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Cheong A, Craciun F, Husson H, Gans J, Escobedo J, Chang YC, Guo L, Goncalves M, Kaplan N, Smith LA, Moreno S, Boulanger J, Liu S, Saleh J, Zhang M, Blazier AS, Qiu W, Macklin A, Iyyanki T, Chatelain C, Khader S, Natoli TA, Ibraghimov-Beskrovnaya O, Ofengeim D, Proto JD. Glucosylceramide synthase modulation ameliorates murine renal pathologies and promotes macrophage effector function in vitro. Commun Biol 2024; 7:932. [PMID: 39095617 PMCID: PMC11297156 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06606-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
While significant advances have been made in understanding renal pathophysiology, less is known about the role of glycosphingolipid (GSL) metabolism in driving organ dysfunction. Here, we used a small molecule inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase to modulate GSL levels in three mouse models of distinct renal pathologies: Alport syndrome (Col4a3 KO), polycystic kidney disease (Nek8jck), and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (Nphs2 cKO). At the tissue level, we identified a core immune-enriched transcriptional signature that was shared across models and enriched in human polycystic kidney disease. Single nuclei analysis identified robust transcriptional changes across multiple kidney cell types, including epithelial and immune lineages. To further explore the role of GSL modulation in macrophage biology, we performed in vitro studies with homeostatic and inflammatory bone marrow-derived macrophages. Cumulatively, this study provides a comprehensive overview of renal dysfunction and the effect of GSL modulation on kidney-derived cells in the setting of renal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Cheong
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | | | - Hervé Husson
- Genomics Medicine Unit, Sanofi, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Gans
- Translational Sciences, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Lilu Guo
- Translational Sciences, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Nathan Kaplan
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Laurie A Smith
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Moreno
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Boulanger
- Research and Development Business Office, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shiguang Liu
- Rare Diseases and Rare Blood Disorders Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Saleh
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mindy Zhang
- Translational Sciences, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anna S Blazier
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Weiliang Qiu
- Non-Clinical Efficacy & Safety, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Macklin
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tejaswi Iyyanki
- Precision Medicine and Computational Biology, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Clément Chatelain
- Precision Medicine and Computational Biology, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shameer Khader
- Precision Medicine and Computational Biology, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas A Natoli
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Dimitry Ofengeim
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan D Proto
- Rare and Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Martin CE, Jones N. Nephrin Signaling in the Podocyte: An Updated View of Signal Regulation at the Slit Diaphragm and Beyond. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:302. [PMID: 29922234 PMCID: PMC5996060 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Podocytes are a major component of the glomerular blood filtration barrier, and alterations to the morphology of their unique actin-based foot processes (FP) are a common feature of kidney disease. Adjacent FP are connected by a specialized intercellular junction known as the slit diaphragm (SD), which serves as the ultimate barrier to regulate passage of macromolecules from the blood. While the link between SD dysfunction and reduced filtration selectivity has been recognized for nearly 50 years, our understanding of the underlying molecular circuitry began only 20 years ago, sparked by the identification of NPHS1, encoding the transmembrane protein nephrin. Nephrin not only functions as the core component of the extracellular SD filtration network but also as a signaling scaffold via interactions at its short intracellular region. Phospho-regulation of several conserved tyrosine residues in this region influences signal transduction pathways which control podocyte cell adhesion, shape, and survival, and emerging studies highlight roles for nephrin phospho-dynamics in mechanotransduction and endocytosis. The following review aims to summarize the last 5 years of advancement in our knowledge of how signaling centered at nephrin directs SD barrier formation and function. We further provide insight on promising frontiers in podocyte biology, which have implications for SD signaling in the healthy and diseased kidney.
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