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Jia S, Si R, Liu G, Zhong Q. Diosgenin protects against cationic bovine serum albumin-induced membranous glomerulonephritis by attenuating oxidative stress and renal inflammation via the NF-κB pathway. Pharm Biol 2024; 62:285-295. [PMID: 38516898 PMCID: PMC10962310 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2024.2330602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a leading cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Diosgenin (DG) has been reported to exert antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. OBJECTIVE To investigate the renoprotective activity of DG in a cationic bovine serum albumin-induced rat model of MGN. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups. The MGN model was established and treated with a DG dose (10 mg/kg) and a positive control (TPCA1, 10 mg/kg), while normal control and MGN groups received distilled water by gavage for four consecutive weeks. At the end of the experiment, 24 h urinary protein, biochemical indices, oxidation and antioxidant levels, inflammatory parameters, histopathological examination, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were evaluated. RESULTS DG significantly ameliorated kidney dysfunction by decreasing urinary protein (0.56-fold), serum creatinine (SCr) (0.78-fold), BUN (0.71-fold), TC (0.66-fold) and TG (0.73-fold) levels, and increasing ALB (1.44-fold). DG also reduced MDA (0.82-fold) and NO (0.83-fold) levels while increasing the activity of SOD (1.56-fold), CAT (1.25-fold), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (1.55-fold) and GSH (1.81-fold). Furthermore, DG reduced Keap1 (0.76-fold) expression, Nrf2 nuclear translocation (0.79-fold), and induced NQO1 (1.25-fold) and HO-1 (1.46-fold) expression. Additionally, DG decreased IL-2 (0.55-fold), TNF-α (0.80-fold) and IL-6 (0.75-fold) levels, and reduced protein expression of NF-κB p65 (0.80-fold), IKKβ (0.93-fold), p-IKKβ (0.89-fold), ICAM-1 (0.88-fold), VCAM-1 (0.91-fold), MCP-1 (0.88-fold) and E-selectin (0.87-fold), and also inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 (0.64-fold). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The results suggest a potential therapeutic benefit of DG against MGN due to the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, supporting the need for further clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyan Jia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Anesthesia and Trauma Research Unit, Hebei Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Cangzhou, China
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ruihua Si
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Guangzhen Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qiming Zhong
- Department of Nephrology, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
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Wu Q, Huang F. Targeting ferroptosis as a prospective therapeutic approach for diabetic nephropathy. Ann Med 2024; 56:2346543. [PMID: 38657163 PMCID: PMC11044758 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2346543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus, causing a substantive threat to the public, which receives global concern. However, there are limited drugs targeting the treatment of DN. Owing to this, it is highly crucial to investigate the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of DN. The process of ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death (RCD) involving the presence of iron, distinct from autophagy, apoptosis, and pyroptosis. A primary mechanism of ferroptosis is associated with iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the accumulation of ROS. Recently, many studies testified to the significance of ferroptosis in kidney tissue under diabetic conditions and explored the drugs targeting ferroptosis in DN therapy. Our review summarized the most current studies between ferroptosis and DN, along with investigating the significant processes of ferroptosis in different kidney cells, providing a novel target treatment option for DN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinrui Wu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Fengjuan Huang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Zhang Z, Qiao Y, Ji J, Huang C, Shi H, Gan W, Zhang A. The potential role of differentially expressed tRNA-derived fragments in high glucose-induced podocytes. Ren Fail 2024; 46:2318413. [PMID: 38369750 PMCID: PMC10878346 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2024.2318413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is increasing annually. Damage to and loss of podocytes occur early in DKD. tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), originating from tRNA precursors or mature tRNAs, are associated with various illnesses. In this study, tRFs were identified, and their roles in podocyte injury induced by high-glucose (HG) treatment were explored. High-throughput sequencing of podocytes treated with HG was performed to identify differentially expressed tRFs. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed. The expression levels of nephrin, podocin, and desmin were measured in podocytes after overexpression of tRF-1:24-Glu-CTC-1-M2 (tRF-1:24) and concomitant HG treatment. A total of 647 tRFs were identified, and 89 differentially expressed tRFs (|log2FC| ≥ 0.585; p ≤ .05) were identified in the HG group, of which 53 tRFs were downregulated and 36 tRFs were upregulated. The 10 tRFs with the highest differential expression were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and these results were consistent with the sequencing results. GO analysis revealed that the biological process, cellular component, and molecular function terms in which the tRFs were the most enriched were cellular processes, cellular anatomical entities, and binding. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that tRFs may be involved in signaling pathways related to growth hormones, phospholipase D, the regulation of stem cell pluripotency, and T-/B-cell receptors. Overexpression of tRF-1:24, one of the most differentially expressed tRFs, attenuated podocyte injury induced by HG. Thus, tRFs might be potential biomarkers for podocyte injury in DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunyang Qiao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jialing Ji
- Department of Pediatrics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chan Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huimin Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weihua Gan
