Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a pivotal role in mediating inflammatory responses and macrophage activation during kidney injury. However, the precise mechanisms by which STAT3 influences inflammation, particularly ab...
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a pivotal role in mediating inflammatory responses and macrophage activation during kidney injury. However, the precise mechanisms by which STAT3 influences inflammation, particularly about the diverse origins and functions of innate immune cells such as macrophages, have not been fully elucidated. In this study, I investigated the dynamic changes in infiltrating (CD11bhighF4/80low) and resident macrophage (CD11blowF4/80high) subpopulations following LPS-induced kidney injury, evaluated the therapeutic potential of Stattic, a selective STAT3 inhibitor, in ameliorating inflammation and fibrosis in both acute kidney injury (L-AKI) and chronic kidney disease (L-CKD) mouse models and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms through transcriptomic profiling and pathway analysis. L-AKI and L-CKD mouse models were induced by intraperitoneal LPS administration. Renal function, macrophage subpopulations, and gene and protein expression were assessed using flow cytometry, Western blotting, quantitative PCR, and RNA sequencing. LPS-induced AKI resulted in elevated kidney injury markers and disrupted macrophage population dynamics. Stattic treatment alleviated L-AKI by reducing injury markers, suppressing inflammatory responses, and restoring macrophage balance. Transcriptomic profiling identified shared genes across the JAK-STAT, TLR, and TNF pathways, as well as PI3K-AKT-related targets (Il-6, Akt3, and Pik3r1). In the L-CKD model, Stattic also demonstrated anti-fibrotic effects, although suppression of the PI3K-AKT pathway appeared to be specific to acute injury. In vitro, Stattic effectively inhibited LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages. These findings emphasize the central role of STAT3 in regulating macrophage-mediated inflammation and fibrosis during kidney injury and suggest that STAT3 inhibition is a promising therapeutic approach for both AKI and CKD.