Quercetin-4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside inhibits podocyte injury by SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation of NEK7

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a complication of diabetic mellitus. New treatments need to be developed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of quercetin-4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (QODG) on podocyte injury. Podocytes were cultured in high glucose (HG) medium, treated with QODG, and overexpressing or knocking down SIRT5. Oxidative stress indicators were assessed using corresponding kits. Pyroptosis was detected by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. Succinylation modification was detected using immunoprecipitation (IP) and western blot analysis. The interaction between NEK7 and NLRP3 was determined by co-IP. The results indicated that QODG inhibited oxidative stress and pyroptosis of podocytes induced by HG. Besides, QODG suppressed succinylation levels in HG-induced podocytes, with the upregulation of SIRT5. Knockdown of SIRT5 reversed the effects of QODG on oxidative stress and pyroptosis. Moreover, SIRT5 inhibited the succinylation of NEK7 and the interaction between NLRP3 and NEK7. In conclusion, QODG upregulates SIRT5 to inhibit the succinylation modification of NEK7, impedes the interaction between NEK7 and NLRP3, and then inhibits the pyroptosis and oxidative stress injury of podocytes under HG conditions. The findings suggested that QODG has the potential to treat DKD and explore a novel underlying mechanism of QODG function.