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Aiqing Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Wang L, Tian H, Wang H, Mao X, Luo J, He Q, Wen P, Cao H, Fang L, Zhou Y, Yang J, Jiang L. Disrupting circadian control of autophagy induces podocyte injury and proteinuria. Kidney Int 2024; 105:1020-1034. [PMID: 38387504 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The circadian clock influences a wide range of biological process and controls numerous aspects of physiology to adapt to the daily environmental changes caused by Earth's rotation. The kidney clock plays an important role in maintaining tubular function, but its effect on podocytes remains unclear. Here, we found that podocytes expressed CLOCK proteins, and that 2666 glomerular gene transcripts (13.4%), including autophagy related genes, had 24-hour circadian rhythms. Deletion of Clock in podocytes resulted in 1666 gene transcripts with the loss of circadian rhythm including autophagy genes. Podocyte-specific Clock knockout mice at age three and eight months showed deficient autophagy, loss of podocytes and increased albuminuria. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequence analysis indicated autophagy related genes were targets of CLOCK in podocytes. ChIP-PCR further confirmed Clock binding to the promoter regions of Becn1 and Atg12, two autophagy related genes. Furthermore, the association of CLOCK regulated autophagy with chronic sleep fragmentation and diabetic kidney disease was analyzed. Chronic sleep fragmentation resulted in the loss of glomerular Clock rhythm, inhibition of podocyte autophagy, and proteinuria. Rhythmic oscillations of Clock also disappeared in high glucose treated podocytes and in glomeruli from diabetic mice. Finally, circadian differences in podocyte autophagy were also abolished in diabetic mice. Deletion Clock in podocytes aggravated podocyte injury and proteinuria in diabetic mice. Thus, our findings demonstrate that clock-dependent regulation of autophagy may be essential for podocyte survival. Hence. loss of circadian controlled autophagy may play an important role in podocyte injury and proteinuria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Han Tian
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoming Mao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Nephrology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qingyun He
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ping Wen
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongdi Cao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Fang
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Junwei Yang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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Cunanan J, Rajyam SS, Sharif B, Udwan K, Rana A, De Gregorio V, Ricardo S, Elia A, Brooks B, Weins A, Pollak M, John R, Barua M. Mice with a Pax2 missense variant display impaired glomerular repair. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024; 326:F704-F726. [PMID: 38482556 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00259.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
PAX2 regulates kidney development, and its expression persists in parietal epithelial cells (PECs), potentially serving as a podocyte reserve. We hypothesized that mice with a Pax2 pathogenic missense variant (Pax2A220G/+) have impaired PEC-mediated podocyte regeneration. Embryonic wild-type mouse kidneys showed overlapping expression of PAX2/Wilms' tumor-1 (WT-1) until PEC and podocyte differentiation, reflecting a close lineage relationship. Embryonic and adult Pax2A220G/+ mice have reduced nephron number but demonstrated no glomerular disease under baseline conditions. Pax2A220G/+ mice compared with wild-type mice were more susceptible to glomerular disease after adriamycin (ADR)-induced podocyte injury, as demonstrated by worsened glomerular scarring, increased podocyte foot process effacement, and podocyte loss. There was a decrease in PAX2-expressing PECs in wild-type mice after adriamycin injury accompanied by the occurrence of PAX2/WT-1-coexpressing glomerular tuft cells. In contrast, Pax2A220G/+ mice showed no changes in the numbers of PAX2-expressing PECs after adriamycin injury, associated with fewer PAX2/WT-1-coexpressing glomerular tuft cells compared with injured wild-type mice. A subset of PAX2-expressing glomerular tuft cells after adriamycin injury was increased in Pax2A220G/+ mice, suggesting a pathological process given the worse outcomes observed in this group. Finally, Pax2A220G/+ mice have increased numbers of glomerular tuft cells expressing Ki-67 and cleaved caspase-3 compared with wild-type mice after adriamycin injury, consistent with maladaptive responses to podocyte loss. Collectively, our results suggest that decreased glomerular numbers in Pax2A220G/+ mice are likely compounded with the inability of their mutated PECs to regenerate podocyte loss, and together these two mechanisms drive the worsened focal segmental glomerular sclerosis phenotype in these mice.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract comprise some of the leading causes of kidney failure in children, but our previous study showed that one of its genetic causes, PAX2, is also associated with adult-onset focal segmental glomerular sclerosis. Using a clinically relevant model, our present study demonstrated that after podocyte injury, parietal epithelial cells expressing PAX2 are deployed into the glomerular tuft to assist in repair in wild-type mice, but this mechanism is impaired in Pax2A220G/+ mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Cunanan
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarada Sriya Rajyam
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bedra Sharif
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Khalil Udwan
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Akanchaya Rana
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vanessa De Gregorio
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samantha Ricardo
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Elia
- Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Brooks
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Astrid Weins
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Martin Pollak
- Division of Nephrology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Rohan John
- Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Moumita Barua
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Diagnostics Department, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Puapatanakul P, Miner JH. Alport syndrome and Alport kidney diseases - elucidating the disease spectrum. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2024; 33:283-290. [PMID: 38477333 PMCID: PMC10990029 DOI: 10.1097/mnh.0000000000000983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW With the latest classification, variants in three collagen IV genes, COL4A3 , COL4A4 , and COL4A5 , represent the most prevalent genetic kidney disease in humans, exhibiting diverse, complex, and inconsistent clinical manifestations. This review breaks down the disease spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlations of kidney diseases linked to genetic variants in these genes and distinguishes "classic" Alport syndrome (AS) from the less severe nonsyndromic genetically related nephropathies that we suggest be called "Alport kidney diseases". RECENT FINDINGS Several research studies have focused on the genotype-phenotype correlation under the latest classification scheme of AS. The historic diagnoses of "benign familial hematuria" and "thin basement membrane nephropathy" linked to heterozygous variants in COL4A3 or COL4A4 are suggested to be obsolete, but instead classified as autosomal AS by recent expert consensus due to a significant risk of disease progression. SUMMARY The concept of Alport kidney disease extends beyond classic AS. Patients carrying pathogenic variants in any one of the COL4A3/A4/A5 genes can have variable phenotypes ranging from completely normal/clinically unrecognizable, hematuria without or with proteinuria, or progression to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, depending on sex, genotype, and interplays of other genetic as well as environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pongpratch Puapatanakul
