Mechanism of ruxolitinib enhancing mitophagy against renal fibrosis via PINK1/Parkin pathway

Abstract

Renal fibrosis represents a critical pathological hallmark in progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet effective therapeutic strategies remain elusive. Emerging evidence suggests that impaired mitophagy contributes to its pathogenesis. This study investigated whether ruxolitinib alleviates renal fibrosis by enhancing PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. Network pharmacology was employed to explore the potential regulatory mechanisms of ruxolitinib in renal fibrosis treatment, revealing that ruxolitinib might exert therapeutic effects through modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress and mitophagy. Subsequent in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that ruxolitinib treatment not only attenuated renal fibrosis progression but also reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress while enhancing mitophagic activity. Mechanistically, the enhancement of mitochondrial autophagy and the amelioration of renal fibrosis by ruxolitinib might be mediated via the PINK1/Parkin pathway. These results suggest that ruxolitinib may ameliorate renal fibrosis by activating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, providing new perspectives for CKD therapeutic development.