Podocyte injury induces nuclear translocation of WTIP via microtubule-dependent transport

GDF-15 Suppresses Puromycin Aminonucleoside-Induced Podocyte Injury by Reducing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Glomerular Inflammation

GDF15, also known as MIC1, is a member of the TGF-beta superfamily. Previous studies reported elevated serum levels of GDF15 in patients with kidney disorder, and its association with kidney disease progression, while other studies identified GDF15 to have protective effects. To investigate the potential protective role of GDF15 on podocytes, we first performed in vitro studies using a Gdf15-deficient podocyte cell line. The lack of GDF15 intensified puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress and induced cell death in cultivated podocytes. This was evidenced by elevated expressions of Xbp1 and ER-associated chaperones, alongside AnnexinV/PI staining and LDH release. Additionally, we subjected mice to nephrotoxic PAN treatment. Our observations revealed a noteworthy increase in both GDF15 expression and secretion subsequent to PAN administration. Gdf15 knockout mice displayed a moderate loss of WT1+ cells (podocytes) in the glomeruli compared to wild-type controls. However, this finding could not be substantiated through digital evaluation. The parameters of kidney function, including serum BUN, creatinine, and albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR), were increased in Gdf15 knockout mice as compared to wild-type mice upon PAN treatment. This was associated with an increase in the number of glomerular macrophages, neutrophils, inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines in Gdf15-deficient mice. In summary, our findings unveil a novel renoprotective effect of GDF15 during kidney injury and inflammation by promoting podocyte survival and regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress in podocytes, and, subsequently, the infiltration of inflammatory cells via paracrine effects on surrounding glomerular cells.

Distinct regions within SAP25 recruit O-linked glycosylation, DNA demethylation, and ubiquitin ligase and hydrolase activities to the Sin3/HDAC complex

Epigenetic control of gene expression is crucial for maintaining gene regulation. Sin3 is an evolutionarily conserved repressor protein complex mainly associated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. A large number of proteins are part of Sin3/HDAC complexes, and the function of most of these members remains poorly understood. SAP25, a previously identified Sin3A associated protein of 25 kDa, has been proposed to participate in regulating gene expression programs involved in the immune response but the exact mechanism of this regulation is unclear. SAP25 is not expressed in HEK293 cells, which hence serve as a natural knockout system to decipher the molecular functions uniquely carried out by this Sin3/HDAC subunit. Using molecular, proteomic, protein engineering, and interaction network approaches, we show that SAP25 interacts with distinct enzymatic and regulatory protein complexes in addition to Sin3/HDAC. While the O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and the TET1 /TET2/TET3 methylcytosine dioxygenases have been previously linked to Sin3/HDAC, in HEK293 cells, these interactions were only observed in the affinity purification in which an exogenously expressed SAP25 was the bait. Additional proteins uniquely recovered from the Halo-SAP25 pull-downs included the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex SKP1/FBXO3/CUL1 and the ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 11 (USP11), which have not been previously associated with Sin3/HDAC. Finally, we use mutational analysis to demonstrate that distinct regions of SAP25 participate in its interaction with USP11, OGT/TETs, and SCF(FBXO3).) These results suggest that SAP25 may function as an adaptor protein to coordinate the assembly of different enzymatic complexes to control Sin3/HDAC-mediated gene expression.

Activation of Hippo Pathway Damages Slit Diaphragm by Deprivation of Ajuba Proteins

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Nuclear exclusion of the cotranscription factor YAP, which is a consequence of activation of the Hippo signaling pathway, leads to FSGS and podocyte apoptosis. Ajuba proteins play an important role in the glomerular filtration barrier by keeping the Hippo pathway inactive. In nephrocytes from Drosophila melanogaster , a well-established model system for podocyte research, Ajuba proteins ensure slit diaphragm (SD) formation and function. Hippo pathway activation leads to mislocalization of Ajuba proteins, decreased SD formation, rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, and increased SD permeability. Targeting the kinases of the Hippo pathway with specific inhibitors in the glomerulus could, therefore, be a promising strategy for therapy of FSGS.

BACKGROUND

The highly conserved Hippo pathway, which regulates organ growth and cell proliferation by inhibiting transcriptional cofactors YAP/TAZ, plays a special role in podocytes, where activation of the pathway leads to apoptosis. The Ajuba family proteins (Ajuba, LIM domain-containing protein 1 (LIMD1) and Wilms tumor protein 1-interacting protein [WTIP]) can bind and inactivate large tumor suppressor kinases 1 and 2, (LATS1/2) two of the Hippo pathway key kinases. WTIP, furthermore, connects the slit diaphragm (SD), the specialized cell-cell junction between podocytes, with the actin cytoskeleton.

METHODS

We used garland cell nephrocytes of Drosophila melanogaster to monitor the role of Ajuba proteins in Hippo pathway regulation and structural integrity of the SD. Microscopy and functional assays analyzed the interplay between Ajuba proteins and LATS2 regarding expression, localization, interaction, and effects on the functionality of the SD.

RESULTS

In nephrocytes, the Ajuba homolog Djub recruited Warts (LATS2 homolog) to the SD. Knockdown of Djub activated the Hippo pathway. Reciprocally, Hippo activation reduced the Djub level. Both Djub knockdown and Hippo activation led to morphological changes in the SD, rearrangement of the cortical actin cytoskeleton, and increased SD permeability. Knockdown of Warts or overexpression of constitutively active Yki prevented these effects. In podocytes, Hippo pathway activation or knockdown of YAP also decreased the level of Ajuba proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Ajuba proteins regulate the structure and function of the SD in nephrocytes, connecting the SD protein complex to the actin cytoskeleton and maintaining the Hippo pathway in an inactive state. Hippo pathway activation directly influencing Djub expression suggests a self-amplifying feedback mechanism.

Essential role of Wtip in mouse development and maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier

Wilms' tumor interacting protein (Wtip) has been implicated in cell junction assembly and cell differentiation and interacts with proteins in the podocyte slit diaphragm, where it regulates podocyte phenotype. To define Wtip expression and function in the kidney, we created a Wtip-deleted mouse model using β-galactosidase-neomycin (β-geo) gene trap technology. Wtip gene trap mice were embryonic lethal, suggesting additional developmental roles outside kidney function. Using β-geo heterozygous and normal mice, Wtip expression was identified in the developing kidneys, heart, and eyes. In the kidney, expression was restricted to podocytes, which appeared initially at the capillary loop stage coinciding with terminal podocyte differentiation. Heterozygous mice had an expected lifespan and showed no evidence of proteinuria or glomerular pathology. However, heterozygous mice were more susceptible to glomerular injury than wild-type littermates and developed more significant and prolonged proteinuria in response to lipopolysaccharide or adriamycin. In normal human kidneys, WTIP expression patterns were consistent with observations in mice and were lost in glomeruli concurrent with loss of synaptopodin expression in disease. Mechanistically, we identified the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 12 (ARHGEF12) as a binding partner for WTIP. ARHGEF12 was expressed in human podocytes and formed high-affinity interactions through their LIM- and PDZ-binding domains. Our findings suggest that Wtip is essential for early murine embryonic development and maintaining normal glomerular filtration barrier function, potentially regulating slit diaphragm and foot process function through Rho effector proteins.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study characterized dynamic expression patterns of Wilms' tumor interacting protein (Wtip) and demonstrates the novel role of Wtip in murine development and maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier.

GAP-43 ameliorates Podocyte injury by decreasing nuclear NFATc1 expression

Podocyte injury is sufficient to cause glomerulosclerosis and proteinuria, eventually leading to kidney failure. Previous studies found that podocytes and neurons had similar biological characteristics. Growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) is a growth cone protein in neurons, and a marker of axonal and synaptic growth. However, it is not known whether GAP-43 is expressed in podocytes. Compared with normal glomerular podocytes, GAP-43 was significantly reduced in patients with glomerular diseases. GAP-43 also significantly reduced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated podocytes. We found that the decreased expression of nephrin, the cell marker of the podocyte, was significantly recovered with GAP-43 overexpression. In contrast, the migration ability in LPS-treated podocyte was reduction after GAP-43 overexpressing. Moreover, overexpression of GAP-43 attenuated podocyte apoptosis by up-regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax with LPS treatment. Finally, Plaue and Rcan1 which are downstream target gene of NFATc1 decreased with overexpression of GAP-43 podocytes. We concluded that GAP-43 attenuated podocyte injury by inhibiting calcineurin/NFATc1 signaling. The findings may provide a promising treatment for podocyte injury-related diseases.