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jeffrey H. Miner
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Huang D, Kidd JM, Zou Y, Wu X, Li N, Gehr TWB, Li PL, Li G. Podocyte-Specific Silencing of Acid Sphingomyelinase Gene to Abrogate Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Glomerular Inflammation. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024. [PMID: 38634138 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00195.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Acid Sphingomyelinase has been reported to increase tissue ceramide and thereby mediate hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammation, and sclerosis. In the present study, we tested whether somatic podocyte-specific silencing of Smpd1 gene attenuates hHcy-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and associated exosome release in podocytes and thereby suppresses glomerular inflammatory response and injury. In vivo, somatic podocyte-specific Smpd1 gene silencing almost blocked hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Podocre mice compared to control littermates. By nanoparticle tracking analysis, floxed Smpd1 shRNA transfection was found to abrogate hHcy-induced elevation of urinary exosome excretion in Podocre mice. In addition, Smpd1 gene silencing in podocytes prevented hHcy-induced immune cell infiltration into glomeruli, proteinuria, and glomerular sclerosis in Podocre mice. In cell studies, we also confirmed that Smpd1 gene knockout or silencing prevented Hcy-induced elevation of exosome release in the primary cultures of podocyte isolated from Smpd1-/- mice or podocytes of Podocre mice transfected with floxed Smpd1 shRNA compared to WT/WT podocytes. Smpd1 gene overexpression amplified Hcy-induced exosome secretion from podocytes of Smpd1trg/Podocre mice, which was remarkably attenuated by transfection of floxed Smpd1 shRNA. Mechanistically, Hcy-induced elevation of exosome release from podocytes was blocked by ASM inhibitor, but not by NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. Super-resolution microscopy also showed that ASM inhibitor, but not NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors, prevented the inhibition of lysosome-multivesicular body interaction by Hcy in podocytes. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ASM in podocytes plays a crucial role in the control of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and exosome release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States
| | - Jason M Kidd
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Yao Zou
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Xiaoyuan Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Ningjun Li
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Todd W B Gehr
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Pin-Lan Li
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Guangbi Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine,, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States
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Zhang Y, Liu M, Wu Y, Xu Y, Hong Y, Xiang H. Insulin-like growth factor 1 knockdown attenuates high glucose-induced podocyte injury by promoting the JAK2/STAT signalling-mediated autophagy. Nephrology (Carlton) 2024. [PMID: 38586891 DOI: 10.1111/nep.14286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Podocyte injury plays a crucial role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). A high serum level of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) has been observed in patients with DN. This paper is to study the role and mechanism of IGF-1 in high glucose (HG)-induced podocyte injury. METHODS Mouse podocytes MPC-5 were treated with HG to establish a DN model in vitro. db/db diabetic mice and db/m nondiabetic mice were used to evaluate the IGF-1 role in vivo. Western blotting was used for measuring protein levels of IGF-1 receptor, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signalling pathway-related markers, podocyte markers podocin and nephrin, apoptosis- and autophagy-related markers in MPC-5 cells. Immunofluorescence staining was implemented for measuring the expression of nephrin and the autophagy marker LC3. Flow cytometry was used for detecting podocyte apoptosis. RESULTS IGF-1 expression was increased in HG-stimulated MPC-5 cells and the kidney of db/db diabetic mice compared with corresponding controls. Knocking down IGF-1 downregulated IGF-1R and inhibited JAK2/STAT signalling pathway in HG-treated MPC-5 cells and db/db diabetic mice. IGF-1 silencing attenuated HG-induced podocyte injury, apoptosis and reduction in autophagy. Activating the JAK2/STAT signalling pathway or inhibiting autophagy reversed the effects of IGF-1 silencing on HG-treated MPC-5 cells. CONCLUSION Knocking down IGF-1 alleviates HG-induced podocyte injury and apoptosis by inactivating the JAK2/STAT signalling pathway and enhancing autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Min Liu
- The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Nephrology, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yaling Xu
- Department of Nephrology, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanhao Hong
- Department of Nephrology, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Haiyan Xiang
- Department of Nephrology, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan (Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University), Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Li Y, Xu C, Zhao F, Liu Q, Qiu X, Li M, Yang Y, Yu S, Tong H, Zhang L, Chen B, Qu L, Yu Z. Podocyte-specific Nup160 knockout mice develop nephrotic syndrome and glomerulosclerosis. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:667-676. [PMID: 38224683 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
More than 60 monogenic genes mutated in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) have been identified. Our previous study found that mutations in nucleoporin 160 kD (NUP160) are implicated in SRNS. The NUP160 gene encodes a component of the nuclear pore complex. Recently, two siblings with homozygous NUP160 mutations presented with SRNS and a nervous system disorder. However, replication of nephrotic syndrome (NS)-associated phenotypes in a mammalian model following loss of Nup160 is needed to prove that NUP160 mutations cause SRNS. Here, we generated a podocyte-specific Nup160 knockout (Nup160podKO) mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 and Cre/loxP technologies. We investigated NS-associated phenotypes in these Nup160podKO mice. We verified efficient abrogation of Nup160 in Nup160podKO mice at both the DNA and protein levels. We showed that Nup160podKO mice develop typical signs of NS. Nup160podKO mice exhibited progression of proteinuria to average albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) levels of 15.06 ± 2.71 mg/mg at 26 weeks, and had lower serum albumin levels of 13.13 ± 1.34 g/l at 30 weeks. Littermate control mice had urinary ACR mean values of 0.03 mg/mg and serum albumin values of 22.89 ± 0.34 g/l at the corresponding ages. Further, Nup160podKO mice exhibited glomerulosclerosis compared with littermate control mice. Podocyte-specific Nup160 knockout in mice led to NS and glomerulosclerosis. Thus, our findings strongly support that mutations in NUP160 cause SRNS. The newly generated Nup160podKO mice are a reliable mammalian model for future study of the pathogenesis of NUP160-associated SRNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Li
