1
|
Guan X, Chen B, Malhotra DK, Gohara AF, Dworkin LD, Gong R. Hematopoietic-specific melanocortin 1 receptor signaling protects against nephrotoxic serum nephritis and mediates the beneficial effect of melanocortin therapy. Kidney Int 2023; 103:331-342. [PMID: 36374665 PMCID: PMC10431720 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The melanocortin hormone system has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for treating refractory glomerular diseases. However, the role of hematopoietic melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) signaling remains unknown. Upon insult by rabbit nephrotoxic serum, MC1R null-mutant mice developed more severe crescentic glomerulonephritis than wild-type mice, marked by aggravated proteinuria, kidney dysfunction and histologic lesions. Melanocortin therapy, using Repository Corticotropin Injection (Acthar Gel), the pan-melanocortin receptor agonist NDP-MSH, or the MC1R agonist MS05, ameliorated experimental nephritis in wild-type mice but this effect was blunted in null mice. Exacerbated experimental nephritis in null mice was associated with increased glomerular deposition of autologous IgG and C5b-9, in parallel with higher circulating levels of autologous IgG2c and IgG3. Additionally, the Th1 immune response was potentiated in null mice with experimental nephritis, accompanied by diminished kidney FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Kidney infiltration of macrophages was also augmented by MC1R deficiency with an enhanced M1 polarization. Moreover, adoptive transfer of syngeneic bone marrow-derived cells from wild-type mice mitigated experimental nephritis in null mice and restored the beneficial efficacy of melanocortins. Mechanistically, MC1R was expressed by diverse subsets of kidney leukocytes, including macrophages, T and B lymphocytes, and was inversely associated with the NFκB pathway, a key player in immune responses. MS05 attenuated the production of rabbit IgG-specific IgG2c and IgG3 in cultured wild-type splenocytes, and promoted M2 polarization in M1-primed wild-type macrophages, associated with NFκB inhibition. In contrast, in null splenocytes or macrophages, this effect of MS05 was barely detectable, but was mimicked by an NFκB inhibitor. Thus, hematopoietic MC1R signaling attenuates experimental nephritis and mediates the beneficial effect of melanocortin therapy via, in part, regulating the immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuejing Guan
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA; The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Bohan Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA; The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA; Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Deepak K Malhotra
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Amira F Gohara
- Department of Pathology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Lance D Dworkin
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Rujun Gong
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA; The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Radeke HH, Tschernig T, Karulin A, Schumm G, Emancipator SN, Resch K, Tary-Lehmann M. CD4+ T cells recognizing specific antigen deposited in glomeruli cause glomerulonephritis-like kidney injury. Clin Immunol 2002; 104:161-73. [PMID: 12165277 DOI: 10.1006/clim.2002.5246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
To investigate, whether T lymphocytes alone are sufficient to induce glomerulonephritis, a model in SCID mice was developed. Conditions for the generation and exclusive glomerular targeting of crosslinked ovalbumin (OVA) polymers and a series of OVA-specific T-cell clones and lines were established. Only a well-defined subfraction of OVA polymers exclusively targeted to the glomerular mesangium without causing local alteration in the absence of IgG. From numerous T-cell preparations spanning different Th-1/-2 profiles one T-helper cell clone characterized by ELISPOT assay as pure Th-1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2) induced nephritislike pathology. Histological examination at days 1, 2, 5, and 21 showed major infiltrates in proximal tubular regions (PTR) at day 5 accompanied by significant proteinuria. No injury was observed after deposition of irrelevant antigen or injection of other T-cell preparations. Detailed histological analysis revealed that Th-1 cell numbers peaked early in glomeruli (2.1 +/- 0.6 vs 0/gcs). Macrophages, however, were hardly detectable in glomeruli (0.5 +/- 0.3/gcs) at this time, while they formed the major constituent of the PTR infiltrates at day 5 (83 +/- 1). These data in a new SCID nephritis model indicate that memory Th-1 cells together with localized antigen presenting cells trigger nephritis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heinfried H Radeke
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, Clinic of the Goethe University, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|