Protective Effect of Polydeoxyribonucleotide Against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice

• PDRN is an agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor that induces VEGF production during pathological conditions of low tissue perfusion.
• To our knowledge, this is the first study applying PDRN for renal ischemia-reperfusion.
• Treatment with PDRN significantly decreased serum creatinine and BUN levels as well as kidney tubular injury.
• Treatment with PDRN attenuated the expression of BAX and significantly increased VEGF and Bcl-2 48 hours after IRI.
• PDRN is a promising therapeutic agent against acute ischemia-induced renal damage.

BackgroundPolydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is an A2A receptor agonist that induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production during the pathological condition of low tissue perfusion. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major problem after renal transplantation. In the present study, we investigated whether PDRN exhibits reno-protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion–induced acute kidney injury in mice.MethodsRenal ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by bilateral renal pedicle occlusion for 30 minutes, followed by reperfusion for 48 hours. PDRN (8 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally) was administered 30 minutes before IRI.ResultsTreatment with PDRN significantly decreased neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels in the urine, blood urea nitrogen level, and serum creatinine levels as well as kidney tubular injury. Western blotting showed that PDRN significantly increased the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and B-cell lymphoma protein and attenuated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and Bcl-2–associated X protein levels 48 hours after IRI.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that PDRN is a potential therapeutic agent for acute ischemia-induced renal damage.