title: Protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate, a major constituent of green tea, against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury plays an important role in the acute kidney injury. The pathogenetic mechanisms potential I/R injury is involved in apoptosis and inflammation. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities. This study aimed to explore the underlying effects and mechanisms of EGCG on renal I/R injury in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  We induced renal I/R injury in SD rats by clamping the left renal artery for 45 min followed by 24-h reperfusion, along with a contralateral nephrectomy. We randomly allocated 30 rats to three groups (n = 10): sham group, IRI group, and EGCG group. We preconditioned rats intraperitoneally with EGCG (50 mg/kg) or vehicle (50 mg/kg) 45 min before inducing renal ischemia. We collected serum and kidneys at 24 h after reperfusion. Renal function and histologic damage were assessed. We also determined markers of inflammation and apoptosis in kidneys or serum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGCG pretreatment can significantly reduce renal dysfunction, histologic change and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, IL-6, Bax and cleavage caspase 3 induced by I/R injury and increase the expression of Bax and caspase 3. Moreover, EGCG pretreatment can further induce the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in kidney, with no influence on the expression of p38.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGCG treatment can decrease renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing inflammation and cell apoptosis. Thus, EGCG may represent a potential strategy to reduce renal I/R injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, 18280141016@163.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: LiLi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Yu Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Pei Fen
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: An Ping
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013662:Tea; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator