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Zhang Y, Xu H, Qiao H, Zhao Y, Jiang M. Melittin induces autophagy to alleviate chronic renal failure in 5/6-nephrectomized rats and angiotensin II-induced damage in podocytes. Nutr Res Pract 2024; 18:210-222. [PMID: 38584815 PMCID: PMC10995780 DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2024.18.2.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a complex pathological condition that lacks a cure. Certain Chinese medicines, such as melittin, a major component in bee venom, have shown efficacy in treating CRF patients. On the other hand, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of melittin are unclear. MATERIALS/METHODS A 5/6 nephrectomy model (5/6 Nx) of renal failure was established on rats for in vivo assays, and mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) mouse podocyte cells were treated with angiotensin II (AngII) to establish an in vitro podocyte damage model. The 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels were evaluated after one, 2, and 4 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining, and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to examine the pathological changes in kidney tissues. A cell counting kit 8 assay was used to assess the cell viability. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to assess the mRNA and protein levels in the cells, respectively. RESULTS In the rat 5/6 Nx, melittin reduced the 24-h urinary protein excretion and the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Furthermore, the renal pathology was improved in the melittin-treated 5/6 Nx rats. Melittin promoted podocin, nephrin, Beclin 1, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio and inhibited phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/mTOR in 5/6 Nx-induced rats and AngII-induced MPC5 mouse podocyte cells. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy with 3-MA weakened the effects of melittin on podocin, nephrin, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio in podocytes. CONCLUSION Melittin may offer protection against kidney injury, probably by regulating podocyte autophagy. These results provide the theoretical basis for applying melittin in CRF therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Zhang
- TCM Department, Shanghai Yangpu District Kongjiang Hospital, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Huaping Xu
- Department of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongwei Qiao
- Geriatric Department, Shanghai Yangpu District Kongjiang Hospital, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Ya Zhao
- Cardiology Department, Shanghai Yangpu District Kongjiang Hospital, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Minmin Jiang
- Geriatric Department, Shanghai Yangpu District Kongjiang Hospital, Shanghai 200093, China
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Schindler M, Endlich N. Zebrafish as a model for podocyte research. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024; 326:F369-F381. [PMID: 38205541 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00335.2023] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Podocytes, specialized postmitotic cells, are central players in various kidney-related diseases. Zebrafish have become a valuable model system for studying podocyte biology because they are genetically easy to manipulate, transparent, and their glomerular structure is similar to that of mammals. This review provides an overview of the knowledge of podocyte biology in zebrafish larvae, with particular focus on their essential contribution to understanding the mechanisms that underlie kidney diseases as well as supporting drug development. In addition, special attention is given to advances in live-imaging techniques allowing the observation of dynamic processes, including podocyte motility, podocyte process behavior, and glomerulus maturation. The review further addresses the functional aspects of podocytes in zebrafish larvae. This includes topics such as glomerular filtration, ultrastructural analyses, and evaluation of podocyte response to nephrotoxic insults. Studies presented in this context have provided important insights into the maintenance and resistance of the glomerular filtration barrier in zebrafish larvae and explored the potential transferability of these findings to mammals such as mice, rats, and most importantly, humans. The recent ability to identify potential therapeutic targets represents a promising new way to identify drugs that could effectively treat podocyte-associated glomerulopathies in humans. In summary, this review gives an overview about the importance of zebrafish as a model for podocyte-related disease and targeted drug development. It also highlights the key role of advanced imaging techniques in transparent zebrafish larvae, improving our understanding of glomerular diseases and the significant potential for translation of these findings to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Schindler
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Medishetti R, C MR, Chatti K. Cabozantinib-induced edema in zebrafish represents an adverse effect characterized by defects in lymphatic vasculature and renal function. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2023; 37:e23413. [PMID: 37335823 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23413] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a major class of targeted cancer therapy drugs. Overcoming the limitations of approved TKIs and the development of new TKIs continues to be an important need. The adoption of higher throughput and accessible animal models to evaluate TKI adverse effects will help in this regard. We exposed zebrafish larvae to a set of 22 Food and Drug Administration-approved TKIs and assessed mortality, early developmental abnormalities, and gross morphological abnormalities posthatching. We found edema posthatching as a consistent and prominent consequence of VEGFR inhibitors, and of cabozantinib in particular. The edema occurred at concentrations that did not cause lethality or any other abnormality, and was independent of the developmental stage. Further experiments identified loss of blood and lymphatic vasculature, and suppression of renal function in larvae exposed to 10 µM cabozantinib. Molecular analysis showed downregulation of the vasculature marker genes vegfr, prox1a, sox18, and the renal function markers nephrin and podocin as the potential molecular basis for the above defects, implicating them in the mechanism of cabozantinib-induced edema. Our findings reveal edema as a previously unreported phenotypic effect of cabozantinib and identify the likely mechanistic basis. These findings also highlight the need for studies investigating edema due to vascular and renal dysfunction as a potential clinical adverse effect of cabozantinib, and possibly other VEGFR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghavender Medishetti
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Mallikarjuna Rao C
- Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Kiranam Chatti
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Nguyen TK, Petrikas M, Chambers BE, Wingert RA. Principles of Zebrafish Nephron Segment Development. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:jdb11010014. [PMID: 36976103 PMCID: PMC10052950 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Nephrons are the functional units which comprise the kidney. Each nephron contains a number of physiologically unique populations of specialized epithelial cells that are organized into discrete domains known as segments. The principles of nephron segment development have been the subject of many studies in recent years. Understanding the mechanisms of nephrogenesis has enormous potential to expand our knowledge about the basis of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), and to contribute to ongoing regenerative medicine efforts aimed at identifying renal repair mechanisms and generating replacement kidney tissue. The study of the zebrafish embryonic kidney, or pronephros, provides many opportunities to identify the genes and signaling pathways that control nephron segment development. Here, we describe recent advances of nephron segment patterning and differentiation in the zebrafish, with a focus on distal segment formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Warren Center for Drug Discovery, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Madeline Petrikas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Warren Center for Drug Discovery, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Brooke E Chambers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Warren Center for Drug Discovery, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Rebecca A Wingert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Warren Center for Drug Discovery, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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5
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Drummond BE, Ercanbrack WS, Wingert RA. Modeling Podocyte Ontogeny and Podocytopathies with the Zebrafish. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:jdb11010009. [PMID: 36810461 PMCID: PMC9944608 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Podocytes are exquisitely fashioned kidney cells that serve an essential role in the process of blood filtration. Congenital malformation or damage to podocytes has dire consequences and initiates a cascade of pathological changes leading to renal disease states known as podocytopathies. In addition, animal models have been integral to discovering the molecular pathways that direct the development of podocytes. In this review, we explore how researchers have used the zebrafish to illuminate new insights about the processes of podocyte ontogeny, model podocytopathies, and create opportunities to discover future therapies.