JIP3 deficiency attenuates cardiac hypertrophy by suppression of JNK pathway

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms revealing the disease is still unclear. In the present study, we suggested that c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein 3 (JIP3), involved in various cellular processes, played an essential role in regulating pathological cardiac hypertrophy through in vivo and in vitro studies. JIP3 was highly expressed in human hearts with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and in mouse hypertrophic hearts. Following, the wild type (WT) and JIP3-knockout (KO) mice subjected to aortic banding (AB) challenge were used as animal models with cardiac hypertrophy. The results showed that JIP3-KO mice after AB operation exhibited attenuated cardiac function, reduced fibrosis levels and decreased hypertrophic marker proteins, including atrial natriuretic peptides (Anp) and brain/B-type natriuretic peptides (Bnp) and β-myosin heavy chain (β-Mhc). Loss of JIP3 also ameliorated oxidative stress, inflammatory response, apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in hearts of mice after AB surgery. Consistently, the expressions of ER stress-related molecules, such as phosphorylated-α-subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF2α), glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78 and C/-EBP homologous protein (CHOP), were markedly decreased by JIP3-deficiency in hearts of AB-operated mice. JNK and its down-streaming signal of p90rsk was highly activated by AB operation in WT mice, while being significantly reversed by JIP3-ablation. Intriguingly, the in vitro results showed that promoting JNK activation by using its activator of anisomycin enhanced AngII-stimulated ER stress, oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammatory response in cardiomyocytes isolated from WT mice. However, JIP3-KO-attenuated these pathologies was rescued by anisomycin treatment in AngII-incubated cardiomyocytes. Together, the findings indicated that blockage of JIP3 could alleviate cardiac hypertrophy via inactivating JNK pathway, and thus might be a promising strategy to prevent pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

The Ajuba family protein Wtip regulates actomyosin contractility during vertebrate neural tube closure

Ajuba family proteins are implicated in the assembly of cell junctions and have been reported to antagonize Hippo signaling in response to cytoskeletal tension. To assess the role of these proteins in actomyosin contractility, we examined the localization and function of Wtip, a member of the Ajuba family, in Xenopus early embryos. Targeted in vivo depletion of Wtip inhibited apical constriction in neuroepithelial cells and elicited neural tube defects. Fluorescent protein-tagged Wtip showed predominant punctate localization along the cell junctions in the epidermis and a linear junctional pattern in the neuroectoderm. In cells undergoing Shroom3-induced apical constriction, the punctate distribution was reorganized into a linear pattern. Conversely, the linear junctional pattern of Wtip in neuroectoderm changed to a more punctate distribution in cells with reduced myosin II activity. The C-terminal fragment of Wtip physically associated with Shroom3 and interfered with Shroom3 activity and neural fold formation. We therefore propose that Wtip is a tension-sensitive cytoskeletal adaptor that regulates apical constriction during vertebrate neurulation.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

A small molecule screening to detect potential therapeutic targets in human podocytes

WIDMEIER E, TAN W, AIRIK M, HILDEBRANDT F

A small molecule screening to detect potential therapeutic targets in human podocytes. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 312: F157-F171, 2017. First published October 19, 2016; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00386.2016. Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) inevitably progresses to end-stage kidney disease, requiring dialysis or transplantation for survival. However, treatment modalities and drug discovery remain limited. Mutations in over 30 genes have been discovered as monogenic causes of SRNS. Most of these genes are predominantly expressed in the glomerular epithelial cell, the podocyte, placing it at the center of the pathogenesis of SRNS. Podocyte migration rate (PMR) represents a relevant intermediate phenotype of disease in monogenic causes of SRNS. We therefore adapted PMR in a high-throughput manner to screen small molecules as potential therapeutic targets for SRNS. We performed a high-throughput drug screening of a National Institutes of Health Clinical Collection (NCC) library (n = 725 compounds) measuring PMR by videomicroscopy. We used the Woundmaker to perform individual 96-well scratch wounds and screened compounds using a quantitative kinetic live cell imaging migration assay using IncuCyte ZOOM technology. Using a normal distribution for the average PMR in wild-type podocytes with a vehicle control (DMSO), we applied a 90% confidence interval to define "distinct" compounds (5% faster/slower PMR) and found that 12 of 725 compounds (at 10 μM) reduced PMR. Clusters of drugs that alter PMR included actin/tubulin modulators such as the azole class of antifungals and antineoplastic vinca-alkaloids. We hereby identify compounds that alter PMR. The PMR assay provides a new avenue to test therapeutics for nephrotic syndrome. Positive results may reveal novel pathways in the study of glomerular diseases such as SRNS.

