Abstract
Purpose: To explore the effect of total flavone of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) on calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM)-triggered IL-2Rβ expression in human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells.
 Methods: Human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 was treated with COM, TFDS or both. The expression of IL-2Rβ was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) or flow cytometry. The responsiveness of HK-2 cells to IL-2 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), qPCR and western blot. The signaling mechanism underlying the effect of TFDS was studied using western blot and qPCR. The clinical relevance of IL-2Rβ to renal inflammation was investigated by re-analyzing a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset.
 Results: Total flavones of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) antagonize COM-triggered IL-2Rβ expression in HK-2 cells, thus reducing the responsiveness of HK-2 cells to IL-2 stimulation. Mechanistically, TFDS dampens IL-2Rβ expression by preventing the activation of STAT3. The level of IL-2Rβ is positively correlated with the inflammatory status of the kidney.
 Conclusions: The total flavones of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) prevent the upregulation of IL2Rβ in renal epithelial cells upon COM stimulation in a STAT3-dependent manner.
Highlights
Urinary calculi is a common disease with an approximate prevalence of 5 - 45 % [1]
Previous studies have reported that total flavone of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) inhibited the formation of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal in the kidneys of hyperoxaluria rats
HK-2 cells were treated with calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) to examine its effect on human proximal tubular epithelial cells
Summary
Urinary calculi is a common disease with an approximate prevalence of 5 - 45 % [1]. Oxalate calculi represents nearly 70 - 80 % cases of urinary calculi [2]. Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) leads to the damage of renal tubular epithelial cells. Previous studies have reported that total flavone of Desmodium styracifolium (TFDS) inhibited the formation of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal in the kidneys of hyperoxaluria rats. This work indicated that TFDS alleviated COMinduced apoptosis and autophagy of kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells [5]. The exact effect of TFDS on the function of renal tubular epithelial cells remains largely unknown. HK-2 human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cell line was obtained from Shanghai Cell Bank of Chinese Academy of Science and was maintained in DMEM medium containing 10 % fetal bovine serum and 1X PenicillinStreptomycin.
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