Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Attenuate Fibroblast Activation and Kidney Fibrosis Involving MTORC2 Signaling Suppression

Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 10:7:46146. doi: 10.1038/srep46146.

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies showed the correlation between the deficiency of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) and the progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD), however, the role and mechanisms for n-3 PUFAs in protecting against kidney fibrosis remain obscure. In this study, NRK-49F cells, a rat kidney interstitial fibroblast cell line, were stimulated with TGFβ1. A Caenorhabditis elegans fat-1 transgenic mouse model in which n-3 PUFAs are endogenously produced from n-6 PUFAs owing to the expression of n-3 fatty acid desaturase were deployed. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one member of n-3 PUFAs family, could suppress TGFβ1-induced fibroblast activation at a dose and time dependent manner. Additionally, DHA could largely inhibit TGFβ1-stimulated Akt but not S6 or Smad3 phosphorylation at a time dependent manner. To decipher the role for n-3 PUFAs in protecting against kidney fibrosis, fat-1 transgenic mice were operated with unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO). Compared to the wild types, fat-1 transgenics developed much less kidney fibrosis and inflammatory cell accumulation accompanied by less p-Akt (Ser473), p-Akt (Thr308), p-S6 and p-Smad3 in kidney tissues at day 7 after UUO. Thus, n-3 PUFAs can attenuate fibroblast activation and kidney fibrosis, which may be associated with the inhibition of mTORC2 signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Fatty Acid Desaturases / genetics
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / pharmacology*
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / therapeutic use
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology*
  • Fibrosis
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Kidney / pathology*
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Kidney Diseases / therapy
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 / metabolism*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / pharmacology
  • Transgenes
  • Ureteral Obstruction / drug therapy
  • Ureteral Obstruction / pathology

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • fat-1 protein, C elegans
  • Fatty Acid Desaturases
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt