Objective: To investigate the effect of alpinetin on inflammatory injury in nephrotic syndrome (NS) rats
by regulating the Hippo/Yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway. Methods: A NS model was established by
injecting doxorubicin hydrochloride, and rats were randomly divided into NS group, different-dose alpinetin groups,
prednisone group, alpinetin + Hippo/YAP inhibitor verteporfin (VP) group, and the control group which was injected
with normal saline. The assay kit was used to detect the urine protein of rats; the biochemical analyzer was used
to measure the serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN); the ELISA kit was used to detect the levels
of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6); both
kidneys were collected, and the kidney index was measured; H-E staining was used to detect renal histopathological
changes; the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method was used
to detect apoptosis of renal tissue cells. Finally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and
Western blotting were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of YAP and transcriptional co-activator
PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). Results: Compared with the control group, the levels of Scr, urinary protein, BUN, IL-6,
TNF-α, MCP-1, kidney index, pathological score, apoptosis rate, p-YAP/YAP, TAZ and mRNA expression in the
NS group were significantly increased. Compared with the NS group, the levels of Scr, urinary protein, BUN, IL-6,
TNF-α, MCP-1, kidney index, pathological score,
apoptosis rate, p-YAP/YAP, TAZ mRNA and protein
expression in the different-dose alpinetin groups and
prednisone group were significantly reduced, and therewere differences among different doses of alpinetin. Compared with the 160 mg/kg alpinetin group, the levels of
Scr, urinary protein, BUN, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, kidney index, pathological score, apoptosis rate, p-YAP/YAP, TAZ
mRNA and protein expression in the alpinetin+VP group obviously reduced. Conclusion: Alpinetin has an effect on
inflammatory injury in NS rats by regulating the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.