Epigallocatechin-3-gallate reduces tubular cell apoptosis in mice with ureteral obstruction

Yanqiu Wang, MD, PhD, Na Liu, MM, Xiaohui Bian, MD, PhD, Guangping Sun, MD, PhD, Feng Du, MD, PhD, Bowen Wang, MM, Xuesong Su, MD, PhD, Detian Li, MM  

Abstract

Background

Tubular cell apoptosis plays a crucial role in different kinds of renal diseases. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol extracted from green tea, has been shown to inhibit renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice, but its role in preventing tubular cell apoptosis and the underlying signaling mechanisms still remains unclear.

Materials and methods

Mice subjected to UUO were intraperitoneally administered EGCG (5 mg/kg) for 14 d. Normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial cell line NRK-52E was induced by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Periodic acid–schiff and Masson's trichrome staining was used for histologic study. TUNEL, Hoechst staining, and flow cytometry analysis were used to measure the apoptotic status of tubular cells. Western blotting was used to determine the 

 EGCG (5 mg/kg/d; Biopurify Phytochemicals Ltd, Chengdu, China)