We generated transgenic mice specifically overexpressing mouse Nox4 in renal tubular cells and subjected the animals to the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model of fibrosis.
Furthermore, our study revealed that TXNIP deficiency inhibited the expression of 8-OHdG, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) in UUO kidney.
Moreover, Nox4, which is constitutively active in renal cells and is involved in the generation of hydrogen peroxide, was up-regulated during UUO-mediated fibrosis and induced by TGF-β1 in HK-2 cells, and this up-regulation could be blunted by Brd4 inhibition.
These results indicated that CA attenuated oxidative stress via inhibition of Nox4 expression in TGF-β-stimulated fibroblasts and UUO operated-kidneys, suggesting that CA may be useful for the treatment of fibrosis-related diseases.