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
| | - Chan Xu
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
- Department of Pediatrics, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Qinghong Liu
- Department of Pathology, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Xiaojian Qiu
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Pathology, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Yonghui Yang
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Shentong Yu
- Department of Pathology, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Huajuan Tong
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Lifang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Bing Chen
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Lijuan Qu
- Department of Pathology, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 Xi Er Huan Bei Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China
| | - Zihua Yu
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Fujian Children's Hospital, 966 Heng Yu Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350014, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350000, China
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10
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Kuzmuk V, Pranke I, Rollason R, Butler M, Ding WY, Beesley M, Waters AM, Coward RJ, Sessions R, Tuffin J, Foster RR, Mollet G, Antignac C, Edelman A, Welsh GI, Saleem MA. A small molecule chaperone rescues keratin-8 mediated trafficking of misfolded podocin to correct genetic Nephrotic Syndrome. Kidney Int 2024; 105:744-758. [PMID: 37995908 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Podocin is a key membrane scaffolding protein of the kidney podocyte essential for intact glomerular filtration. Mutations in NPHS2, the podocin-encoding gene, represent the commonest form of inherited nephrotic syndrome (NS), with early, intractable kidney failure. The most frequent podocin gene mutation in European children is R138Q, causing retention of the misfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we provide evidence that podocin R138Q (but not wild-type podocin) complexes with the intermediate filament protein keratin 8 (K8) thereby preventing its correct trafficking to the plasma membrane. We have also identified a small molecule (c407), a compound that corrects the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator protein defect, that interrupts this complex and rescues mutant protein mistrafficking. This results in both the correct localization of podocin at the plasma membrane and functional rescue in both human patient R138Q mutant podocyte cell lines, and in a mouse inducible knock-in model of the R138Q mutation. Importantly, complete rescue of proteinuria and histological changes was seen when c407 was administered both via osmotic minipumps or delivered orally prior to induction of disease or crucially via osmotic minipump two weeks after disease induction. Thus, our data constitute a therapeutic option for patients with NS bearing a podocin mutation, with implications for other misfolding protein disorders. Further studies are necessary to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeryia Kuzmuk
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Iwona Pranke
- INSERM, U1151, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INEM, Paris, France
| | - Ruth Rollason
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Butler
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Wen Y Ding
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Beesley
- Department of Pathology, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester, UK
| | | | - Richard J Coward
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Jack Tuffin
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Rebecca R Foster
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Géraldine Mollet
- Laboratoire des Maladies Rénales Héréditaires, Inserm UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Corinne Antignac
- Laboratoire des Maladies Rénales Héréditaires, Inserm UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Gavin I Welsh
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Moin A Saleem
- Bristol Renal, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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11
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Yang N, Zhang Y, Ren P, Zhao L, Zheng D, Fu L, Jin J. LncRNA AA465934 Improves Podocyte Injury by Promoting Tristetraprolin-Mediated HMGB1 DownRegulation in Diabetic Nephropathy. Mol Cell Biol 2024; 44:87-102. [PMID: 38520226 PMCID: PMC10986766 DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2024.2325527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Although LncRNA AA465934 expression is reduced in high glucose (HG)-treated podocytes, its role in HG-mediated podocyte injury and diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the role of AA465934 in HG-mediated podocyte injury and DN using a spontaneous type II diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) model. The model was created by injecting AA465934 overexpressed adeno-associated virus (AAV) or control into mice. The levels of renal function, proteinuria, renal structural lesions, and podocyte apoptosis were then examined. Furthermore, AA465934 and autophagy levels, as well as tristetraprolin (TTP) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) expression changes were detected. We also observed podocyte injury and the binding ability of TTP to E3 ligase proviral insertion in murine lymphomas 2 (PIM2), AA465934, or HMGB1. According to the results, AA465934 improved DN progression and podocyte damage in T2DN mice. In addition, AA465934 bound to TTP and inhibited its degradation by blocking TTP-PIM2 binding. Notably, TTP knock-down blocked the ameliorating effects of AA465934 and TTP bound HMGB1 mRNA, reducing its expression. Overexpression of HMGB1 inhibited the ability of AA465934 and TTP to improve podocyte injury. Furthermore, AA465934 bound TTP, inhibiting TTP-PIM2 binding, thereby suppressing TTP degradation, downregulating HMGB1, and reversing autophagy downregulation, ultimately alleviating HG-mediated podocyte injury and DN. Based on these findings, we deduced that the AA465934/TTP/HMGB1/autophagy axis could be a therapeutic avenue for managing podocyte injury and DN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Yang
- Postgraduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital), Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- The Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Peiyao Ren
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Nephrology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Danna Zheng
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Nephrology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lanjun Fu
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Juan Jin
- Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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12