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Naylor RW, Lemarie E, Jackson-Crawford A, Davenport JB, Mironov A, Lowe M, Lennon R. A novel nanoluciferase transgenic reporter measures proteinuria in zebrafish. Kidney Int 2022; 102:815-827. [PMID: 35716957 DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.19.452884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish is an important animal system for modeling human diseases. This includes kidney dysfunction as the embryonic kidney (pronephros) shares considerable molecular and morphological homology with the human nephron. A key clinical indicator of kidney disease is proteinuria, but a high-throughput readout of proteinuria in the zebrafish is currently lacking. To remedy this, we used the Tol2 transposon system to generate a transgenic zebrafish line that uses the fabp10a liver-specific promoter to over-express a nanoluciferase molecule fused with the D3 domain of Receptor-Associated Protein (a type of molecular chaperone) which we term NL-D3. Using a luminometer, we quantified proteinuria in NL-D3 zebrafish larvae by measuring the intensity of luminescence in the embryo medium. In the healthy state, NL-D3 is not excreted, but when embryos were treated with chemicals that affected either proximal tubular reabsorption (cisplatin, gentamicin) or glomerular filtration (angiotensin II, Hanks Balanced Salt Solution, Bovine Serum Albumin), NL-D3 is detected in fish medium. Similarly, depletion of several gene products associated with kidney disease (nphs1, nphs2, lrp2a, ocrl, col4a3, and col4a4) also induced NL-D3 proteinuria. Treating col4a4 depleted zebrafish larvae (a model of Alport syndrome) with captopril reduced proteinuria in this system. Thus, our findings validate the use of the NL-D3 transgenic zebrafish as a robust and quantifiable proteinuria reporter. Hence, given the feasibility of high-throughput assays in zebrafish, this novel reporter will permit screening for drugs that ameliorate proteinuria, thereby prioritizing candidates for further translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Naylor
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Emmanuel Lemarie
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - J Bernard Davenport
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Aleksandr Mironov
- EM Core Facility (RRID: SCR_021147), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Martin Lowe
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Rachel Lennon
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK; Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
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Naylor RW, Lemarie E, Jackson-Crawford A, Davenport JB, Mironov A, Lowe M, Lennon R. A novel nanoluciferase transgenic reporter measures proteinuria in zebrafish. Kidney Int 2022; 102:815-827. [PMID: 35716957 PMCID: PMC7614274 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish is an important animal system for modeling human diseases. This includes kidney dysfunction as the embryonic kidney (pronephros) shares considerable molecular and morphological homology with the human nephron. A key clinical indicator of kidney disease is proteinuria, but a high-throughput readout of proteinuria in the zebrafish is currently lacking. To remedy this, we used the Tol2 transposon system to generate a transgenic zebrafish line that uses the fabp10a liver-specific promoter to over-express a nanoluciferase molecule fused with the D3 domain of Receptor-Associated Protein (a type of molecular chaperone) which we term NL-D3. Using a luminometer, we quantified proteinuria in NL-D3 zebrafish larvae by measuring the intensity of luminescence in the embryo medium. In the healthy state, NL-D3 is not excreted, but when embryos were treated with chemicals that affected either proximal tubular reabsorption (cisplatin, gentamicin) or glomerular filtration (angiotensin II, Hanks Balanced Salt Solution, Bovine Serum Albumin), NL-D3 is detected in fish medium. Similarly, depletion of several gene products associated with kidney disease (nphs1, nphs2, lrp2a, ocrl, col4a3, and col4a4) also induced NL-D3 proteinuria. Treating col4a4 depleted zebrafish larvae (a model of Alport syndrome) with captopril reduced proteinuria in this system. Thus, our findings validate the use of the NL-D3 transgenic zebrafish as a robust and quantifiable proteinuria reporter. Hence, given the feasibility of high-throughput assays in zebrafish, this novel reporter will permit screening for drugs that ameliorate proteinuria, thereby prioritizing candidates for further translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Naylor
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Emmanuel Lemarie
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - J Bernard Davenport
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Aleksandr Mironov
- EM Core Facility (RRID: SCR_021147), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Martin Lowe
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Rachel Lennon
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Cell-Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK; Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
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8
