Multiomic study of the protective mechanism of Persicaria capitata (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross against streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy in Guizhou miniature pigs

Background Persicaria capitata (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross (P. capitata, PCB), a traditional drug of the Miao people in China, is potential traditional drug used for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the function of P. capitata and clarify its protective mechanism against DN. Methods We induced DN in the Guizhou miniature pig with injections of streptozotocin, and P. capitata was added to the pigs’ diet to treat DN. In week 16, all the animals were slaughtered, samples were collected, and the relative DN indices were measured. 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenomics, metabolomics, RNA sequencing, and proteomics were used to explore the protective mechanism of P. capitata against DN. Results Dietary supplementation with P. capitata significantly reduced the extent of the disease, not only in term of the relative disease indices but also in hematoxylin-eosin-stained tissues. A multiomic analysis showed that two microbes (Clostridium baratii and Escherichia coli), five metabolites (oleic acid, linoleic acid, 4-phenylbutyric acid, 18-β-glycyrrhetinic acid, and ergosterol peroxide), four proteins (ENTPD5, EXPHX1, ARVCF and TREH), four important mRNAs (encoding ENTPD5, EXPHX1, ARVCF, and TREH), six lncRNAs (TCONS_00024194, TCONS_00085825, TCONS_00006937, TCONS_00070981, TCONS_00074099, and TCONS_00097913), and two circRNAs (novel_circ_0001514 and novel_circ_0017507) are all involved in the protective mechanism of P. capitata against DN. Conclusions Our results provide multidimensional theoretical support for the study and application of P. capitata.