Farnesylthiosalicylic Acid-Loaded Albumin Nanoparticle Alleviates Renal Fibrosis by Inhibiting Ras/Raf1/p38 Signaling Pathway

Hui Huang,1,2 Qinhui Liu,1 Ting Zhang,2 Jinhang Zhang,1,2 Jian Zhou,1,2 Xiandan Jing,2 Qin Tang,1 Cuiyuan Huang,1,2 Zijing Zhang,1 Yingnan Zhao,1,2 Guorong Zhang,1,2 Jiamin Yan,1,2 Yan Xia,1,2 Ying Xu,1,2 Jiahui Li,1,2 Yanping Li,1 Jinhan He1,2 1Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yanping LiLaboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-28-85164128Email liyanping_512@163.comJinhan HeDepartment of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-28-85426416Email jinhanhe@scu.edu.cnBackground: Renal fibrosis is the common pathway in chronic kidney diseases progression to end-stage renal disease, but to date, no clinical drug for its treatment is approved. It has been demonstrated that the inhibitor of proto-oncogene Ras, farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS), shows therapeutic potential for renal fibrosis, but its application was hindered by the water-insolubility and low bioavailability. Hence, in this study, we improved these properties of FTS by encapsulating it into bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (AN-FTS) and tested its therapeutic effect in renal fibrosis.Methods: AN-FTS was developed using a classic emulsification-solvent ultrasonication. The pharmacokinetics of DiD-loaded albumin nanoparticle were investigated in SD rats. The biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy of AN-FTS was assessed in a mouse model of renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).Results: AN-FTS showed a uniform spherical shape with the size of 100.6 ± 1.12 nm and PDI < 0.25. In vitro, AN-FTS displayed stronger inhibitory effects on the activation of renal fibroblasts cells NRK-49F than free FTS. In vivo, AN-FTS showed significantly higher peak concentration and area under the concentration-time curve. After intravenous administration to UUO-induced renal fibrosis mice, AN-FTS accumulated preferentially in the fibrotic kidney, and alleviated renal fibrosis and inflammation significantly more than the free drug. Mechanistically, the improved anti-fibrosis effect of AN-FTS was associated with greater inhibition in renal epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation process via Ras/Raf1/p38 signaling pathway.Conclusion: The study reveals that AN-FTS is capable of delivering FTS to fibrotic kidney and showed superior therapeutic efficacy for renal fibrosis.Keywords: albumin nanoparticle, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, farnesylthiosalicylic acid, Ras, renal fibrosis