Objective    To study the protective effect of polydatin (PD) on hypoxia/re-oxygenation induced HK2 cell injury in vitro.     Methods    Human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK2 cell was used as target cell. The cells were divided into 4 groups: control group

model group

pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) group and PD group. Except the control group

the cells in the other three groups were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h

30 min before which PD and PDTC were respectively added to the culture media of PDTC group and PD group

then to normoxia for 6 h. Cell survival was assessed by MTT

the protein expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 was measured by immunohistochemistry

the mRNA and protein expressions of ICAM-1 were measured by RT-PCR and ELISA respectively.     Results    The HK2 survival cells were significantly more in PD treatment group than those in model group (P0.05). The NF-κB p65 expressions

ICAM-1 mRNA transcriptions and protein expressions of HK2 cells

were significantly decreased in PD treatment group compared with those in control group (P0.05). There were no significant differences of the parameters mentioned above were found between the PDTC group and the PD group (P0.05).     Conclusion    Polydatin has a protective effect on hypoxia/re-oxygenation induced HK2 cell injury

presumably via inhibiting the activation of NF-κB

downregulating the ICAM-1 mRNA transcription and protein expression on the surface of HK2 and finally reducing the adhesion of polymorphonuclear neutrophils.