Fullerenol mitigates ischemia/reperfusion-induced kidney injury

Renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (RIRI) is the main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and is associated with a poor prognosis. Current treatment options for AKI have limitations, highlighting the necessity for developing new treatments. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of RIRI-induced AKI. Therefore, fullerenol with ROS quenching properties may have the potential to treat RIRI-induced AKI. This study is the first time to investigate the potential protective effects of fullerenol nanoparticles against RIRI. In cell experiments, fullerenol can effectively mitigate HK-2 cell damage induced by hypoxia-reoxygenation through scavenging ROS and inhibiting apoptosis. In animal experiments, fullerenol is rapidly distributed to the liver and kidneys after entering the body and part of the fullerenol is slowly excreted through urine. Fullerenol accumulated in the kidney alleviates ischemia–reperfusion-induced kidney damage by inhibiting pro-apoptotic proteins and promoting the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins. These findings suggest that fullerenol nanoparticles have potential as drugs to prevent and treat RIRI.