Byakangelicin alleviates sepsis-associated acute kidney injury by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis.

Inflammation and apoptosis are common in many pathological conditions. Studies have shown that many natural compounds can regulate the signal pathways related to inflammation and apoptosis and can prevent sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI). Several studies have reported the potential anti-inflammatory effect of byakangelicin (BK), a component from the roots of Angelica gigas. However, the role of BK in SA-AKI remains unknown. Here, we report that BK is a potential therapeutic drug for SA-AKI. Experimental results show that BK has high anti-inflammatory activity, inhibits the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, and then reduces the production of IL-6, TNF-a, and IFN-γ. In addition, we study the effect of BK on renal cell apoptosis and find that BK significantly reduces the expression of apoptosis-related genes. Further research suggests that BK may exert the above pharmacological effects through 26S protease regulatory subunit 8 (PSMC5). These findings indicate that BK, as an inhibitor of inflammation and apoptosis, can be used to treat SA-AKI.