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Hua W, Peng L, Chen XM, Jiang X, Hu J, Jiang XH, Xiang X, Wan J, Long Y, Xiong J, Ma X, Du X. CD36-mediated podocyte lipotoxicity promotes foot process effacement. Open Med (Wars) 2024; 19:20240918. [PMID: 38584832 PMCID: PMC10996993 DOI: 10.1515/med-2024-0918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Lipid metabolism disorders lead to lipotoxicity. The hyperlipidemia-induced early stage of renal injury mainly manifests as podocyte damage. CD36 mediates fatty acid uptake and the subsequent accumulation of toxic lipid metabolites, resulting in podocyte lipotoxicity. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: the normal control group and the high-fat diet group (HFD). Podocytes were cultured and treated with palmitic acid (PA) and sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate (SSO). Protein expression was measured by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. Boron-dipyrromethene staining and Oil Red O staining was used to analyze fatty acid accumulation. Results Podocyte foot process (FP) effacement and marked proteinuria occurred in the HFD group. CD36 protein expression was upregulated in the HFD group and in PA-treated podocytes. PA-treated podocytes showed increased fatty acid accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. However, pretreatment with the CD36 inhibitor SSO decreased lipid accumulation and ROS production and alleviated actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in podocytes. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine suppressed PA-induced podocyte FP effacement and ROS generation. Conclusions CD36 participated in fatty acid-induced FP effacement in podocytes via oxidative stress, and CD36 inhibitors may be helpful for early treatment of kidney injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hua
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing400000, China
| | - Lan Peng
- Basic Department, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing401331, China
| | - Xue-mei Chen
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing400042, China
| | - XuShun Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing400042, China
| | - JianGuo Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xian-Hong Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing400000, China
| | - Xu Xiang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing400000, China
| | - Jiangmin Wan
- Department of Nephrology, People’s Hospital of Qijiang District, Chongqing401420, China
| | - Yingfei Long
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401120, China
| | | | - Xueyi Ma
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing400000, China
| | - Xiaogang Du
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Youyi Road 1, Chongqing 400042, China
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13
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de Zoysa N, Haruhara K, Nikolic-Paterson DJ, Kerr PG, Ling J, Gazzard SE, Puelles VG, Bertram JF, Cullen-McEwen LA. Podocyte number and glomerulosclerosis indices are associated with the response to therapy for primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1343161. [PMID: 38510448 PMCID: PMC10951056 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1343161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Corticosteroid therapy, often in combination with inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system, is first-line therapy for primary focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) with nephrotic-range proteinuria. However, the response to treatment is variable, and therefore new approaches to indicate the response to therapy are required. Podocyte depletion is a hallmark of early FSGS, and here we investigated whether podocyte number, density and/or size in diagnostic biopsies and/or the degree of glomerulosclerosis could indicate the clinical response to first-line therapy. In this retrospective single center cohort study, 19 participants (13 responders, 6 non-responders) were included. Biopsies obtained at diagnosis were prepared for analysis of podocyte number, density and size using design-based stereology. Renal function and proteinuria were assessed 6 months after therapy commenced. Responders and non-responders had similar levels of proteinuria at the time of biopsy and similar kidney function. Patients who did not respond to treatment at 6 months had a significantly higher percentage of glomeruli with global sclerosis than responders (p < 0.05) and glomerulosclerotic index (p < 0.05). Podocyte number per glomerulus in responders was 279 (203-507; median, IQR), 50% greater than that of non-responders (186, 118-310; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that primary FSGS patients with higher podocyte number per glomerulus and less advanced glomerulosclerosis are more likely to respond to first-line therapy at 6 months. A podocyte number less than approximately 216 per glomerulus, a GSI greater than 1 and percentage global sclerosis greater than approximately 20% are associated with a lack of response to therapy. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to confirm whether these parameters may help inform therapeutic decision making at the time of diagnosis of primary FSGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha de Zoysa
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Kotaro Haruhara
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - David J. Nikolic-Paterson
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Monash University Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter G. Kerr
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Monash University Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jonathan Ling
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Monash University Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah E. Gazzard
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Victor G. Puelles
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - John F. Bertram
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Luise A. Cullen-McEwen
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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14
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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15
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Nell D, Wolf R, Podgorny PM, Kuschnereit T, Kuschnereit R, Dabers T, Stracke S, Schmidt T. Complement Activation in Nephrotic Glomerular Diseases. Biomedicines 2024; 12:455. [PMID: 38398059 PMCID: PMC10886869 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The nephrotic syndrome holds significant clinical importance and is characterized by a substantial protein loss in the urine. Damage to the glomerular basement membrane or podocytes frequently underlies renal protein loss. There is an increasing belief in the involvement of the complement system, a part of the innate immune system, in these conditions. Understanding the interactions between the complement system and glomerular structures continually evolves, challenging the traditional view of the blood-urine barrier as a passive filter. Clinical studies suggest that a precise inhibition of the complement system at various points may soon become feasible. However, a thorough understanding of current knowledge is imperative for planning future therapies in nephrotic glomerular diseases such as membranous glomerulopathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and minimal change disease. This review provides an overview of the complement system, its interactions with glomerular structures, and insights into specific glomerular diseases exhibiting a nephrotic course. Additionally, we explore new diagnostic tools and future therapeutic approaches.
