Dual-function of triptriolide in podocytes injury: inhibiting of apoptosis and restoring of survival. Triptriolide can dramatically down regulate the apoptosis signaling pathway (Caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2) and significantly up regulate the survival signaling pathway (TAK1, p-TAK1 and NF-κB) in PAN-induced podocytyes, which could be by enhancing the Flice-like inhibitory protein (FLIP) expression, a key regulator in apoptosis and survival life events.

Triptriolide (T11) is a natural diterpene diepoxide that derived from Chinese traditional herb medicine (TCHM) Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.F (TWHF). From a structural point of view, T11 is very similar to triptolide (T9), one of the most effectively compounds in TWHF that have already been systematically investigated in the past decades. However, the basic functions and medicinal properties of T11 have not yet been well investigated mainly due to its low abundance in its plant organ. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of T11 on puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) induced apoptotic mouse podocytes and the underlying mechanism. The results showed that T11 had no significant toxicity in podocytes in high dosage, and showed prominent protective effects on PAN induced podocytes injury. Further studies indicated that T11 might exert its protective effects by inhibiting of apoptosis and restoring of survival in PAN induced podocytes.