Effects of cholecalciferol cholesterol emulsion on renal fibrosis and aquaporin 2 and 4 in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction.

There was evidence that 1,25(OH)2 D3 regulated aquaporin (AQP) 2 and 4 expression while ameliorating renal fibrosis. This study investigated whether cholecalciferol cholesterol emulsion (CCE), a precursor of 1,25(OH)2 D3 , has similar effects. The impact of CCE on renal fibrosis and AQP2 and AQP4 expression were studied in a unilateralureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse nephropathy model. CCE reduced both the extent of fibrosis and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling compared with vehicle-treated UUO model controls. AQP2 protein expression was higher and AQP4 expression was lower in UUO-model mice treated with CCE than in vehicle-treated control mice. The results showed that CCE attenuated renal fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β signaling, and regulated AQP2 and AQP4 expression in this UUO mouse model.