Ecdysone

Ecdysone (α-Ecdysone), a major steroid hormone in insects and herbs, triggers mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation and induces cellular apoptosis. Ecdysone plays essential roles in coordinating developmental transitions and homeostatic sleep regulation through its active metabolite 20-hydroxyecdysone (Crustecdysone; 20E; HY-N6979)^[1][2]. In Vitro: Ecdysone (α-Ecdysone; 100 nM; for 48 hours) causes renal tubular inner medullary collecting duct cells (IMCD) apoptosis^[1].
Ecdysone (10, 100 nM; for 48 hours) induces the expression of a-smooth muscle actin (SMA), a standard mesenchymal marker in a dose dependent fashion in inner medullary collecting duct cells (IMCD). Ecdysone elevates the expression of cleaved caspase 3 in a dose dependent fashion^[1].
Ecdysone (10, 100 nM; for 12, 24 hours) suppresses cell motility and scratch wound closure to a comparable extent^[1].
Ecdysone treatments (100 nM; for 24, 48 hours) induces a branched spindle mesenchymal-like cell shape^[1].
In Vivo: Ecdysone (α-Ecdysone; 6 µg/g/day; SC; for 14 days) evidently impaires kidney function marked by a statistically significant increase in BUN levels and amplifies renal expression of α-SMA in male C57BL/6 mice aged 10 weeks. Ecdysone confers an MR dependent nephropathic effect^[1].