Effects of quercetin on apoptosis, NF-κB and NOS gene expression in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quercetin on nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and apoptosis in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. A total of 42 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. The control, I/R and I/R+quercetin (I/R+Q) groups were treated with quercetin (50 mg/kg intraperitoneal) 1 h prior to the induction of ischemia. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). p53, endothelial NOS (eNOS) and NF-κB expression were assessed immunohistochemically, and apoptosis assesment was performed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay. The mRNA levels of inducible NOS (iNOS) in renal tissue were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). MDA levels were significantly decreased in the quercetin group compared to the I/R group. However, GSH levels were significantly increased with quercetin treatment in the I/R group. Histological results, the number of apoptotic and p53-positive cells, NF-κB and eNOS expression levels were significantly decreased in the quercetin treatment group compared to the I/R group. iNOS gene expression increased in the I/R group, but no significant difference was found between the I/R and quercetin treatment groups. Therefore, quercetin not only has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities, but also has an inhibitory effect on eNOS and NF-κB for renal tissue protection during I/R injury in rats. Therefore, quercetin may be a promising renoprotective therapeutic agent.