Hyperoside mediates protection from diabetes kidney disease by regulating ROS‐ERK signaling pathway and pyroptosis

Abstract Renal tubular injury is a key factor in the progression of diabetic kidney disease to end‐stage renal disease. Hyperoside, a natural flavonol glycoside in various plants, is a potentially effective drug for the clinical treatment of diabetic kidney disease. However, the specific mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, this study will explore the effect and mechanism of hyperoside on renal tubulointerstitium in diabetic kidney disease. db/db mouse (C57BL/KsJ) is a model of type 2 diabetes resulting from Leptin receptor point mutations, with the appearance of diabetic kidney disease. Therefore, db/db mice were used for in vivo experimental studies. In vitro, human renal tubular epithelial cells were incubated with bovine serum albumin to simulate the injury of renal tubular epithelial cells caused by excessive albumin in primary urine. The experimental results showed that hyperoside could improve kidney function and reduce kidney tissue damage in mice, and could inhibit oxidative stress, extracellularly regulated protein kinases 1/2 signaling activation, and pyroptosis in human renal tubular epithelial cells. Therefore, hyperoside inhibited oxidative stress by regulating the activation of the extracellularly regulated protein kinases 1/2/mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathway, thereby alleviating proteinuria‐induced pyroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells. This study provides novel evidence that could facilitate the clinical application of hyperoside in diabetic kidney disease treatment.