Nephrin Suppresses Hippo Signaling through the Adaptor Proteins Nck and WTIP

Podocytes are key components of the kidney blood filtration barrier, and their ability to withstand hemodynamic strain is proposed to be closely tied to their unique and flexible cytoarchitecture. However, the mechanisms that control such mechanotransduction are poorly understood. We have previously established that tyrosine phosphorylation of the transmembrane protein nephrin promotes recruitment of the Nck1/2 cytoskeletal adaptor proteins and downstream actin remodeling. We now reveal that Nck integrates nephrin with the Hippo kinase cascade through association with the adaptor protein WTIP. Using mutational analysis, we show that Nck sequesters WTIP and its binding partner Lats1 to phosphorylated nephrin, resulting in decreased phospho-activation of Lats1. We further demonstrate that, coincident with nephrin dephosphorylation in a transient model of podocyte injury in mice, Lats1 is rapidly activated, and this precedes significant down-regulation of the transcription regulator Yap. Moreover, we show reduced levels of Yap protein in mice with chronic disruption of nephrin phospho-signaling. Together, these findings support the existence of a dynamic molecular link between nephrin signaling and the canonical Hippo pathway in podocytes, which may facilitate the conversion of mechanical cues to biochemical signals promoting podocyte viability.

Role of Asxl1 in kidney podocyte development via its interaction with Wtip

Additional sex comb-like (ASXL) family proteins are chromatin factors that function in transcriptional activation and repression. However, the underlying mechanisms and biological implications have not been well established. Here, we identified a LIM domain-containing protein, Wilms tumor 1-interacting protein (WTIP), as an ASXL1-binding partner. Biochemical assays confirmed an interaction between the murine homologs Asxl1 and Wtip. The suppressive role of Wtip in WT1 function and the expression of Wtip in kidney podocytes prompted us to investigate the role of Asxl1 in the kidney using Asxl1-null mice. In homozygous Asxl1(-/-) embryos, defects in kidney size and glomerular podocyte morphology were observed. Furthermore, up-regulation of Wt1/Wtip target genes was observed in the kidneys of Asxl1-null embryos. Overall, these findings implicate Asxl1 in the maintenance of podocyte structure via its association with Wtip and in the regulation of WT1 signaling during early kidney development.

Podocytes … What's Under Yours? (Podocytes and Foot Processes and How They Change in Nephropathy)

Most of the described structures of podocytes in health and disease have been inferred from light and electron microscopic studies of rodent models. The variation in filtration barrier features is measured on micrographs, the aim being statistical significance. This is the technical campaign waged against kidney disease but this approach can be misleading. The signaling cascades and connectivity of the podocyte and foot processes (FPs) are inferred from in vitro studies that at best blurr the reality of the in vivo state. This review will outline actin signaling connectivity and the key differences in the structural and functional domains squeezed into the FPs and the relationship of these domains to other parts of the podocyte. It covers the changes in podocytes during nephropathy concentrating on FP and finally proposes an alternative interpretation of FP ultrastructure derived from articles published over the last 60 years.

WTIP interacts with ASXL2 and blocks ASXL2-mediated activation of retinoic acid signaling

The Asx-like (ASXL) family proteins are chromatin factors that play dual roles in transcriptional activation and repression. ASXL2 is highly expressed in the heart and is required for proper heart development and function. Here, we identify a novel ASXL2-binding partner, the LIM domain-containing protein WTIP. Genetic and biochemical assays show a direct interaction between ASXL2 and WTIP. In HeLa cells, ASXL2 enhances retinoic acid-dependent luciferase activity, while WTIP represses it. Furthermore, WTIP blocks ASXL2's stimulatory effect on transcription. In addition, we found that ASXL2 and WTIP are expressed in mouse embryonic epicardial cells, a tissue that is regulated by retinoic acid signaling. Together, these results implicate ASXL2 and WTIP in regulation of retinoic acid signaling during heart development.

