI-1 inhibitors (glycyrrhisoflavone, licochalcone B, and isoliquiritigenin) were identified as potentially active ingredients in HBF.

In brief, our investigation underscores the renoprotective effect of HBF in a DOX-induced AKI model mice, elucidating its mechanisms through distinct pathological processes and identifying key bioactive compounds. These findings offer new insights for broadening the clinical applications of HBF and unravelling its molecular mode of action.