High-Content Screening of Wind-Dampness Dispelling Traditional Chinese Medicines against Podocyte EMT Induced by IgA1
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Nephropathy (IgAN) is characterized by pIgA1 dep-osition in the glomerular mesangium, resulting in podocyte Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transi-tion (EMT). Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) have been used for the treatment of IgAN for several years and have demonstrated positive efficacy. The present study aimed to establish a High-Content Screening (HCS) method for identifying wind-dampness dispelling TCM extracts that can mitigate podocyte EMT induced by pIgA1. MATERIAL AND METHODS: IgA1 from IgAN patients was used to establish a podocyte EMT model. The expression of EMT markers, including desmin, podocalyxin, and podocin, was assessed by Immunocytofluorescence (IF). An image-based HCS method was established to identify winddampness dispelling TCMs with the anti-EMT activity of podocyte EMT by automatic acquisition and processing of dual-fluorescent labeled images. RESULTS: A total of 21 wind-dampness-dispelling TCM extracts were screened using the HCS system, leading to the identification of eight wind-dampness-dispelling TCM extracts exhibiting anti-EMT activity. These eight extracts inhibited the pIgA-induced expression of desmin while upregulating the expression of podocalyxin and podocin. CONCLUSION: By quantifying the changes in the expression of EMT markers during pIgA1- induced EMT, this study successfully identified wind-dampness dispelling TCM extracts with anti- EMT properties using an HCS system. In addition, the proposed approach presents a novel avenue for the identification of wind-dampness-dispelling TCMs for the treatment of pIgA1- induced EMT.
Authors: Jin Yu, Lingli Zhu, Yue Sun, Caifeng Zhu
Language: English
Subfield: Nephrology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4409987338