Nuclear import of β-dystroglycan is facilitated by ezrin-mediated cytoskeleton reorganization

The β-dystroglycan (β-DG) protein has the ability to target to multiple sites in eukaryotic cells, being a member of diverse protein assemblies including the transmembranal dystrophin-associated complex, and a nuclear envelope-localised complex that contains emerin and lamins A/C and B1. We noted that the importin α2/β1-recognised nuclear localization signal (NLS) of β-DG is also a binding site for the cytoskeletal-interacting protein ezrin, and set out to determine whether ezrin binding might modulate β-DG nuclear translocation for the first time. Unexpectedly, we found that ezrin enhances rather than inhibits β-DG nuclear translocation in C2C12 myoblasts. Both overexpression of a phosphomimetic activated ezrin variant (Ez-T567D) and activation of endogenous ezrin through stimulation of the Rho pathway resulted in both formation of actin-rich surface protrusions and significantly increased nuclear translocation of β-DG as shown by quantitative microscopy and subcellular fractionation/Western analysis. In contrast, overexpression of a nonphosphorylatable inactive ezrin variant (Ez-T567A) or inhibition of Rho signaling, decreased nuclear translocation of β-DG concomitant with a lack of cell surface protrusions. Further, a role for the actin cytoskeleton in ezrin enhancement of β-DG nuclear translocation was implicated by the observation that an ezrin variant lacking its actin-binding domain failed to enhance nuclear translocation of β-DG, while disruption of the actin cytoskeleton led to a reduction in β-DG nuclear localization. Finally, we show that ezrin-mediated cytoskeletal reorganization enhances nuclear translocation of the cytoplasmic but not the transmembranal fraction of β-DG. This is the first study showing that cytoskeleton reorganization can modulate nuclear translocation of β-DG, with the implication that β-DG can respond to cytoskeleton-driven changes in cell morphology by translocating from the cytoplasm to the nucleus to orchestrate nuclear processes in response to the functional requirements of the cell.

Wtip- and gadd45a-interacting protein dendrin is not crucial for the development or maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier

Glomerular podocyte cells are critical for the function of the renal ultrafiltration barrier. Especially, the highly specialized cell–cell junction of podocytes, the slit diaphragm, has a central role in the filtration barrier. This is highlighted by the fact that mutations in molecular components of the slit diaphragm, including nephrin and Cd2-associated protein (Cd2ap), result in proteinuric diseases in man. Dendrin is a poorly characterized cytosolic component of the slit diaphragm in where it interacts with nephrin and Cd2ap. Dendrin is highly specific for the podocyte slit diaphragm, suggesting that it has a dedicated role in the glomerular filtration barrier. In this study, we have generated a dendrin knockout mouse line and explored the molecular interactions of dendrin. Dendrin-deficient mice were viable, fertile, and had a normal life span. Morphologically, the glomerulogenesis proceeded normally and adult dendrin-deficient mice showed normal glomerular histology. No significant proteinuria was observed. Following glomerular injury, lack of dendrin did not affect the severity of the damage or the recovery process. Yeast two-hybrid screen and co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that dendrin binds to Wt1-interacting protein (Wtip) and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible 45 alpha (Gadd45a). Wtip and Gadd45a mediate gene transcription in the nucleus, suggesting that dendrin may have similar functions in podocytes. In line with this, we observed the relocation of dendrin to nucleus in adriamycin nephropathy model. Our results indicate that dendrin is dispensable for the function of the normal glomerular filtration barrier and that dendrin interacts with Wtip and Gadd45a.

