Icariside II prevents kidney fibrosis development in chronic kidney disease by promoting fatty acid oxidation

Abstract Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is the main pathological basis for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), however, effective interventions are limited. Here, we investigated the effect of Icariside II (ICA‐II) on RIF and explored the underlying mechanisms. Rats receiving 5/6 ablation and infarction (A/I) surgery were gavaged with ICA‐II (5 or 10 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. In vitro, TGF‐β1‐stimulated NRK‐52E cells were treated with ICA‐II and (or) oleic acid, etomoxir, ranolazine, fenofibrate, and GW6471. The effects of ICA‐II on RIF, fatty acid oxidation, lipid deposition, and mitochondrial function were determined by immunoblotting, Oil red O staining, colorimetric, and fluorometric assays. Using adeno‐associated virus injection and co‐culture methods, we further determined mechanisms of ICA‐II anti‐RIF. ICA‐II ameliorated the fibrotic responses in vivo and in vitro. RNA‐seq analysis indicated that ICA‐II regulated fatty acid degradation and PPAR pathway in 5/6 (A/I) kidneys. ICA‐II attenuated lipid accumulation and up‐regulated expression of PPARα, CPT‐1α, Acaa2, and Acadsb proteins in vivo and in vitro. Compared to ICA‐II treatment, ICA‐II combined with Etomoxir exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and fibrotic responses in TGF‐β‐treated NRK‐52E cells. Importantly, we determined that ICA‐II improved lipid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial function, and RIF by restoring PPARα. Co‐culture revealed that ICA‐II decreased the expression of Fibronectin, Collagen‐I, α‐SMA, and PCNA proteins in NRK‐49F cells by restoring PPARα of renal tubular cells. ICA‐II may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for RIF in 5/6 (A/I) rats, which may be important for the prevention and treatment of CKD.