Anti‚Äëfibrotic effect of Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract in kidneys via the hedgehog signaling pathway
Authors: Weilong Hong
Leping Liu
Xing Zhang
Bicheng Chen
Yongheng Bai
Cunzao Wu
Journal: Molecular Medicine Reports (2017)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Sedum sarmentosum Bunge; renal anti-fibrotic effects; hedgehog signaling pathway; myofibroblast phenotype; renal fibrosis
Affiliations: Key Laboratory of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, P.R. China., Department of Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, P.R. China.

Abstract:  Sedum sarmentosum Bunge (SSBE) is a perennial plant widely distributed in Asian countries, and its extract is traditionally used for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases. Our previous studies demonstrated that SSBE has marked renal anti‚Äëfibrotic effects. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. The present study identified that SSBE exerts its inhibitory effect on the myofibroblast phenotype and renal fibrosis via the hedgehog signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. In rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), SSBE administration reduced kidney injury and alleviated interstitial fibrosis by decreasing the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‚ÄëŒ? and its receptor, and inhibiting excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including type I and III collagens. In addition, SSBE suppressed the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and this anti‚Äëproliferative activity was associated with downregulation of hedgehog signaling activity in SSBE‚Äëtreated UUO kidneys. In cultured renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs), recombinant TGF‚ÄëŒ? activated hedgehog signaling, and resulted in induction of the myofibroblast phenotype. SSBE treatment inhibited the activation of hedgehog signaling and partially reversed the fibrotic phenotype in TGF‚ÄëŒ?‚Äëtreated RTECs. Similarly, aristolochic acid‚Äëmediated upregulated activity of hedgehog signaling was reduced by SSBE treatment, and thereby led to the abolishment of excessive ECM accumulation. Therefore, these findings suggested that SSBE attenuates the myofibroblast phenotype and renal fibrosis via suppressing the hedgehog signaling pathway, and may facilitate the development of treatments for kidney fibrosis. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Some pictures in this paper are the same as those in another paper.    , 
 Dear Dr. Restio rivulus Thank you for pointing out the oversights, we have submitted a correction applied to the journal as soon as possible. Thanks again for your work. If there is any need, please contact us at any time. Yours sincerely, Yongheng Bai , 
 Corrected, [25 February 2022] .  Subsequently to the publication of the above paper, an interested reader drew to the authorsu2019 attention that certain of the data featured in Fig. 1A on p. 740 had already appeared in another publication written by the same authors [Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract exerts renal antiu2011fibrotic effects in vivo and in vitro. Bai Y, Lu H, Wu C, Lin C, Liang Y and Chen B. Life Sci: 105, 22u201130, 2014]. The authors have been able to reu2011examine their original data, and realized that certain of the data were misplaced in Fig. 1 in the above paper on account of mishandling their data. The revised version of Fig. 1 in shown on the next page, featuring the corrected data in Fig. 1A for the HE staining SSBE- and Vehicle-UUO experiments, and the Masson staining SSBE and Vehicle Sham and UUO experiments (all four data panels), the TGF-u03b21 experiments in Fig. 1C (all four data panels) and the four data panels in Fig. 1D. Note that the errors made during the assembly of this figure did not adversely affect the overall conclusions reported in the study. The authors are grateful to the Editor of *Molecular Medicine Reports* for allowing them the opportunity to publish this corrigendum, and all authors agree to the publication of this corrigendum. Furthermore, they wish to apologize to the readership of the Journal for any inconvenience caused. ,