Sirt6 attenuates hypoxia‐induced tubular epithelial cell injury via targeting G2/M phase arrest

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a condition that has a high incidence and death rate. Unfortunately, the kidney may not recover completely after AKI, which then develops to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, it is necessary to identify potential curative targets to avoid its development to CKD. As an NAD + ‐dependent deacetylase, sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) has been linked to different types of biological processes. In the present work, our group investigated the role of Sirt6 in tubular epithelial cells (TECs) under hypoxic stress. Sirt6 expression was examined in mouse kidney following ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury and hypoxia‐challenged TECs. Using Sirt6 plasmid and small interfering RNA, we also investigated how, in regard to inflammation and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, Sirt6 affects hypoxia‐triggered injury. In addition, cell cycle was detected in hypoxia‐challenged TECs. Sirt6 was downregulated in the kidney of mice with IR injury and hypoxia‐challenged TECs. Consequently, Sirt6 depletion aggravated hypoxia‐induced injury and G2/M phase arrest. Sirt6 overexpression attenuated hypoxia‐triggered damage and G2/M phase arrest in TECs. Sirt6 prevented hypoxia‐triggered TEC damage via suppressing G2/M phase arrest. Thus, Sirt6 is a possible candidate for alleviating the effects of kidney injury.