TY  - JOUR
AU  - Yu, Daolun
AU  - Ge, Kai
AU  - Chen, Naidong
AU  - He, Zhiqiang
AU  - Gong, Yinuo
AU  - Zhang, Zongmeng
PY  - 2026
TI  - Nephroprotective effects and antioxidant mechanisms of a novel polysaccharide from Poria cocos sclerotia in chemotherapy-induced kidney injury
JO  - Food Science and Human Wellness
SN  - 2097-0765
SP  - 9250728
VL  - 15
IS  - 5
AB  - Kidney injury is one of the common side effects in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Enhancement of renal antioxidant and anti-inflammation function are important strategies to combat chemotherapy-induced kidney injury. In this study, we successfully isolated a novel water-soluble polysaccharide from Poria cocos sclerotia (Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP), molecular weight: 55.245 kDa), which features an α-1,4-D-Glcp backbone with branches linked at the O-6 positions. In vitro, PCP significantly relieved oxidative damage and apoptosis caused by the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin in renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs). In vivo, pretreatment with PCP attenuated cisplatin-induced kidney injury by mitigating oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation. Furthermore, post-treatment with PCP facilitated the recovery of renal function following kidney injury. In chronic kidney injury model, PCP exhibited a persistent nephroprotective effect in inhibiting the progression of chronic kidney disease and fibrosis. Mechanistically, PCP protected RTECs from cisplatin by activating the nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. Importantly, PKCζ was identified as the upstream kinase responsible for initiating the phosphorylation activation of Nrf2. Taken together, PCP confers protection against cisplatin-induced kidney injury by activating the PKCζ-Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that PCP may be a promising clinical candidate for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced kidney injury.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.26599/FSHW.2025.9250728
DO  - 10.26599/FSHW.2025.9250728