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Lee MS, Devi S, He JC, Zhou W. A zebrafish model of congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:976043. [PMID: 36187478 PMCID: PMC9515793 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.976043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a disease characterized by proteinuria and subsequent hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia and edema due to the defective renal glomerular filtration barrier (GFB). Mutations of NPHS1, encoding NEPHRIN, a podocyte protein essential for normal GFB, cause congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) of the Finnish type (CNF), which accounts for about 50% of CNS cases. We generated zebrafish nphs1 mutants by using CRISPR/Cas9. These mutants completely lack nephrin proteins in podocytes and develop progressive peri-orbital and whole-body edema after 5 days post fertilization. Ultra-structurally, loss of nephrin results in absence of slit-diaphragms and progressive foot process effacement in zebrafish pronephric glomeruli, similar to the pathological changes in human CNF patients. Interestingly, some nphs1 mutants are viable to adulthood despite ultra-structural defects in renal glomeruli. Using a reporter line Tg (l-fabp:VDBP-GFP) expressing GFP-tagged vitamin-D-binding protein in the blood plasma, we observed a reduction of intravascular GFP fluorescence in the nphs1 mutants, a hypoalbuminemia-like phenotype. In addition, we detected excretion of GFP by the nphs1 mutants, reminiscent of proteinuria. Therefore, we have demonstrated that the nphs1 mutant zebrafish recapitulate the human NS phenotypes and provide a novel and relevant animal model useful for screening therapeutical agents for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Sun Lee
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Sulochana Devi
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - John Cijiang He
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: John Cijiang He, ; Weibin Zhou,
| | - Weibin Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: John Cijiang He, ; Weibin Zhou,
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Jin D, Liu F, Yu M, Zhao Y, Yan G, Xue J, Sun Y, Zhao D, Li X, Qi W, Wang X. Jiedu Tongluo Baoshen formula enhances podocyte autophagy and reduces proteinuria in diabetic kidney disease by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 293:115246. [PMID: 35398500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been applied to diabetic kidney disease (DKD). A large number of animal trials each year focus on TCM for DKD, but the evidence for these preclinical studies is not clear. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to study the therapeutic effect of Jiedu Tongluo Baoshen formula (JTBF) on DKD proteinuria and renal protection. At the same time, it is verified that JTBF can reduce podocyte injury by enhancing autophagy function, and then achieve the effect of proteinuria. MATERIALS AND METHODS We use high performance liquid chromatography to detect and analyze the fingerprint of JTBF to find the chemical composition. Subsequently, we constructed a DKD rat model induced by high-fat diet and streptozocin (HFD + STZ). Urine and blood biochemical automatic analyzer were used to detect 24-h urine protein quantification (24 h-UP) and renal function. The renal pathological changes were observed by H&E and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the levels of autophagy-related proteins and mRNA in podocytes were detected by immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR and Western Blot. The chemical composition of JTBF was screened from traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacol (TCMSP) and PubChem databases, and the potential targets and associated pathways of JTBF were predicted using kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis in network pharmacology, and confirmed in animal experiments and histopathological methods. RESULTS We discovered 77 active ingredients of JTBF. Through animal experiments, it was found that JTBF reduced 24 h-UP and promoted the expression of podocin, nephrin, and WT-1 in podocytes, thereby reducing podocyte damage. At the same time, JTBF activates the expression of podocyte autophagy-related proteins (beclin-1, LC3 and P62). Subsequently, through network pharmacology predictions, 208 compounds were obtained from JTBF, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) was a potential signal pathway. JTBF was obtained in DKD rat kidney tissue to inhibit the expression of PI3K, Akt and mTOR related proteins. CONCLUSIONS JTBF enhance podocyte autophagy to reduce podocyte damage, thereby effectively treating DKD proteinuria and protecting kidney function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Jin
- College of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jinlin, China
| | - Feng Liu
- College of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jinlin, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Endocrinology Department, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yunyun Zhao
- College of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jinlin, China
| | - Guanchi Yan
- College of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jinlin, China
| | - Jiaojiao Xue
- College of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jinlin, China
| | - Yuting Sun
- Endocrinology Department, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Daqing Zhao
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Xiangyan Li
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Wenxiu Qi
- Jilin Ginseng Academy, Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Bio-Macromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China.
