Canonical Wnt pathway mediates catalpol-induced epithelial differentiation of porcine metanephric mesenchymal cells.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Kidney tissue injury is clinically very common, and how to effectively repair renal damage is a critical scientific issue that urgently requires attention. This study focuses on exploring alternative therapeutic strategies for renal repair. Specifically, it aims to compare the differentiation capabilities of metanephric mesenchymal cells (MMC), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC), and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSC) into epithelial cells, and to investigate the role and mechanism of catalpol, an active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Rehmannia glutinosa, in enhancing the epithelial differentiation of MMC. The epithelial differentiation potential of AMSC, BMSC, and MMC was compared under epithelial induction medium with or without catalpol supplementation. MMC were cultured in epithelial induction medium, and the expression of epithelial marker E-Cadherin, mesenchymal markers α-SMA and renal epithelial-specific marker AQP2 were assessed using Western Blot and immunofluorescence staining to evaluate the epithelial differentiation capacity of MMC and the enhancing effect of catalpol. RNA-seq was performed to identify signaling pathways activated by catalpol in MMC. The canonical Wnt pathway inhibitor MSAB was added to determine whether the pro-epithelial differentiation effect of catalpol was inhibited. AMSC and BMSC exhibited limited epithelial d

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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