Signaling from the podocyte intercellular junction to the actin cytoskeleton

Observations of hereditary glomerular disease support the contention that podocyte intercellular junction proteins are essential for junction formation and maintenance. Genetic deletion of most of these podocyte intercellular junction proteins results in foot process effacement and proteinuria. This review focuses on the current understanding of molecular mechanisms by which podocyte intercellular junction proteins such as the nephrin-neph1-podocin-receptor complex coordinate cytoskeletal dynamics and thus intercellular junction formation, maintenance, and injury-dependent remodeling.

Role of Rac1-mineralocorticoid-receptor signalling in renal and cardiac disease

The Rho-family small GTPase, Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), has been implicated in renal and cardiac disease. Rac1 activation in podocytes has been shown in several models of proteinuric kidney disease and a concept involving motile podocytes has been proposed. Evidence also exists for a critical role of Rac1-mediated oxidative stress in cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia, and of the aldosterone-mineralocorticoid-receptor system in proteinuria and cardiac disorders. However, plasma aldosterone concentrations are not always increased in these conditions and the mechanisms of mineralocorticoid-receptor overactivation are difficult to determine. Using knockout mice, we identified a novel mechanism of Rac1-mediated podocyte impairment; Rac1 potentiates the activity of the mineralocorticoid receptor, thereby accelerating podocyte injury. We subsequently demonstrated that the Rac1-mineralocorticoid-receptor pathway contributes to ligand-independent mineralocorticoid-receptor activation in several animal models of kidney and cardiac injury. Hyperkalaemia is a major concern associated with the use of mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists; however, agents that modulate the activity of the Rac1-mineralocorticoid-receptor pathway in target cells, such as cell-type-specific Rac inhibitors and selective mineralocorticoid-receptor modulators, could potentially be novel therapeutic candidates with high efficacy and a low risk of adverse effects in patients with renal and cardiac diseases.

Current concepts of the podocyte in nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome is a disorder of the glomerular filtration barrier, and central to the filtration mechanism of the glomerular filtration barrier is the podocyte. We are starting to better understand how this cell, with its unique architectural features, fulfils its exact filtration properties. The multiprotein complex between adjacent podocyte foot processes, the slit diaphragm, is essential to the control of the actin cytoskeleton and cell morphology. Many of the proteins within the slit diaphragm, including nephrin, podocin, transient receptor potential-6 channel, and α-actinin-4, have been identified via genetic studies of inherited nephrotic syndromes. Signaling from slit diaphragm proteins to the actin cytoskeleton is mediated via the Rho GTPases. These are thought to be involved in the control of podocyte motility, which has been postulated as a focus of proteinuric pathways. Nephrotic syndrome is currently treated with immunosuppressive therapy, with significant adverse effects. These therapies may work in nephrotic syndrome due to specific effects on the podocytes. This review aims to describe our current understanding of the cellular pathways and molecules within the podocyte relevant to nephrotic syndrome and its treatment. With our current knowledge of the cellular biology of the podocyte, there is much hope for targeted therapies for nephrotic syndromes.

The podocyte cytoskeleton--key to a functioning glomerulus in health and disease

Almost all mammalian cell types have morphologies that are uniquely tailored to their physiological functions. This immense variation in cell shape depends on an underlying network of dynamic and interconnected actin and microtubule polymers. The glomerular podocyte is an archetypal example of such specialization, with a complex cytoskeleton underlying its delicate architectural features. Dynamic control of this cytoskeletal matrix seems to center around the slit diaphragm, a complex of proteins at the cell-cell junction between adjacent podocyte foot processes. This junction includes molecules that are unique to the podocyte that probably determine the correct morphology of the cell, and are targets of disease processes that disrupt the intricate balance of signaling that controls the cytoskeletal matrix. This Review will outline the most recent concepts and advances in our understanding of this critical aspect of glomerular biology, as well as discussing how an improved understanding of the podocyte cytoskeleton is starting to shape advances in delineating the pathogenesis of common glomerular diseases.

