Increased SUMO-activating enzyme subunit 1 promotes glycolysis and fibrotic phenotype of diabetic nephropathy

Renal fibrosis is a prominent feature of diabetic nephropathy (DN), and the connection between renal fibrosis and abnormal glycolysis is not fully understood. SUMO-activating enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1) plays a crucial role in the SUMO modification process and is related to abnormal glycolysis. Despite this, the specific role of SAE1 in DN and its mechanism are not well defined. To investigate this, a streptozotocin-induced diabetic CD1 mice model was used, with SAE1 suppression achieved through systemic administration of SAE1 siRNA. In parallel, human renal proximal tubular tubule HK2 cells transfected with siSAE1 were exposed to high glucose for in vitro studies. The study revealed that SAE1 levels were elevated in diabetic kidney, and the deletion of SAE1 mitigated renal fibrosis in DN mice. Such suppression in SAE1 was associated with the lower expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), these alterations subsequently improved abnormal glycolysis and mesenchymal transformations in vivo and in vitro. Further experiments discovered that SAE1 stabilized transcription factor HIF-1α expression through SUMOylation, promoting PFKFB3 transcription, which enhanced glycolysis characterized by increased PFK1 activity and lactate production. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition of PFKFB3 reduced renal fibrosis in DN mice, while overexpression of PFKFB3 partly restored the glycolysis and mesenchymal transformations inhibited by SAE1 knockdown in vitro. These data demonstrate that SAE1 promotes abnormal glycolysis by HIF-1α/PFKFB3 which is responsible for the fibrotic phenotype of diabetic kidney. Inhibition of SAE1 could be an alternative strategy in combating diabetes associated-kidney fibrosis via improving aberrant glycolysis.