| | - Xiuge Wang
- Endocrinology Department, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Ma J, Yang Z, Jia S, Yang R. A systematic review of preclinical studies on the taurine role during diabetic nephropathy: focused on anti-oxidative, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptotic effects. Toxicol Mech Methods 2022; 32:420-430. [PMID: 34933643 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2021.2021579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most important and growing diseases globally and the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality in these patients. Taurine is an amino acid that has pleiotropic protective properties on some diseases. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of taurine in the treatment of diabetes-induced nephropathy. To achieve the aim of the present study, a comprehensive systematic search based on PRISMA guidelines has been conducted up to August 2021. A total of 382 articles were found in the electronic databases based on search keywords. After doing the screening, 14 articles were included in the present systematic review. The dated demonstrated elevation of oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, and changes in other molecules' function plays an essential role in diabetes-induced renal tissue damage. Due to its multiple protective effects, taurine significantly prevented the activation of the pathways mentioned above and altered the function of molecules involved in these pathways, resulting in alleviating diabetic nephropathy. According to the obtained results, it was found that taurine can mitigate diabetes-induced nephropathy, mainly through its anti-oxidant activity, which is an essential factor in activating inflammation and apoptosis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Ma
- Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zecheng Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shengnan Jia
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Chu S, Kwon BR, Lee YM, Zoh KD, Choi K. Effects of 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) on thyroid hormones and genes associated with thyroid, neurotoxic, and nephrotoxic responses in adult and larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:128176. [PMID: 33297144 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the most widely used UV filters, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), has been widely detected in the environment. While its endocrine disruption potential has often been reported, toxicological information on EHMC is limited. This study was conducted to determine the thyroid, neurological and renal toxicity potentials of EHMC in adult male and embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Following 21 d of exposure, plasma T3 concentration decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in adult zebrafish. Several genes related to thyroid hormone regulation were also downregulated in the brain, thyroid, and liver of the adult fish. In addition, upregulation of syn2a in the brain and downregulation of podocin and wt1a in the kidney were observed following the exposure in adult fish. In zebrafish larvae, following 120 h exposure to EHMC, whole-body T3 and T4 contents decreased, and thyroid hormone-related genes were downregulated. However, several genes showed different patterns of transcription in the larvae; for example, mbp and etv1 genes were downregulated and podocin was upregulated. Unlike adult fish, the larval fish showed significant genetic changes related to neurotoxicity. The hypothyroidism induced in the larval fish by the exposure might be potentially associated with the neurotoxic potential of EHMC. The implications of the observed hormonal and transcriptional-level changes in zebrafish at different life stages following long-term exposure warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seoyoon Chu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ba Reum Kwon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young-Min Lee
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Duk Zoh
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyungho Choi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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12
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Wang C, Jiang Y, Yu K, Liu K, Wang H. Anhuienoside C Attenuates Podocyte Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy Rats. Dose Response 2020; 18:1559325820939010. [PMID: 33013249 PMCID: PMC7513418 DOI: 10.1177/1559325820939010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The present study evaluated the nephroprotective effects of anhuienoside C
(AC) against diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats. Material and Methods: Diabetic nephropathy was induced by administration of a high-fat diet (HFD)
for 8 weeks and intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ; 30
mg/kg) at the end of the fourth week of this protocol. Effects of AC on
blood glucose levels, renal function markers, and mediators of inflammation
in the serum of DN rats were assessed. Results: Anhuienoside C treatment reduced the blood glucose levels and attenuated the
increased levels of renal injury markers in DN rats. Anhuienoside C also
increased podocyte counts; alleviated the changes in podocin, desmin, and
nephrin protein levels; and ameliorated the altered pathophysiology in the
kidney tissues induced by DN. Compared with the DN group, the levels of
inflammatory markers and mediators of oxidative stress were reduced in the
serum and kidney tissues of the AC-treated groups. Moreover, treatment with
AC ameliorates the altered expression of podocin, nephrin, and desmin
proteins in the renal tissue of HFD/STZ-induced kidney-injured rats. Conclusion: In conclusion, AC protected against podocyte injury by regulating nuclear
factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells/protein kinase B
pathway in a rat model of DN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjian Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingsong Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Keping Yu
- Department of Endocrinology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
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13
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Kolatsi-Joannou M, Osborn D. A Technique for Studying Glomerular Filtration Integrity in the Zebrafish Pronephros. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2067:25-39. [PMID: 31701443 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9841-8_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
With the advances in next-generation sequencing and rapid filtering of candidate variants in diseased patients, it has been increasingly important to develop translatable in vivo models to study genetic changes. This allows for functional validation of pathogenic mutations and establishes a system to understand the etiology of disease. Due to the ease of genetic manipulation and rapid ex utero development, the zebrafish has become a valuable resource to study important biological processes, including nephrogenesis. The development and function of the zebrafish pronephros are akin to that of mammals. As such, they offer a tractable model to study kidney disease, especially diabetic nephropathy. However, in order to study kidney dysfunction in zebrafish it is imperative that an appropriate readout is available. The appearance of macro-proteins in patient's urine is indicative of defective kidney function. In this technical chapter, we describe the in vivo use of fluorescently tagged dextrans of different molecular weights to reveal the integrity of the zebrafish glomerular filtration barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kolatsi-Joannou
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Daniel Osborn
- Genetics Research Centre, St George's University of London, London, UK.
