# Rebamipide Attenuates Lupus Nephritis by Enhancing Antioxidative Defense in Podocytes: Evidence from a Lupus-Prone Mouse Model

## TL;DR

Rebamipide, a drug originally for stomach issues, may help treat kidney damage in lupus by boosting antioxidant defenses in kidney cells.

## Contribution

This study is the first to show rebamipide's therapeutic potential in lupus nephritis via antioxidative effects in podocytes.

## Key findings

- Rebamipide reduced kidney inflammation and improved histopathology in lupus-prone mice.
- Rebamipide increased regulatory T cells and enhanced podocyte structural and antioxidative proteins.
- In vitro experiments confirmed rebamipide's immunoregulatory and antioxidative effects.

## Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypical autoimmune disease that affects various organs, including the kidneys. Despite recent advancements, effective treatment options for renal involvement in SLE remain limited. Rebamipide, originally developed as a gastroprotective agent, has been reported to exert immunomodulatory effects in rheumatic diseases. Here, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of rebamipide in SLE using an animal model and to elucidate its mechanisms of action. We administered rebamipide or vehicle control to lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice and evaluated its efficacy on lupus-like phenotypes, including renal manifestations and immune cell profiles. Additionally, we investigated potential therapeutic mechanisms through in vitro treatment of murine immune cells and podocytes with rebamipide. Oral administration of rebamipide in lupus-prone mice significantly reduced kidney size, weight, and histopathological inflammation. Among circulating immune cell subsets, only regulatory T cells were significantly increased by rebamipide. In vivo treatment with rebamipide enhanced the expression of podocyte structural proteins, such as Synaptopodin, in kidney tissues, accompanied by the recovery of antioxidative factors, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Similarly, in vitro treatment of murine immune cells and podocytes with rebamipide replicated its immunoregulatory and antioxidative effects. Rebamipide is proposed as a potential therapeutic candidate for managing renal involvement in SLE through its antioxidative effects on podocytes.