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16
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Song L, Shen W, Wang L, Song J, Tu W, Ke B, Fang X. Annexin A1 may contribute to the morphological changes in podocytes by mediating endocytic vesicle fusion and transport via promotion of SNARE assembly in idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Nephrology (Carlton) 2024; 29:76-85. [PMID: 37927194 DOI: 10.1111/nep.14247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Annexin A1 is a membrane-associated calcium-binding protein that participates in the progression of many diseases by facilitating vesicle aggregation. It has been documented that reducing vesicle formation alleviates podocyte injury and albuminuria in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). However, the role of Annexin A1 (ANXA1) in IMN is unknown. METHODS Electron microscopy was used to observe the numbers of vesicles in podocytes. The expression of ANXA1 in IMN was investigated by bioinformatics analysis. We validated the hub genes with the Nephroseq V5 online tool and microarray data from the GEO. Immunohistochemical staining and qPCR were performed to measure gene and protein expression. RESULTS The numbers of vesicles in IMN podocytes were significantly increased. Bioinformatics analysis showed that ANXA1, one of the differentially expressed genes, was upregulated in glomeruli from IMN patients. In the validation database and dataset, we confirmed that ANXA1 expression was upregulated in the glomeruli of IMN patients. We revealed that the increased expression of ANXA1 was negatively correlated with the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and proteinuria. Moreover, ANXA1 was enriched in the biological process of vesicle fusion, in which the expression of SNAREs and the SNARE complex was increased. Finally, the expression of ANXA1 and genes related to SNAREs and the SNARE complex was upregulated in glomeruli from IMN patients according to immunohistochemical staining and qPCR. CONCLUSION We conclude that ANXA1 may mediate endocytic vesicle fusion and transport by promoting SNARE assembly, contributing to the morphological changes in podocytes and massive proteinuria in IMN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Song
- Department of General Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Le Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jianling Song
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Weiping Tu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Ben Ke
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiangdong Fang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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17
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Wu Q, Zhou S, Xu D, Meng P, Chen Q, Wang X, Li X, Chen S, Ye H, Ye W, Xiong Y, Li J, Miao J, Shen W, Lin X, Hou FF, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhou L. The CXCR4-AT1 axis plays a vital role in glomerular injury via mediating the crosstalk between podocyte and mesangial cell. Transl Res 2024; 264:15-32. [PMID: 37696390 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Glomeruli stand at the center of nephrons to accomplish filtration and albumin interception. Podocytes and mesangial cells are the major constituents in the glomeruli. However, their interdependency in glomerular injury has rarely been reported. Herein, we investigated the role of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) in mediating the crosstalk between podocytes and mesangial cells. We found CXCR4 and angiotensin II (AngII) increased primarily in injured podocytes. However, type-1 receptor of angiotensin II (AT1) and stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α), a ligand of CXCR4, were evidently upregulated in mesangial cells following the progression of podocyte injury. Ectopic expression of CXCR4 in 5/6 nephrectomy mice increased the decline of renal function and glomerular injury, accelerated podocyte injury and mesangial cell activation, and initiated CXCR4-AT1 axis signals. Additionally, treatment with losartan, an AT1 blocker, interrupted the cycle of podocyte injury and mesangial matrix deposition triggered by CXCR4. Podocyte-specific ablation of CXCR4 gene blocked podocyte injury and mesangial cell activation. In vitro, CXCR4 overexpression induced oxidative stress and renin angiotensin system (RAS) activation in podocytes, and triggered the communication between podocytes and mesangial cells. In cultured mesangial cells, AngII treatment induced the expression of SDF-1α, which was secreted into the supernatant to further promote oxidative stress and cell injury in podocytes. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the CXCR4-AT1 axis plays a vital role in glomerular injury via mediating pathologic crosstalk between podocytes and mesangial cells. Our findings uncover a novel pathogenic mechanism by which the CXCR4-AT1 axis promotes glomerular injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinyu Wu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shan Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Xu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Meng
- Department of Nephrology, Huadu District People's Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiurong Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxu Wang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuangqin Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiyun Ye
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Ye
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yabing Xiong
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiemei Li
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhua Miao
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Shen
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu Lin
- Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi, China
| | - Fan Fan Hou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youhua Liu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunfang Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Huadu District People's Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lili Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China.