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14
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Arfian N, Setyaningsih WAW, Anggorowati N, Romi MM, Sari DCR. Ethanol Extract of Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) Attenuates Tubular Injury Through Inhibition of Inflammatory Cytokines and Enhancement of Anti-Fibrotic Factor in Mice with 5/6 Subtotal Nephrectomy. Malays J Med Sci 2019; 26:53-63. [PMID: 31728118 PMCID: PMC6839655 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2019.26.5.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to inflammation, fibrosis and destruction of the renal architecture. Centella asiatica (CeA) is an herbaceous plant with anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to elucidate the effect of CeA on inflammation, fibrosis, vascular remodelling and antifibrotic substances in a 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (SN) model in mice. METHODS Mice were divided into three groups: sham operation (SO, n = 6), 5/6 SN for seven days (SN7, n = 7) and SN7 with oral CeA treatment (SN7-CeA, n = 7). At day 7, mice were euthanised, kidneys were harvested and stained with periodic-acid Schiff (for tubular injury and glomerulosclerosis) and sirius red (for fibrosis and vascular remodeling) staining. mRNA expression of prepro-endothelin-1, nephrin, E-cadherin, bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were quantified using reverse transcriptase-PCR. RESULTS SN group demonstrated significant higher interstitial fibrosis, vascular remodeling, tubular injury and glomerulosclerosis (P < 0.01) compared to SO group. Meanwhile, in SN7-CeA demonstrated attenuation of vascular remodeling as shown by significant higher lumen area with lower Wall/Lumen area ratio compared to SN7. RT-PCR analysis showed up-regulation of nephrin, BMP-7 and E-cadherin mRNA expression (P < 0.05) and down-regulation of ppET-1 in SN7-CeA group compared to SN7 group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION CeA may ameliorate renal injury in the SN model in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Arfian
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Nungki Anggorowati
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Mansyur Romi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Dwi Cahyani Ratna Sari
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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15
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She J, Wu Y, Lou B, Lodd E, Klems A, Schmoehl F, Yuan Z, Noble FL, Kroll J. Genetic compensation by epob in pronephros development in epoa mutant zebrafish. Cell Cycle 2019; 18:2683-2696. [PMID: 31451030 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1656019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish erythropoietin a (epoa) is a well characterized regulator of red blood cell formation. Recent morpholino mediated knockdown data have also identified epoa being essential for physiological pronephros development in zebrafish, which is driven by blocking apoptosis in developing kidneys. Yet, zebrafish mutants for epoa have not been described so far. In order to compare a transient knockdown vs. permanent knockout for epoa in zebrafish on pronephros development, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate epoa knockout zebrafish mutants and we performed structural and functional studies on pronephros development. In contrast to epoa morphants, epoa-/- zebrafish mutants showed normal pronephros structure; however, a previously uncharacterized gene in zebrafish, named epob, was identified and upregulated in epoa-/- mutants. epob knockdown altered pronephros development, which was further aggravated in epoa-/- mutants. Likewise, epoa and epob morphants regulated similar and differential gene signatures related to kidney development in zebrafish. In conclusion, stable loss of epoa during embryonic development can be compensated by epob leading to phenotypical discrepancies in epoa knockdown and knockout zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqing She
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an , People's Republic of China.,Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an , People's Republic of China
| | - Bowen Lou
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an , People's Republic of China.,Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Elisabeth Lodd
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Alina Klems
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology (ZOO) & Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Felix Schmoehl
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Zuyi Yuan
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an , People's Republic of China
| | - Ferdinand Le Noble
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology (ZOO) & Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Jens Kroll
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
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16
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Espiritu EB, Jiang H, Moreau-Marquis S, Sullivan M, Yan K, Beer Stolz D, Sampson MG, Hukriede NA, Swiatecka-Urban A. The human nephrin Y 1139RSL motif is essential for podocyte foot process organization and slit diaphragm formation during glomerular development. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:10773-10788. [PMID: 31152064 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.008235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Nephrin is an immunoglobulin-type cell-adhesion molecule with a key role in the glomerular interpodocyte slit diaphragm. Mutations in the nephrin gene are associated with defects in the slit diaphragm, leading to early-onset nephrotic syndrome, typically resistant to treatment. Although the endocytic trafficking of nephrin is essential for the assembly of the slit diaphragm, nephrin's specific endocytic motifs remain unknown. To search for endocytic motifs, here we performed a multisequence alignment of nephrin and identified a canonical YXXØ-type motif, Y1139RSL, in the nephrin cytoplasmic tail, expressed only in primates. Using site-directed mutagenesis, various biochemical methods, single-plane illumination microscopy, a human podocyte line, and a human nephrin-expressing zebrafish model, we found that Y1139RSL is a novel endocytic motif and a structural element for clathrin-mediated nephrin endocytosis that functions as a phosphorylation-sensitive signal. We observed that Y1139RSL motif-mediated endocytosis helps to localize nephrin to specialized plasma membrane domains in podocytes and is essential for normal foot process organization into a functional slit diaphragm between neighboring foot processes in zebrafish. The importance of nephrin Y1139RSL for healthy podocyte development was supported by population-level analyses of genetic variations at this motif, revealing that such variations are very rare, suggesting that mutations in this motif have autosomal-recessive negative effects on kidney health. These findings expand our understanding of the mechanism underlying nephrin endocytosis and may lead to improved diagnostic tools or therapeutic strategies for managing early-onset, treatment-resistant nephrotic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenel B Espiritu
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
| | - Huajun Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224
| | - Sophie Moreau-Marquis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
| | - Mara Sullivan
- Department of Nephrology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
| | - Kunimasa Yan
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan, and
| | - Donna Beer Stolz
- Department of Nephrology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
| | - Matthew G Sampson
- Department of Pediatrics-Nephrology University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Neil A Hukriede
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
| | - Agnieszka Swiatecka-Urban
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224,.
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17
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miR-423-5p suppresses high-glucose-induced podocyte injury by targeting Nox4. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 505:339-345. [PMID: 30245133 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.09.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Podocyte injury plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Aberrant microRNAs (miRNAs) have been suggested to contribute to podocyte injury. However, whether miR-423-5p could alleviate high glucose (HG)-mediated podocyte injury and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. In this study, we found that patients with DN have reduced miR-423-5p and elevated Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (Nox4) expressions in clinical renal tissues, and HG induced Nox4 but suppressed miR-423-5p expressions in cultured podocytes in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, overexpression of miR-423-5p antagonized HG-stimulated podocyte injury by enhancing cell viability, inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, suppressing cell apoptosis, reducing inflammatory activity, and repressing cytoskeleton damage accompanied with alternations of podocyte specific proteins. Furthermore, functional assays substantiated that Nox4 was a direct target and negatively regulated by miR-423-5p. Additionally, restoration of Nox4 impeded the protective effect of miR-423-5p on podocyte injury via activation of p38 MAPK pathway. Therefore, this study manifested that miR-423-5p overexpression protected HG-induced podocyte damage by inhibiting ROS generation via targeting Nox4, providing a potential therapeutic strategy against DN.
