The inhibitory effect of chimeric decoy oligodeoxynucleotide against NF-κB and Sp1 in renal interstitial fibrosis.

The pathophysiology of chronic renal disease is characterized by a progressive loss of renal function and deposition of the extracellular matrix, leading to widespread tissue fibrosis. Much of the matrix in chronic renal disease is synthesized by interstitial myofibroblasts, recruited from resident fibroblasts and circulating precursors. These changes are believed to be derived from epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tubuloepithelial cells. To develop a novel therapeutic approach for treating renal fibrosis, we examined the simultaneous inhibition of the transcription factors NF-κB and Sp1 in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). To simultaneously inhibit both NF-κB and Sp1, we developed chimeric (Chi) decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) which contained binding sequences for both NF-κB and Sp1 in a single decoy molecule to enhance the effective use of decoy ODN strategy. Chi decoy ODN significantly attenuated tubulointerstitial fibrosis in a mouse model of UUO compared to scrambled decoy ODN, as demonstrated by the reduced interstitial volume, macrophage infiltration, and fibrosis-related gene expression. Interestingly, Chi decoy ODN also regulated EMT-related gene expression, leading to the inhibition of renal fibrotic changes in vivo and in vitro. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of Chi decoy ODN treatment for preventing renal fibrosis and EMT processes. This strategy might be useful to improve the clinical outcome after chronic renal disease.