AUTHOR=Yu Lu , Wang Yulin , Guo Yan Hong , Wang Liuwei , Yang Zijun , Zhai Zi Han , Tang Lin 

TITLE=HIF-1α Alleviates High-Glucose-Induced Renal Tubular Cell Injury by Promoting Parkin/PINK1-Mediated Mitophagy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2021

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.803874

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.803874

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=It is well-established that mitophagy leads to Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) and renal failure. Mitophagy mediated by Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays a beneficial role in many diseases. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying HIF-1α-mediated mitophagy in DN remain unclear. Our study aimed to define the role of HIF-1α mediated mitophagy in DN. The expression of HIF-1α was upregulated in HK-2 cells in a HG environment, and YC-1 (a specific inhibitor of HIF-1α) further exacerbated hypoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Conversely, the HIF-1α-mediated protective effect was strengthened by reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Moreover, HIF-1α stabilization could suppress ROS production, inflammation, EMT, and apoptosis via mitophagy in HK-2 cells in the HG environment. In summary, HIF-1α mediated mitophagy on HK-2 cells under HG conditions could alleviate DN, suggesting that it has huge prospects for DN treatment.