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18
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Empitu MA, Kadariswantiningsih IN, Aizawa M, Asanuma K. MAGI-2 and scaffold proteins in glomerulopathy. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2018; 315:F1336-F1344. [PMID: 30110567 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00292.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In many cells and tissues, including the glomerular filtration barrier, scaffold proteins are critical in optimizing signal transduction by enhancing structural stability and functionality of their ligands. Recently, mutations in scaffold protein membrane-associated guanylate kinase inverted 2 (MAGI-2) encoding gene were identified among the etiology of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. MAGI-2 interacts with core proteins of multiple pathways, such as transforming growth factor-β signaling, planar cell polarity pathway, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in podocyte and slit diaphragm. Through the interaction with its ligand, MAGI-2 modulates the regulation of apoptosis, cytoskeletal reorganization, and glomerular development. This review aims to summarize recent findings on the role of MAGI-2 and some other scaffold proteins, such as nephrin and synaptopodin, in the underlying mechanisms of glomerulopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maulana A Empitu
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University , Chiba , Japan.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga , Surabaya , Indonesia
| | - Ika N Kadariswantiningsih
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University , Chiba , Japan.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga , Surabaya , Indonesia
| | - Masashi Aizawa
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University , Chiba , Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Asanuma
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University , Chiba , Japan
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19
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Wang L, Zhang L, Hou Q, Zhu X, Chen Z, Liu Z. Triptolide attenuates proteinuria and podocyte apoptosis via inhibition of NF-κB/GADD45B. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10843. [PMID: 30022148 PMCID: PMC6052061 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29203-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Podocyte injury is a primary contributor to proteinuria. Triptolide is a major active component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F that exhibits potent antiproteinuric effects. We used our previously developed in vivo zebrafish model of inducible podocyte-target injury and found that triptolide treatment effectively alleviated oedema, proteinuria and foot process effacement. Triptolide also inhibited podocyte apoptosis in our zebrafish model and in vitro. We also examined the mechanism of triptolide protection of podocyte. Whole-genome expression profiles of cultured podocytes demonstrated that triptolide treatment downregulated apoptosis pathway-related GADD45B expression. Specific overexpression of gadd45b in zebrafish podocytes abolished the protective effects of triptolide. GADD45B is a mediator of podocyte apoptosis that contains typical NF-κB binding sites in the promoter region, and NF-κB p65 primarily transactivates this gene. Triptolide inhibited NF-κB signalling activation and binding of NF-κB to the GADD45B promoter. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that triptolide attenuated proteinuria and podocyte apoptosis via inhibition of NF-κB/GADD45B signalling, which provides a new understanding of the antiproteinuric effects of triptolide in glomerular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Liwen Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Qing Hou
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Zhaohong Chen
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China.
| | - Zhihong Liu
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, 210016, China.
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20
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Siegerist F, Endlich K, Endlich N. Novel Microscopic Techniques for Podocyte Research. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:379. [PMID: 30050501 PMCID: PMC6050355 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Together with endothelial cells and the glomerular basement membrane, podocytes form the size-specific filtration barrier of the glomerulus with their interdigitating foot processes. Since glomerulopathies are associated with so-called foot process effacement-a severe change of well-formed foot processes into flat and broadened processes-visualization of the three-dimensional podocyte morphology is a crucial part for diagnosis of nephrotic diseases. However, interdigitating podocyte foot processes are too narrow to be resolved by classic light microscopy due to Ernst Abbe's law making electron microscopy necessary. Although three dimensional electron microscopy approaches like serial block face and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and electron tomography allow volumetric reconstruction of podocytes, these techniques are very time-consuming and too specialized for routine use or screening purposes. During the last few years, different super-resolution microscopic techniques were developed to overcome the optical resolution limit enabling new insights into podocyte morphology. Super-resolution microscopy approaches like three dimensional structured illumination microscopy (3D-SIM), stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) and localization microscopy [stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM)] reach resolutions down to 80-20 nm and can be used to image and further quantify podocyte foot process morphology. Furthermore, in vivo imaging of podocytes is essential to study the behavior of these cells in situ. Therefore, multiphoton laser microscopy was a breakthrough for in vivo studies of podocytes in transgenic animal models like rodents and zebrafish larvae because it allows imaging structures up to several hundred micrometer in depth within the tissue. Additionally, along with multiphoton microscopy, lightsheet microscopy is currently used to visualize larger tissue volumes and therefore image complete glomeruli in their native tissue context. Alongside plain visualization of cellular structures, atomic force microscopy has been used to study the change of mechanical properties of podocytes in diseased states which has been shown to be a culprit in podocyte maintenance. This review discusses recent advances in the field of microscopic imaging and demonstrates their currently used and other possible applications for podocyte research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicole Endlich
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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21
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Nakayama H, Katayama K, Onabe Y, Sato A, Nishimura N, Shimada Y. Dried Rotifer Sheet: A Novel Live Feed for Rearing First-Feeding Larvae. Zebrafish 2018; 15:291-294. [DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2017.1553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Nakayama
- Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
| | - Kan Katayama
- Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
| | | | | | - Norihio Nishimura
- Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Shimada
- Department of Integrative Pharmacology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
- Department of Bioinformatics, Advanced Science Research Promotion Center, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
- Mie University Zebrafish Drug Screening Center, Tsu, Japan
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22
