The pig mesonephros. II. The proximal tubule: SEM, TEM and freeze-fracture images

Albumin Uptake and Processing by the Proximal Tubule: Physiologic, Pathologic and Therapeutic Implications

For nearly 50 years the proximal tubule (PT) has been known to reabsorb, process, and either catabolize or transcytose albumin from the glomerular filtrate. Innovative techniques and approaches have provided insights into these processes. Several genetic diseases, nonselective PT cell defects, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and acute PT injury lead to significant albuminuria, reaching nephrotic range. Albumin is also known to stimulate PT injury cascades. Thus, the mechanisms of albumin reabsorption, catabolism, and transcytosis are being reexamined with the use of techniques that allow for novel molecular and cellular discoveries. Megalin, a scavenger receptor, cubilin, amnionless, and Dab2 form a nonselective multireceptor complex that mediates albumin binding and uptake and directs proteins for lysosomal degradation after endocytosis. Albumin transcytosis is mediated by a pH-dependent binding affinity to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in the endosomal compartments. This reclamation pathway rescues albumin from urinary losses and cellular catabolism, extending its serum half-life. Albumin that has been altered by oxidation, glycation, or carbamylation or because of other bound ligands that do not bind to FcRn traffics to the lysosome. This molecular sorting mechanism reclaims physiological albumin and eliminates potentially toxic albumin. The clinical importance of PT albumin metabolism has also increased as albumin is now being used to bind therapeutic agents to extend their half-life and minimize filtration and kidney injury. The purpose of this review is to update and integrate evolving information regarding the reabsorption and processing of albumin by proximal tubule cells including discussion of genetic disorders and therapeutic considerations.

TRPV1 regulators mediate gentamicin penetration of cultured kidney cells

Transient receptor potential (TRP) receptors are, typically, calcium-permeant cation channels that transduce environmental stimuli. Both kidney epithelial and inner ear sensory cells express TRPV1, are mechanosensors and accumulate the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin. Recently, we showed that Texas Red-conjugated gentamicin (GTTR) enters kidney cells via an endosome-independent pathway. Here, we used GTTR to investigate this non-endocytotic mechanism of gentamicin uptake. In serum-free buffers, GTTR penetrated MDCK cells within 30 s and uptake was modulated by extracellular, multivalent cations (Ca2+, La3+, Gd3+) or protons. We verified the La3+ modulation of GTTR uptake using immunocytochemical detection of unconjugated gentamicin. Membrane depolarization, induced by high extracellular K+ or valinomycin, also reduced GTTR uptake, suggesting electrophoretic permeation through ion channels. GTTR uptake was enhanced by the TRPV1 agonists, resiniferatoxin and anandamide, in Ca2+-free media. Competitive antagonists of the TRPV1 cation current, iodo-resiniferatoxin and SB366791, also enhanced GTTR uptake independently of Ca2+, reinforcing these antagonists' potential as latent agonists in specific situations. Ruthenium Red blocked GTTR uptake in the presence or absence of these TRPV1-agonists and antagonists. In addition, GTTR uptake was blocked by RTX in the presence of more physiological levels (2 mM) of Ca2+. Thus gentamicin enters cells via cation channels, and gentamicin uptake can be modulated by regulators of the TRPV1 channel.

Cytoplasmic and intra-nuclear binding of gentamicin does not require endocytosis

Understanding the cellular mechanism(s) by which the oto- and nephrotoxic aminoglycoside antibiotics penetrate cells, and the precise intracellular distribution of these molecules, will enable identification of aminoglycoside-sensitive targets, and potential uptake blockers. Clones of two kidney cell lines, OK and MDCK, were treated with the aminoglycoside gentamicin linked to the fluorophore Texas Red (GTTR). As in earlier reports, endosomal accumulation was observed in live cells, or cells fixed with formaldehyde only. However, delipidation of fixed cells revealed GTTR fluorescence in cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. Immunolabeling of both GTTR and unconjugated gentamicin corresponded to the cytoplasmic distribution of GTTR fluorescence. Intra-nuclear GTTR binding co-localized with labeled RNA in the nucleoli and trans-nuclear tubules. Cytoplasmic and nuclear distribution of GTTR was quenched by phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate (PIP2), a known ligand for gentamicin. Cytoplasmic and nuclear GTTR binding increased over time (at 37 degrees C, or on ice to inhibit endocytosis), and was serially competed off by increasing concentrations of unconjugated gentamicin, i.e., GTTR binding is saturable. In contrast, little or no reduction of endocytotic GTTR uptake was observed when cells were co-incubated with up to 4 mg/mL unconjugated gentamicin. Thus, cytoplasmic and nuclear GTTR uptake is time-dependent, weakly temperature-dependent and saturable, suggesting that it occurs via an endosome-independent mechanism, implicating ion channels, transporters or pores in the plasma membrane as bioregulatory routes for gentamicin entry into cells.