APOL1 localization in normal kidney and nondiabetic kidney disease

In patients of African ancestry, genetic variants in APOL1, which encodes apolipoprotein L1, associate with the nondiabetic kidney diseases, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), and hypertensive nephropathy. Understanding the renal localization of APOL1 may provide clues that will ultimately help elucidate the mechanisms by which APOL1 variants promote nephropathy. Here, we used immunohistology to examine APOL1 localization in normal human kidney sections and in biopsies demonstrating either FSGS (n = 8) or HIVAN (n = 2). Within normal glomeruli, APOL1 only localized to podocytes. Compared with normal glomeruli, fewer cells stained for APOL1 in FSGS and HIVAN glomeruli, even when expression of the podocyte markers GLEPP1 and synaptopodin appeared normal. APOL1 localized to proximal tubular epithelia in normal kidneys, FSGS, and HIVAN. We detected APOL1 in the arteriolar endothelium of normal and diseased kidney sections. Unexpectedly, in both FSGS and HIVAN but not normal kidneys, the media of medium artery and arterioles contained a subset of α-smooth muscle actin-positive cells that stained for APOL1. Comparing the renal distribution of APOL1 in nondiabetic kidney disease to normal kidney suggests that a previously unrecognized arteriopathy may contribute to disease pathogenesis in patients of African ancestry.

WT1-interacting protein (Wtip) regulates podocyte phenotype by cell-cell and cell-matrix contact reorganization

Podocytes respond to environmental cues by remodeling their slit diaphragms and cell-matrix adhesive junctions. Wt1-interacting protein (Wtip), an Ajuba family LIM domain scaffold protein expressed in the podocyte, coordinates cell adhesion changes and transcriptional responses to regulate podocyte phenotypic plasticity. We evaluated effects of Wtip on podocyte cell-cell and cell-matrix contact organization using gain-of- and loss-of-function methods. Endogenous Wtip targeted to focal adhesions in adherent but isolated podocytes and then shifted to adherens junctions after cells made stable, homotypic contacts. Podocytes with Wtip knockdown (shWtip) adhered but failed to spread normally. Noncontacted shWtip podocytes did not assemble actin stress fibers, and their focal adhesions failed to mature. As shWtip podocytes established cell-cell contacts, stable adherens junctions failed to form and F-actin structures were disordered. In shWtip cells, cadherin and β-catenin clustered in irregularly distributed spots that failed to laterally expand. Cell surface biotinylation showed diminished plasma membrane cadherin, β-catenin, and α-catenin in shWtip podocytes, although protein expression was similar in shWtip and control cells. Since normal actin dynamics are required for organization of adherens junctions and focal adhesions, we determined whether Wtip regulates F-actin assembly. Undifferentiated podocytes did not elaborate F-actin stress fibers, but when induced to overexpress WTIP, formed abundant stress fibers, a process blocked by the RhoA inhibitor C3 toxin and a RhoA kinase inhibitor. WTIP directly interacted with Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) 12 (Arhgef12), a RhoA-specific GEF enriched in the glomerulus. In conclusion, stable assembly of podocyte adherens junctions and cell-matrix contacts requires Wtip, a process that may be mediated by spatiotemporal regulation of RhoA activity through appropriate targeting of Arhgef12.

TM4SF10 and ADAP interaction in podocytes: role in Fyn activity and nephrin phosphorylation

TM4SF10 [transmembrane tetra(4)-span family 10] is a claudin-like cell junction protein that is transiently expressed during podocyte development where its expression is downregulated in differentiating podocytes coincident with the appearance of nephrin at the slit diaphragm. In a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified adhesion and degranulation-promoting adaptor protein (ADAP), a well-known Fyn substrate and Fyn binding partner, as a TM4SF10 interacting protein in mouse kidney. Using coimmunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry experiments in cultured human podocytes, we show that TM4SF10 colocalizes with Fyn and ADAP but does not form a stable complex with Fyn. Cytoskeletal changes and phosphorylation events mediated by Fyn activity were reversed by TM4SF10 overexpression, including a decrease in the activating tyrosine phosphorylation of Fyn (Y(421)), suggesting TM4SF10 may have a regulatory role in suppressing Fyn activity. In addition, TM4SF10 was reexpressed following podocyte injury by puromycin aminonucleoside treatment, and its expression enhanced the abundance of high-molecular-weight forms of nephrin indicating it may participate in a mechanism controlling nephrin's appearance at the plasma membrane. Therefore, these studies have identified ADAP as another Fyn adapter protein expressed in podocytes, and that TM4SF10, possibly through ADAP, may regulate Fyn activity. Since TM4SF10 expression is temporally regulated during kidney development, these studies may help define a mechanism by which the slit diaphragm matures as a highly specialized cell junction during podocyte differentiation.

