Renal fibrosis is the principal pathological process underlying the progression of chronic\nkidney disease that leads to end-stage renal disease. Melittin is a major component of bee venom,\nand it has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties in various cell types. Thus,\nthis study examined the therapeutic effects of melittin on the progression of renal fibrosis using the\nunilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model. In addition, the effects of melittin on inflammation\nand fibrosis in renal fibroblast cells were explored using transforming growth factor-�²1 (TGF-�²1).\nHistological observation revealed that UUO induced a considerable increase in the number of\ninfiltrated inflammatory cells. However, melittin treatment markedly reduced these reactions\ncompared with untreated UUO mice. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and pro-fibrotic\ngenes were significantly reduced in melittin-treated mice compared with UUO mice. Melittin also\neffectively inhibited fibrosis-related gene expression in renal fibroblasts NRK-49F cells. These findings\nsuggest that melittin attenuates renal fibrosis and reduces inflammatory responses by the suppression of\nmultiple growth factor-mediated pro-fibrotic genes. In conclusion, melittin may be a useful therapeutic\nagent for the prevention of fibrosis that characterizes the progression of chronic kidney disease.
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