Mild systemic thermal therapy ameliorates renal dysfunction in a rodent model of chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Thermal therapy has become a nonpharmacological therapy in clinical settings, especially for cardiovascular diseases. However, the practical role of thermal therapy on chronic kidney disease remains elusive. We performed the present study to investigate whether a modified thermal protocol, repeated mild thermal stimulation (MTS), could affect renal damages in chronic kidney disease using a mouse renal ablation model. Mice were subjected to MTS or room temperature (RT) treatment once daily for 4 wk after subtotal nephrectomy (Nx) or sham operation (Sh). We revealed that MTS alleviated renal impairment as indicated by serum creatinine and albuminuria in Nx groups. In addition, the Nx + MTS group showed attenuated tubular histological changes and reduced urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin excretion approximately by half compared with the Nx + RT group. Increased apoptotic signaling, such as TUNEL-positive cell count and cleavage of caspase 3, as well as enhanced oxidative stress were significantly reduced in the Nx + MTS group compared with the Nx + RT group. These changes were accompanied with the restoration of kidney Mn-SOD levels by MTS. Heat shock protein 27, a key molecular chaperone, was phosphorylated by MTS only in Nx kidneys rather than in Sh kidneys. MTS also tended to increase the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and Akt in Nx kidneys, possibly associated with the activation of heat shock protein 27. Taken together, these results suggest that modified MTS can protect against renal injury in a rodent model of chronic kidney disease.

Heat shock proteins and kidney disease: perspectives of HSP therapy

“…The result is that the preconditioned specimen shows a significantly improved survival as compared to a specimen exposed only to the severe stress (Tytell and Hooper 2001). Recently, there were reports on a protective impact of the mild systemic thermal stimulation of the progression of renal injury in a mouse model of renal ablation through increased level of HSP27, reduced apoptosis, and oxidative stress in remnant kidney (Iwashita et al 2016).…”

Effect of Triiodothyronine Administration on the Kidney During Haemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation

“…Cleavage of caspase-3 indicating increased apoptotic signalling has been identified and used in many different experimental settings, such as chronic kidney disease, sepsis and haemorrhagic shock ( 14 – 16 ). Caspase-3 is a protein encoded by the CASP3 gene ( 17 ).…”

Suppressed ER‐associated degradation by intraglomerular cross talk between mesangial cells and podocytes causes podocyte injury in diabetic kidney disease

“…To establish the negative control, samples were incubated with labeling solution only. To establish the positive control, samples were treated with DNase I (10 units/µL) for 10 minutes at room temperature 22 …”

“…To establish the positive control, samples were treated with DNase I (10 units/µL) for 10 minutes at room temperature. 22…”