Phosphoenolpyruvic Acid, an Intermediate of Glycolysis, Attenuates Cellular Injury Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide and 2-Deoxy-D-glucose in the Porcine Proximal Kidney Tubular Cell Line, LLC-PK₁

Abstract

This study was conducted to clarify whether phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), an intermediate substance of glycolysis, has the potential to attenuate cellular injury induced by oxidative stress or dysfunctions in energy metabolism in vitro. PEP (0.5-10 mM) attenuated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cellular injury in the porcine proximal kidney tubular cell line, LLC-PK₁ in a dose-dependent manner. PEP also prevented cellular injury in LLC-PK₁ cells induced by the glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). In addition, PEP significantly enhanced the degradation of H₂O₂. The prevention of H₂O₂-induced cellular injury mediated by PEP was more potent than that of the carbohydrates, glucose and trehalose, which are used as components of organ preservation solutions for clinical transplantation. In conclusion, we demonstrated that PEP is a bifunctional carbohydrate with anti-oxidant properties and suggest that PEP is potentially useful as an organ preservation agent in clinical transplantation.