Expression and distribution of tribbles pseudokinase 3 in oxidative stress-mediated acute liver and kidney injury models.

Tribbles pseudokinase 3 (Trib3) is an inactive protein kinase whose expression increases in response to various stresses. Our previous work showed that Trib3 may play a role in myelin destruction induced by oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in demyelination (dmy) rats. The dmy rat exhibits hind limb ataxia and severe myelin breakdown in the central nervous system. To elucidate how Trib3 contributes to oxidative stress-mediated injury in organs other than the central nervous system, we used two models: an acute liver injury model induced by thioacetamide injection and an acute kidney injury model induced by cisplatin injection. Trib3 mRNA expression increased concurrently with tissue injury and declined during the repair phase. TRIB3 was detected in damaged areas, mainly in degenerated cells and infiltrating macrophages. These results suggest that Trib3 is upregulated in tissues damaged by oxidative stress and may serve as an indicator of tissue injury.