OPA1 and acute kidney injury: In this study, silencing SIRT1 with small interfering RNA in vitro, DEX blocked the inhibition of mitochondrial division induced by LPS-induced AKI and the promotion of mitochondrial fusion, as shown by increased expression of fission protein (Drp1 Ser616 and Fis1) and decreased expression of fusion protein (Mfn1/2 and Opa1).