Xanthohumol attenuates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity through inhibiting NF-κB and activating Nrf2 signaling pathways

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent that widely used in the treatment of cancer. However, cisplatin has been reported to induce nephrotoxicity by directly inducing inflammatory response and oxidative stress. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects and mechanism of xanthohumol on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. The model of nephrotoxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin and xanthohumol was given intraperitoneally for three consecutive days. The results showed that xanthohumol significantly attenuated kidney histological changes and serum creatinine and BUN production. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 in kidney tissues were suppressed by xanthohumol. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS were suppressed by treatment of xanthohumol. The activities of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased by cisplatin were reversed by xanthohumol. Furthermore, the expression of TLR4 and the activation of NF-κB induced by cisplatin were significantly inhibited by xanthohumol. The expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 were dose-dependently up-regulated by the treatment of xanthohumol. In conclusion, xanthohumol protects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by ameliorating inflammatory and oxidative responses.