A recent study published in Current Molecular Pharmacology has demonstrated that the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus CMU-pb-7 exerts significant renoprotective effects in a high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced rat model of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The research, led by Dr. Jincheng Zeng and Dr. Shaobo Wang from Guangdong Medical University, provides compelling evidence that this specific probiotic strain may offer a novel therapeutic approach for managing diabetic kidney disease, a leading cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide.
The researchers found that treatment with CMU-pb-7 dramatically improved the general condition and serum biochemical profiles of DN rats, reducing total cholesterol by 36.30%, triglycerides by 55.10%, and serum creatinine by 39.70%. The probiotic also effectively reversed renal interstitial fibrosis and restored renal antioxidant capacity, evidenced by significant increases in glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels alongside reductions in malondialdehyde and Fe²⁺ levels. Mechanistically, CMU-pb-7 administration activated the renal Nrf2/HO-1/Gpx4 antioxidant pathway, reversing the suppression of these protective genes observed in diabetic kidney tissues.
Interestingly, the researchers observed that CMU-pb-7 treatment markedly elevated plasma levels of short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate. In vitro experiments using AGEs-stimulated HK-2 cells confirmed that butyrate treatment significantly attenuated oxidative stress by activating the same Nrf2/HO-1/Gpx4 pathway. "CMU-pb-7 alleviates renal dysfunction in DN rats, possibly by reducing oxidative stress through activation of the renal Nrf2/HO-1/Gpx4 pathway mediated by butyrate," noted the corresponding authors. While the findings are promising, the authors acknowledge several limitations, including the need for Nrf2-specific functional validation and clinical trials to assess efficacy and safety in human patients.
Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmp.2026.03.005