Fig 1.
The structure (A) and effect of STS on H2O2 (B) and HOCl (C) scavenging activity. Data shows that STS displays a dose-dependent manner in scavenging H2O2 and HOCl activity and a maximal effect is at the dosage of 0.1 g. * P < 0.05 vs. saline control (0). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3).
Fig 2.
Evaluation of the CKD (5/6 nephrectomized) model (A) on left renal microcirculation (B), left renal arterial blood flow (C) for developing CKD. Partial ligation of left renal artery led to a near 2/3 reduction of left renal microcirculation (B) and renal arterial blood flow (C, D) in CKD group vs. Sham group. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham group.
Fig 3.
The STS effect on CKD induced renal hypertension (A), urinary protein (B), blood ROS (C) and kidney ROS amount (D). Our data show that the elevated arterial blood pressure, urinary protein, blood and kidney ROS amount are found in the CKD rats, whereas the increased level of urinary protein, blood and kidney ROS amount is reduced in STS treated CKD rats (CKD STS). All the data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD.
Fig 4.
The STS effect on CKD induced renal dysfunction.
The increased value of blood urea nitrogen (BUN, A) and creatinine (B) was denoted in the CKD rats. STS significantly depressed the increased level of BUN and creatinine in CKD STS rats as compared to CKD rats. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD.
Fig 5.
Histologic graphs from H&E stain (A, C) and Masson stain (B, D) were displayed in sham, CKD and STS treated CKD (CKD STS) rats. The increased leukocytes infiltration (yellow arrows) is indicated in the tubular area of the CKD kidney (A, C). Increased masson stain by blue color is indicated in the glomerular (B) and tubular areas (D) of the CKD kidneys. The mean data of number of leukocyte infiltration and % of blue Masson stain for each section is indicated in E and F, respectively. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD. The eight Sham panels in Figures 5A-D are excluded from this article’s CC-BY license. See the accompanying retraction notice for more information.
Fig 6.
Western blot of 4-HNE, GPX4 and xCT expression and MDA assay in CKD induced kidney injury (A, B). Immunohistochemistry of brown 4-HNE expression (red arrows) is indicated in the glomerular and tubular areas of the CKD and CKD STS kidneys (C, D). Prussian blue stain for iron-overloaded ferroptosis is indicated in E (red arrows). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD. The four Sham panels in Figures 6C-D are excluded from this article’s CC-BY license. See the accompanying retraction notice for more information.
Fig 7.
Western blot of Bax and Bcl-2 expression in the kidneys with CKD (A, B). Immunohistochemistry of Bax is primarily enhanced in the tubular area of the CKD and partly in CKD STS kidneys (C, D). Less expression of Bcl-2 in glomerular or tubular areas is denoted (E, F). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD. The four Sham panels in Figures 7C-D are excluded from this article’s CC-BY license. See the accompanying retraction notice for more information.
Fig 8.
Western blot of renal c-caspase 9 (A, B) and c-caspase 3 (A, C) and PARP (A, D) expression in CKD induced kidney injury and TUNEL immunohistochemistry of renal glomeruli (E, F) and tubules (G, H) for TUNEL positive cells indicated with red arrows counting in CKD induced kidney injury. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD. The four Sham panels in Figures 8E-F are excluded from this article’s CC-BY license. See the accompanying retraction notice for more information.
Fig 9.
Effect of STS on CKD induced mitochondrial fission and fusion and mitochondrial injury.
Western blot of renal OPA-1 and Drp-1 expression in CKD kidneys (A). The statistical data of densitometry is indicated in B and C, respectively. Immunohistochemistry of mitochondrial fission Drp-1 indicated by blue arrows is indicated in D. Mitochondrial injury indicated by the appearance of cytosolic cytochrome C by blue arrows is demonstrated in E. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3). * P < 0.05 vs. Sham. # P < 0.05 vs. CKD.