Effects of total flavonoids from Oxytropis falcata Bunge on the SOCS/JAK/STAT inflammatory signaling pathway in the kidneys of diabetic nephropathy model mice

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To investigate the effects of total flavonoids from Oxytropis falcata Bunge on the inflammatory signaling pathway suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)/Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) in diabetic nephropathy KK-Ay mice. KK-Ay mice were used to establish a diabetic nephropathy model. The general condition of the mice treated with different concentrations of total flavonoids from O. falcata was monitored, respectively. Body weight, blood glucose, 24-h urinary albumin (UAlb), serum creatinine (Cre), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA) levels were measured at different time points. Hematoxylin and eosin staining quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to detect changes in renal tissues and glomerular mesangial cells. Four weeks after model establishment, body weight, blood glucose, and 24 h UAlb significantly increased in KK-Ay mice compared with that in control C57BL/6j mice ( P < 0.05). Compared with non-treated model mice, mice treated with total flavonoids from O. falcata for 4 weeks had significantly decreased serum Cre, BUN, and UA; monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1), nuclear factor(NF)-κB, interleukin(IL)-6, and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1, JAK 1, STAT 3 and STAT 4 mRNA levels; and p-JAK2 and p-STAT1 protein levels and significantly increased SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 protein levels in the kidneys. The treatment effects were dose-dependent and same to in vitro. Our results reflected that total flavonoids from O. falcata relieved renal tissue inflammation in diabetic mice by reducing blood glucose levels and inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling, thereby protecting against the development of diabetic nephropathy.