title: Norcantharidin, a protective therapeutic agent in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
abstract: Progressive renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a common final pathway of nearly all forms of chronic kidney disease. Many efforts have been done to arrest or prevent renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis but with little progress. Nowadays, few therapeutic agents are available in clinical use. Norcantharidin (NCTD) is of great benefit in anticancer treatment, by inducing cell apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, in addition, blocking tumor metastasis and angiogenesis in cancer, whereas little attention is given to its relationship with other diseases. Our recent studies demonstrated that NCTD was protective against renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro. The underlying mechanisms may include modulation of TGF-β1/Smad signal cascade, inhibition of protein serine/threonine phosphatases (PPP) as well as NF-κB. NCTD may be a promising therapeutic agent for renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In the present article, we will review the action of NCTD in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and discuss its possible mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China. liyingdoctor@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Fu You
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: You Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D016328:NF-kappa B; C069741:norcantharidin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases