TRIM7 negatively regulates CMPK2 suppressing inflammation and apoptosis in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a significant cause of acute kidney injury with high mortality rates, poor prognosis, and limited therapeutic options. TRIM7, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, plays a role in regulating various cellular processes, including antiviral immune responses and autophagy in different diseases. However, the specific role of TRIM7 in renal IRI has not been well understood. In this study, overexpression of TRIM7 significantly mitigated the inflammation and apoptosis subjected to ischemia injury, whereas TRIM7 knockout exerted the opposite effect both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we discovered that TRIM7 interacted with CMPK2 and negatively regulate its expression. Inhibiting CMPK2 activity reversed the increased inflammation and apoptosis seen in renal epithelial cells lacking TRIM7. Overall, our findings demonstrate that TRIM7 plays a role in suppressing inflammation and apoptosis during renal IRI by modulating CMPK2 expression. This study uncovers a novel function of TRIM7 in renal IRI and presents a potential new drug target for treating it clinically.