What is more, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was discovered to be activated in the proteins extracted from cultured cells, and treated with Nrf2 siRNA and kidney tissues from the Nrf2<sup>-/-</sup> + UUO group.
Moreover, treatment with DHA attenuated the up-regulation of phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) in UUO model and TGF-β1-induced primary human kidney fibroblasts.
The phosphorylation of Src, PI3K, Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p70S6K significantly decreased in UUO kidneys from tamoxifen-treated animals.
It is suggested that metabolic pathways could contribute to macrophage modulation and phosphatidylinositol‑3 kinase (PI3K) pathway was shown to be activated in kidneys subjected to ischemia and reperfusion as well as unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).
It was further noted that reduced IL-1β production also inhibited UUO-induced PI3K/AKT signaling, and both of which ultimately protected mice from UUO-induced renal fibrosis.