Fig. 5

Sirt6 downregulation impairs renal function and increases aortic calcification in a mouse model of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mice were administered with scramble shRNA (NC-shRNA) or Sirt6 shRNA (Sirt6-shRNA) lentivirus via tail vein injection. CKD was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy. Sham-operated control mice were subjected to a similar procedure without the removal of kidney tissue. Sham mice were placed on a normal phosphate (0.5%) diet and CKD mice were placed on a high-phosphate (1.5%) diet for 12 weeks with either PBS or exosome treatment. a Western blot analysis of SIRT6 in the aortas from sham and CKD mice. Serum concentrations of BUN (b), Cre (c), Ca (d), Pi (e), and FGF23 (f) were measured by ELISA. n = 6 per group. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, compared with the sham group. ^#p < 0.05 compared with the PBS group in NC-shRNA or SIRT6-shRNA lentivirus injection mice. g Representative micrographs of Alizarin Red stained sections of the aortas. Scale bar = 100 μm or 50 μm. h Calcium and i phosphorus content in thoracic aortas