Prohibitin protects proximal tubule epithelial cells against oxidative injury through mitochondrial pathways

AbstractOxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to renal tubular atrophy and fibrosis following renal transplantation. Studies have shown that mitochondrial chaperone prohibitin (PHB) has antioxidant effects. Here we used the human renal proximal tubule epithelial cell line, HK-2 cells as an in vitro model to assess the role of PHB in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced renal tubular oxidative injury. Our results showed that H2O2 treatment inhibited PHB expression in a time-dependent manner in HK-2 cells. PHB overexpression could protect cell from oxidative stress-induced injury by inhibiting H2O2-induced cell apoptosis and intracellular ROS generation and promoting endogenous antioxidant defense components including glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione. Furthermore, oxidative stress-induced cell injury was suppressed in PHB-overexpressed tubule epithelial cells through mitochondria-mediated pathway, including inhibition of mitochondrial uncou...