Heterogeneous expression of Gal alpha1-3Gal xenoantigen in pig kidney: a lectin and immunogold electron microscopic study

BACKGROUND

The Gal alpha1-3Gal antigen (Gal alpha) is the primary target for human natural anti-pig xenoantibodies. The presence of Gal alpha has been shown in porcine endothelial cells (ECs) using light microscopy, whereas the expression of Gal alpha in other cell structures in the porcine kidney is only partially characterized.

METHODS

Immunogold electron microscopy of pig kidney cryosections was performed using Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 and affinity isolated human anti-Gal alpha1-3Gal antibodies.

RESULTS

The most intense expression of Gal alpha was found on the apical and basolateral portions of the plasma membrane of the proximal convoluted tubule segments 1 and 2 cells, whereas segment 3 and 4 cells were negative. A strong staining was found in peritubular capillary ECs and in the inner medullary and papillary collecting duct cells. Moderate labeling of ECs and subendothelium was observed in large blood vessels, whereas glomerular ECs reacted weakly. Additionally, glomerular parietal epithelial cells, connecting tubule cells, and some cortical collecting duct cells were labeled. Among interstitial cells, a part of type-1 cells and all type-2 cells were labeled, whereas others were negative.

CONCLUSIONS

By immune electron microscopy, a detailed information of the Gal alpha antigen distribution in porcine nephrons and blood vessels has been revealed, which clarifies conflicting data obtained by light microscopy. In addition, expression of the Gal alpha antigen in the renal interstitial cells was documented for the first time. These data are of importance for the understanding of xenoantibody-mediated hyperacute rejection, for interpretation of pig kidney xenograft biopsies, and for generating transgenic pigs lacking the Gal alpha epitope.

Transmission and scanning electron microscopy of the kidney: Part II

The minipig has a multilobar kidney with a wide cortex and short papilla. The vascular bundles are of a simple type. Although short and long looped nephrons are both present, the short looped kind predominates. The minipig has many morphological similarities to dog and human kidneys. One particularly unique feature of the minipig papillary collecting duct cells, however, is the presence of electron-dense granules in the basal cytoplasm which appear to be secreted into the lateral intercellular spaces, perhaps forming a water-tight seal in a manner analogous to membrane-coating granules found in the epidermis of skin.

The pig mesonephros. III. Distal tubule, collecting tubule, and Wolffian duct: SEM- and TEM-studies

The ultrastructure of the distal and collecting tubules of mature pig mesonephroi (41st gestational day) was studied in perfusion-fixed embryos. In the distal tubule, the three subsegments postulated on the basis of enzyme histochemistry show only minor differences of their luminal surfaces, mostly of cell size. TEM photographs reveal a single cell type with interdigitating basolateral processes, frequently flattened to 30-120 nm lamellae devoid of organelles. Larger interdigitating processes harbor vertically oriented mitochondria in the form of indented plates. The macula densa cells are small, do not interdigitate, and have distended intercellular spaces. The collecting tubule starts with a dorsal convolution, in which intercalated cells (with apical microfolds and numerous mitochondria) occur in addition to interdigitating cells. Further down this segment, the interdigitating cells are gradually replaced by principal cells characterized by interlocking lateral microvilli, basal infoldings, and relatively few organelles. Intercalated cells extend into the Wolffian duct. Although the pig mesonephros has the most differentiated nephron of the mammals studied so far, with metanephros-like cells, its intrinsic urinary concentrating capacity appears to be low in view of its vascularization pattern and nephron architecture.

Vascularization and glomerular ultrastructure in the pig mesonephros

Vascularization of the pig mesonephros was investigated in embryos 5-8 cm in length. Vascular injections with microfil were cleared and dissected; corrosion casts were studied under the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Perfusion-fixed tissue was used for SEM and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies, including freeze-fracture specimens. The branches of one mesonephric artery carry up to 15 glomeruli. Several glomeruli occupy the same arterial branch, with very short afferent arterioles proper. The efferent vessels, frequently 2-5, leave the extensive vascular pole opposite the entering arteriole and split into peritubular capillaries radiating towards the superficial veins. These capillaries form vascular regions in the shape of flattened pyramids. Along its course, one nephron is supplied by vessels derived from 4-7 glomeruli. The nephrons have less vascular contact than in the definitive kidney. The ultrastructure of the single mesonephric vessels matches the metanephric counterparts. Epithelioid cells with renin granules are common in afferent arterioles, larger arteries, and efferent vessels. The lobulated glomeruli are up to 750 micron long and flattened, showing the usual features of podocytes, mesangial cells, and an attenuated endothelium with fenestrations between 50 and 250 nm. It partially retains its own basement membrane. There is no proximal mesangium.