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Xi G, Lamba SA, Mysh M, Poulton JS. Oxidative Stress Contributes to Slit Diaphragm Defects Caused by Disruption of Endocytosis. Kidney Int Rep 2024; 9:451-463. [PMID: 38344712 PMCID: PMC10851022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Podocyte slit diaphragms are an important component of the glomerular filtration barrier. Podocyte injury frequently includes defects in slit diaphragms, and various mechanisms for these defects have been described, including altered endocytic trafficking of slit diaphragm proteins or oxidative stress. However, the potential relationship between endocytosis and oxidative stress in the context of slit diaphragm integrity has not been extensively considered. Methods To examine the potential relationships between endocytosis, oxidative stress, and slit diaphragm integrity, we induced genetic or pharmacological disruption of endocytosis in Drosophila nephrocytes (the insect orthologue of podocytes) and cultured human podocytes. We then employed immunofluorescence microscopy to analyze protein localization and levels, and to quantify signal from reactive oxygen species (ROS) dyes. Immunoprecipitation from podocyte cell lysates was used to examine effects on slit diaphragm protein complex formation (i.e., nephrin/podocin and nephrin/ZO-1). Results Disruption of endocytosis in nephrocytes and podocytes led to slit diaphragm defects, elevated levels of ROS (oxidative stress), and activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant pathway. In nephrocytes with defective endocytosis, perturbation of Nrf2 signaling exacerbated slit diaphragm defects. Conversely, overexpression of Nrf2 target genes catalase or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) significantly ameliorated slit diaphragm defects caused by disruption of endocytosis. Conclusion Oxidative stress is an important consequence of defective endocytosis and contributes to the defects in slit diaphragm integrity associated with disruption of endocytic trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Xi
- UNC Kidney Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sajan A. Lamba
- UNC Kidney Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Mysh
- UNC Kidney Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - John S. Poulton
- UNC Kidney Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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19
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Zhang Z, Hu H, Luo Q, Yang K, Zou Z, Shi M, Liang W. Dihydroxyacetone phosphate accumulation leads to podocyte pyroptosis in diabetic kidney disease. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18073. [PMID: 38063077 PMCID: PMC10844688 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) can lead to accumulation of glucose upstream metabolites due to dysfunctional glycolysis. But the effects of accumulated glycolysis metabolites on podocytes in DKD remain unknown. The present study examined the effect of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) on high glucose induced podocyte pyroptosis. By metabolomics, levels of DHAP, GAP, glucose-6-phosphate and fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate were significantly increased in glomeruli of db/db mice. Furthermore, the expression of LDHA and PKM2 were decreased. mRNA sequencing showed upregulation of pyroptosis-related genes (Nlrp3, Casp1, etc.). Targeted metabolomics demonstrated higher level of DHAP in HG-treated podocytes. In vitro, ALDOB expression in HG-treated podocytes was significantly increased. siALDOB-transfected podocytes showed less DHAP level, mTORC1 activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and pyroptosis, while overexpression of ALDOB had opposite effects. Furthermore, GAP had no effect on mTORC1 activation, and mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin alleviated ROS production and pyroptosis in HG-stimulated podocytes. Our findings demonstrate that DHAP represents a critical metabolic product for pyroptosis in HG-stimulated podocytes through regulation of mTORC1 pathway. In addition, the results provide evidence that podocyte injury in DKD may be treated by reducing DHAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongwei Zhang
- Division of NephrologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hongtu Hu
- Division of NephrologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Qiang Luo
- Department of NephrologyThe Central Hospital of WuhanWuhanChina
| | - Keju Yang
- Division of NephrologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Zhengping Zou
- Qianjiang Hospital Affiliated to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityQianjiangChina
- Qianjiang Clinical Medical CollegeHealth Science CenterYangtze UniversityQianjiangChina
| | - Ming Shi
- Division of NephrologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Wei Liang
- Division of NephrologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
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20
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Hadpech S, Thongboonkerd V. Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in kidney fibrosis. Genesis 2024; 62:e23529. [PMID: 37345818 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important biological process contributing to kidney fibrosis and chronic kidney disease. This process is characterized by decreased epithelial phenotypes/markers and increased mesenchymal phenotypes/markers. Tubular epithelial cells (TECs) are commonly susceptible to EMT by various stimuli, for example, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), cellular communication network factor 2, angiotensin-II, fibroblast growth factor-2, oncostatin M, matrix metalloproteinase-2, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasmin, interleukin-1β, and reactive oxygen species. Similarly, glomerular podocytes can undergo EMT via these stimuli and by high glucose condition in diabetic kidney disease. EMT of TECs and podocytes leads to tubulointerstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, respectively. Signaling pathways involved in EMT-mediated kidney fibrosis are diverse and complex. TGF-β1/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin pathways are the major venues triggering EMT in TECs and podocytes. These two pathways thus serve as the major therapeutic targets against EMT-mediated kidney fibrosis. To date, a number of EMT inhibitors have been identified and characterized. As expected, the majority of these EMT inhibitors affect TGF-β1/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. In addition to kidney fibrosis, these EMT-targeted antifibrotic inhibitors are expected to be effective for treatment against fibrosis in other organs/tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudarat Hadpech
- Medical Proteomics Unit, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Visith Thongboonkerd
- Medical Proteomics Unit, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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21
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Yamahara K, Yasuda-Yamahara M, Kuwagata S, Chin-Kanasaki M, Kume S. Ketone Body Metabolism in Diabetic Kidney Disease. Kidney360 2024; 5:320-326. [PMID: 38227425 PMCID: PMC10914200 DOI: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Ketone bodies have a negative image because of ketoacidosis, one of the acute and serious complications in diabetes. The negative image persists despite the fact that ketone bodies are physiologically produced in the liver and serve as an indispensable energy source in extrahepatic organs, particularly during long-term fasting. However, accumulating experimental evidence suggests that ketone bodies exert various health benefits. Particularly in the field of aging research, there is growing interest in the potential organoprotective effects of ketone bodies. In addition, ketone bodies have a potential role in preventing kidney diseases, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a diabetic complication caused by prolonged hyperglycemia that leads to a decline in kidney function. Ketone bodies may help alleviate the renal burden from hyperglycemia by being used as an alternative energy source in patients with diabetes. Furthermore, ketone body production may reduce inflammation and delay the progression of several kidney diseases in addition to DKD. Although there is still insufficient research on the use of ketone bodies as a treatment and their effects, their renoprotective effects are being gradually proven. This review outlines the ketone body-mediated renoprotective effects in DKD and other kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Yamahara