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Gehrig J, Pandey G, Westhoff JH. Zebrafish as a Model for Drug Screening in Genetic Kidney Diseases. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:183. [PMID: 30003073 PMCID: PMC6031734 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic disorders account for a wide range of renal diseases emerging during childhood and adolescence. Due to the utilization of modern biochemical and biomedical techniques, the number of identified disease-associated genes is increasing rapidly. Modeling of congenital human disease in animals is key to our understanding of the biological mechanism underlying pathological processes and thus developing novel potential treatment options. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been established as a versatile small vertebrate organism that is widely used for studying human inherited diseases. Genetic accessibility in combination with elegant experimental methods in zebrafish permit modeling of human genetic diseases and dissecting the perturbation of underlying cellular networks and physiological processes. Beyond its utility for genetic analysis and pathophysiological and mechanistic studies, zebrafish embryos, and larvae are amenable for phenotypic screening approaches employing high-content and high-throughput experiments using automated microscopy. This includes large-scale chemical screening experiments using genetic models for searching for disease-modulating compounds. Phenotype-based approaches of drug discovery have been successfully performed in diverse zebrafish-based screening applications with various phenotypic readouts. As a result, these can lead to the identification of candidate substances that are further examined in preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we discuss zebrafish models for inherited kidney disease as well as requirements and considerations for the technical realization of drug screening experiments in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Gehrig
- Acquifer is a Division of Ditabis, Digital Biomedical Imaging Systems AG, Pforzheim, Germany
| | - Gunjan Pandey
- Acquifer is a Division of Ditabis, Digital Biomedical Imaging Systems AG, Pforzheim, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics I, University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens H Westhoff
- Department of Pediatrics I, University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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23
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Kotb AM, Simon O, Blumenthal A, Vogelgesang S, Dombrowski F, Amann K, Zimmermann U, Endlich K, Endlich N. Knockdown of ApoL1 in Zebrafish Larvae Affects the Glomerular Filtration Barrier and the Expression of Nephrin. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153768. [PMID: 27138898 PMCID: PMC4854397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
APOL1, a secreted high-density lipoprotein, is expressed in different human tissues. Genetic variants of APOL1 are described to be associated with the development of end stage renal diseases in African Americans. In human kidney, APOL1 is mainly expressed in podocytes that are responsible for proper blood filtration. Since mice do not express ApoL1, the zebrafish is an ideal model to study the role of ApoL1. Injection of morpholinos against zApoL1 into zebrafish eggs and larvae, respectively, induces severe edema indicating a leakage of the filtration barrier. This was demonstrated in zApoL1 knockdown larvae by intravascular injection of fluorescently-labeled 10- and 500-kDa dextrans and by clearance of the vitamin D-binding protein from the circulation. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR revealed the reduction of nephrin, a podocyte-specific protein essential for blood filtration. Coinjection of human nephrin mRNA rescued the zApoL1 knockdown induced phenotype. Reduced APOL1 and nephrin levels were also found in biopsies of patients suffering from end stage renal diseases. Our results demonstrate that zApoL1 is essential for proper blood filtration in the zebrafish glomerulus and that zApoL1 affects the expression of nephrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Kotb
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ole Simon
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Antje Blumenthal
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Silke Vogelgesang
- Institute of Pathology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frank Dombrowski
- Institute of Pathology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kerstin Amann
- Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Uwe Zimmermann
- Department of Urology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Karlhans Endlich
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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24
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GADD45B mediates podocyte injury in zebrafish by activating the ROS-GADD45B-p38 pathway. Cell Death Dis 2016; 7:e2068. [PMID: 26794661 PMCID: PMC4816163 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2015.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
GADD45 gene has been implicated in cell cycle arrest, cell survival or apoptosis in a cell type specific and context-dependent manner. Members of GADD45 gene family have been found differentially expressed in several podocyte injury models, but their roles in podocytes are unclear. Using an in vivo zebrafish model of inducible podocyte injury that we have previously established, we found that zebrafish orthologs of gadd45b were induced upon the induction of podocyte injury. Podocyte-specific overexpression of zebrafish gadd45b exacerbated edema, proteinuria and foot-process effacement, whereas knockdown of gadd45b by morpholino-oligos in zebrafish larvae ameliorated podocyte injury. We then explored the role of GADD45B induction in podocyte injury using in vitro podocyte culture. We confirmed that GADD45B was significantly upregulated during the early phase of podocyte injury in cultured human podocytes and that podocyte apoptosis induced by TGF-β and puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) was aggravated by GADD45B overexpression but ameliorated by shRNA-mediated GADD45B knockdown. We also showed that ROS inhibitor NAC suppressed PAN-induced GADD45B expression and subsequent activation of p38 MAPK pathway in podocytes and that inhibition of GADD45B diminished PAN-induced p38 MAPK activation. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that GADD45B has an important role in podocyte injury and may be a therapeutic target for the management of podocyte injury in glomerular diseases.
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Slavotinek A, Kaylor J, Pierce H, Cahr M, DeWard S, Schneidman-Duhovny D, Alsadah A, Salem F, Schmajuk G, Mehta L. CRB2 mutations produce a phenotype resembling congenital nephrosis, Finnish type, with cerebral ventriculomegaly and raised alpha-fetoprotein. Am J Hum Genet 2015; 96:162-9. [PMID: 25557780 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We report five fetuses and a child from three families who shared a phenotype comprising cerebral ventriculomegaly and echogenic kidneys with histopathological findings of congenital nephrosis. The presenting features were greatly elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) or amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFAFP) levels or abnormalities visualized on ultrasound scan during the second trimester of pregnancy. Exome sequencing revealed deleterious sequence variants in Crumbs, Drosophila, Homolog of, 2 (CRB2) consistent with autosomal-recessive inheritance. Two fetuses with cerebral ventriculomegaly and renal microcysts were compound heterozygotes for p.Asn800Lys and p.Trp759Ter, one fetus with renal microcysts was a compound heterozygote for p.Glu643Ala and p.Asn800Lys, and one child with cerebral ventriculomegaly, periventricular heterotopias, echogenic kidneys, and renal failure was homozygous for p.Arg633Trp in CRB2. Examination of the kidneys in one fetus showed tubular cysts at the corticomedullary junction and diffuse effacement of the epithelial foot processes and microvillous transformation of the renal podocytes, findings that were similar to those reported in congenital nephrotic syndrome, Finnish type, that is caused by mutations in nephrin (NPHS1). Loss of function for crb2b and nphs1 in Danio rerio were previously shown to result in loss of the slit diaphragms of the podocytes, leading to the hypothesis that nephrosis develops from an inability to develop a functional glomerular barrier. We conclude that the phenotype associated with CRB2 mutations is pleiotropic and that the condition is an important consideration in the evaluation of high MSAFP/AFAFP where a renal cause is suspected.
