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Qiu Y, Lei C, Zeng J, Xie Y, Cao Y, Yuan Q, Su H, Zhang Z, Zhang C. Asparagine endopeptidase protects podocytes in adriamycin-induced nephropathy by regulating actin dynamics through cleaving transgelin. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3337-3354. [PMID: 37689970 PMCID: PMC10638058 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the most common glomerular disorder causing end-stage renal diseases worldwide. Central to the pathogenesis of FSGS is podocyte dysfunction, which is induced by diverse insults. However, the mechanism governing podocyte injury and repair remains largely unexplored. Asparagine endopeptidase (AEP), a lysosomal protease, regulates substrates by residue-specific cleavage or degradation. We identified the increased AEP expression in the primary proteinuria model which was induced by adriamycin (ADR) to mimic human FSGS. In vivo, global AEP knockout mice manifested increased injury-susceptibility of podocytes in ADR-induced nephropathy (ADRN). Podocyte-specific AEP knockout mice exhibited much more severe glomerular lesions and podocyte injury after ADR injection. In contrast, podocyte-specific augmentation of AEP in mice protected against ADRN. In vitro, knockdown and overexpression of AEP in human podocytes revealed the cytoprotection of AEP as a cytoskeleton regulator. Furthermore, transgelin, an actin-binding protein regulating actin dynamics, was cleaved by AEP, and, as a result, removed its actin-binding regulatory domain. The truncated transgelin regulated podocyte actin dynamics and repressed podocyte hypermotility, compared to the native full-length transgelin. Together, our data reveal a link between lysosomal protease AEP and podocyte cytoskeletal homeostasis, which suggests a potential therapeutic role for AEP in proteinuria disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Qiu
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Chuntao Lei
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Jieyu Zeng
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Yaru Xie
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Yiling Cao
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Qian Yuan
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Hua Su
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China.
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