PINCH1 is transcriptional regulator in podocytes that interacts with WT1 and represses podocalyxin expression

Background

PINCH1, an adaptor protein containing five LIM domains, plays an important role in regulating the integrin-mediated cell adhesion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. PINCH1 is induced in the fibrotic kidney after injury, and it primarily localizes at the sites of focal adhesion. Whether it can translocate to the nucleus and directly participate in gene regulation is completely unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Using cultured glomerular podocytes as a model system, we show that PINCH1 expression was induced by TGF-β1, a fibrogenic cytokine that promotes podocyte dysfunction. Interestingly, increased PINCH1 not only localized at the sites of focal adhesions, but also underwent nuclear translocation after TGF-β1 stimulation. This nuclear translocation of PINCH1 was apparently dependent on the putative nuclear export/localization signals (NES/NLS) at its C-terminus, as deletion or site-directed mutations abolished its nuclear shuttling. Co-immunoprecipitation and pull-down experiments revealed that PINCH1 interacted with Wilms tumor 1 protein (WT1), a nuclear transcription factor that is essential for regulating podocyte-specific gene expression in adult kidney. Interaction of PINCH1 and WT1 was mediated by the LIM1 domain of PINCH1 and C-terminal zinc-finger domain of WT1, which led to the suppression of the WT1-mediated podocalyxin expression in podocytes. PINCH1 also repressed podocalyxin gene transcription in a promoter-luciferase reporter assay.

Conclusion/Significance

These results indicate that PINCH1 can shuttle into the nucleus from cytoplasm in podocytes, wherein it interacts with WT1 and suppresses podocyte-specific gene expression. Our studies reveal a previously unrecognized, novel function of PINCH1, in which it acts as a transcriptional regulator through controlling specific gene expression.

GSK3β inactivation in podocytes results in decreased phosphorylation of p70S6K accompanied by cytoskeletal rearrangements and inhibited motility

The inhibition of mTOR kinase after renal transplantation has been associated with podocyte injury and proteinuria; however, the signaling pathways regulating these effects are not well understood. We found that prolonged rapamycin treatment in podocytes leads to an increase in glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) phosphorylation, resulting in inactivation of total GSK3β kinase activity. To investigate the cellular consequences of the inactivation of GSK3β, we used two inhibitors reducing kinase activity and studied the cross talk between GSK3 function and the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Both GSK3 inhibitors reduced the phosphorylation of the mTOR downstream target, p70(S6K), indicating that GSK3 inhibition in podocytes is able to cause similar effects as treatment with rapamycin. Moreover, GSK3 inhibition was accompanied by the reduced expression of slit diaphragm-associated proteins and resulted in an altered cytoskeletal structure and reduced motility of podocytes, suggesting that GSK3 kinase can modulate Akt/mTOR-dependent signaling in podocytes.

Out on a LIM: chronic kidney disease, podocyte phenotype and the Wilm's tumor interacting protein (WTIP)

Normal function of the glomerular filtration barrier requires wild-type differentiation of the highly specialized glomerular epithelial cell, the podocyte. Podocytes express three distinct domains, consisting of a cell body, primary processes, and secondary foot processes (FP). These FP express slit diaphragms, which are highly specialized cell-cell contacts critical for filtration-barrier function. Foot processes are dynamic structures that reorganize within minutes through actin cytoskeletal rearrangement. Glomerular diseases are characterized by a persistent simplification in podocyte domain structure with loss of FP, a phenotype described as FP effacement. The generation of such phenotypic plasticity requires that signaling pathways in subcellular compartments be integrated dynamically for a cell to respond appropriately to information flow from its microenvironment. We have identified a LIM-domain-containing protein, Wilm's tumor interacting protein (WTIP), that regulates podocyte actin dynamics to maintain stable cell contacts. After glomerular injury, the WTIP molecule shuttles to the podocyte nucleus in response to changes in slit-diaphragm assembly, and changes gene transcription to permit podocyte remodeling. Defining regulatory pathways of podocyte differentiation identifies novel, druggable targets for chronic kidney diseases characterized by glomerular scarring.