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Nakamura T, Takagi S, Matsumoto M, Tashiro F, Sakai T, Ichimura K. Expression of Nephrin Homologue in the Freshwater Planarian, Dugesia japonica. Acta Histochem Cytochem 2014; 47:303-10. [PMID: 25859064 PMCID: PMC4387267 DOI: 10.1267/ahc.14044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Excretory organs contain epithelial cells that form a filtration membrane specialized for ultrafiltration to produce primary urine. In vertebrates, the filtration membrane is made up of slit diaphragm (SD) formed by glomerular podocytes. Basal metazoans such as flatworms are also known have filtration epithelial cells, called flame cells, which exhibit SD-like structures. The molecular components of podocyte SD have been studied in detail, while those of the SD-like structures in basal metazoans including flatworms remain to be clarified. To determine whether the SD-like structures in flatworms have molecular components common to the SD in vertebrate podocytes, we examined the expression of gene homologue for mammalian nephrin, which encodes an essential transmembrane protein that participates in the formation of the SD, in a species of flatworms, planarian (Dugesia japonica). Flame cells were distributed throughout the entire body of the planarian, but the nephrin-expressing cells identified by in situ hybridization were mainly detected at body periphery excluding head region. The distribution pattern of nephrin-expressing cells was similar to that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-expressing neoblasts, which are pluripotent stem cells characteristic to planarians. These findings indicated that the SD-like structures can be formed without the Nephrin protein in planarian flame cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Nakamura
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Graduate School of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science
- Department of Anatomy and Life Structure, Juntendo University School of Medicine
| | - Sota Takagi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Informatics, Keio University
| | - Midori Matsumoto
- Department of Biological Sciences and Informatics, Keio University
| | - Fumio Tashiro
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Graduate School of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Tatsuo Sakai
- Department of Anatomy and Life Structure, Juntendo University School of Medicine
| | - Koichiro Ichimura
- Department of Anatomy and Life Structure, Juntendo University School of Medicine
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van de Hoek G, Nicolaou N, Giles RH, Knoers NVAM, Renkema KY, Bongers EMHF. Functional models for congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. Nephron Clin Pract 2014; 129:62-7. [PMID: 25531169 DOI: 10.1159/000369313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) constitute one of the most common developmental diseases in humans; however, the cause for most patients remains unknown. Efforts to identify novel genetic causes for CAKUT through next-generation sequencing techniques have led to the discovery of new genes and risk factors. Concomitantly, these same efforts have generated large gene candidate lists requiring individual functional characterization. Appropriate model systems are needed to assess the functionality of genes and pathogenicity of genetic variants discovered in CAKUT patients. In this review, we discuss how cellular, animal, and personal (human) models are being used to study CAKUT candidate genes and what their major advantages and disadvantages are with respect to relevance and throughput.
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Liu Y, Long L, Yuan F, Liu F, Liu H, Peng Y, Sun L, Chen G. High glucose-induced Galectin-1 in human podocytes implicates the involvement of Galectin-1 in diabetic nephropathy. Cell Biol Int 2014; 39:217-23. [PMID: 25182410 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yinghong Liu
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
- Department of Pathology; University of lowa; Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Luping Long
- Department of Nephrology; Yiyang Central Hospital; Hunan P. R. China
| | - Fang Yuan
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Fuyou Liu
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Youming Peng
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Lin Sun
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Guochun Chen
- Department of Nephrology; Second Xiangya Hospital; Central South University; Changsha Hunan P. R. China
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Kroeger PT, Wingert RA. Using zebrafish to study podocyte genesis during kidney development and regeneration. Genesis 2014; 52:771-92. [PMID: 24920186 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 06/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
During development, vertebrates form a progression of up to three different kidneys that are comprised of functional units termed nephrons. Nephron composition is highly conserved across species, and an increasing appreciation of the similarities between zebrafish and mammalian nephron cell types has positioned the zebrafish as a relevant genetic system for nephrogenesis studies. A key component of the nephron blood filter is a specialized epithelial cell known as the podocyte. Podocyte research is of the utmost importance as a vast majority of renal diseases initiate with the dysfunction or loss of podocytes, resulting in a condition known as proteinuria that causes nephron degeneration and eventually leads to kidney failure. Understanding how podocytes develop during organogenesis may elucidate new ways to promote nephron health by stimulating podocyte replacement in kidney disease patients. In this review, we discuss how the zebrafish model can be used to study kidney development, and how zebrafish research has provided new insights into podocyte lineage specification and differentiation. Further, we discuss the recent discovery of podocyte regeneration in adult zebrafish, and explore how continued basic research using zebrafish can provide important knowledge about podocyte genesis in embryonic and adult environments. genesis 52:771-792, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Kroeger
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556
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