- Department of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
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22
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Lang Y, Wang Q, Sheng Q, Lu S, Yang M, Kong Z, Gao Y, Fan X, Shen N, Wang R, Lv Z. FTO-mediated m6A modification of serum amyloid A2 mRNA promotes podocyte injury and inflammation by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23409. [PMID: 38193628 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301419rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the severe complications of diabetes mellitus, yet there is no effective treatment. Exploring the development of DKD is essential to treatment. Podocyte injury and inflammation are closely related to the development of DKD. However, the mechanism of podocyte injury and progression in DKD remains largely unclear. Here, we observed that FTO expression was significantly upregulated in high glucose-induced podocytes and that overexpression of FTO promoted podocyte injury and inflammation. By performing RNA-seq and MeRIP-seq with control podocytes and high glucose-induced podocytes with or without FTO knockdown, we revealed that serum amyloid A2 (SAA2) is a target of FTO-mediated m6A modification. Knockdown of FTO markedly increased SAA2 mRNA m6A modification and decreased SAA2 mRNA expression. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that SAA2 might participate in podocyte injury and inflammation through activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, by generating podocyte-specific adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) to knockdown SAA2 in mice, we discovered that the depletion of SAA2 significantly restored podocyte injury and inflammation. Together, our results suggested that upregulation of SAA2 promoted podocyte injury through m6A-dependent regulation, thus suggesting that SAA2 may be a therapeutic target for diabetic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Lang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Qimeng Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Qinghao Sheng
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Shangwei Lu
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Meilin Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhijuan Kong
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoting Fan
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ning Shen
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhimei Lv
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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23
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Jiang H, Shen Z, Zhuang J, Lu C, Qu Y, Xu C, Yang S, Tian X. Understanding the podocyte immune responses in proteinuric kidney diseases: from pathogenesis to therapy. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1335936. [PMID: 38288116 PMCID: PMC10822972 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1335936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The glomerular filtration barrier, comprising the inner layer of capillary fenestrated endothelial cells, outermost podocytes, and the glomerular basement membrane between them, plays a pivotal role in kidney function. Podocytes, terminally differentiated epithelial cells, are challenging to regenerate once injured. They are essential for maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier. Damage to podocytes, resulting from intrinsic or extrinsic factors, leads to proteinuria in the early stages and eventually progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Immune-mediated podocyte injury is a primary pathogenic mechanism in proteinuric glomerular diseases, including minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, and lupus nephritis with podocyte involvement. An extensive body of evidence indicates that podocytes not only contribute significantly to the maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier and serve as targets of immune responses but also exhibit immune cell-like characteristics, participating in both innate and adaptive immunity. They play a pivotal role in mediating glomerular injury and represent potential therapeutic targets for CKD. This review aims to systematically elucidate the mechanisms of podocyte immune injury in various podocyte lesions and provide an overview of recent advances in podocyte immunotherapy. It offers valuable insights for a deeper understanding of the role of podocytes in proteinuric glomerular diseases, and the identification of new therapeutic targets, and has significant implications for the future clinical diagnosis and treatment of podocyte-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Jiang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhirang Shen
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Jing Zhuang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Chen Lu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Yue Qu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Chengren Xu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Shufen Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Xuefei Tian
- Section of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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24
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Li T, Bao Y, Xia Y, Meng H, Zhou C, Huang L, Wang X, Lai EY, Jiang P, Mao J. Loss of MTX2 causes mitochondrial dysfunction, podocyte injury, nephrotic proteinuria and glomerulopathy in mice and patients. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:937-952. [PMID: 38250156 PMCID: PMC10797693 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.89916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteinuria is a common and important clinical manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and an independent risk factor for the progression of kidney disease. As a component of the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB), podocyte plays a key role in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases and proteinuria. However, the pathophysiology of glomerular diseases associated with mitochondrial function is incompletely understood. Here, we identified three novel mutations in MTX2, encoding a membrane protein in mitochondria, associated with multisystem manifestations including nephrotic proteinuria and kidney injury in two Chinese patients. Conditional podocyte-specific Mtx2 knockout (Pod-Mtx2-KO) mice present a series of podocyte and glomerular abnormalities from 8 weeks to old age, including microalbuminuria, glomerular mesangial hyperplasia, fusion and effacement of foot process. MTX2 deficiency impaired podocyte functions in vitro, manifested by reductions of adhesion, migration and endocytosis, which were further restored by overexpression of MTX2. Moreover, MTX2 defects led to abnormal mitochondrial structure and dysfunction, evidenced with defects of complex I and III, increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased protein levels of Sam50-CHCHD3-Mitofilin axis in the mitochondrial intermembrane space bridging (MIB) complex which is responsible for maintaining mitochondrial cristae morphology. Collectively, these findings reveal that the normal expression of MTX2 in glomerulus plays an important role in the adhesion, migration, endocytosis, proliferation and other physiological functions of podocytes, which may be realized by maintaining the morphological structure and function of mitochondria. Abnormal expression of MTX2 can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and structural abnormalities by Sam50-CHCHD3-Mitofilin axis in podocyte, which further induces podocyte injury, glomerular lesions and proteinuria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Bao
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, The Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hanyan Meng
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Limin Huang
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowen Wang
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - En Yin Lai
- Kidney Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pingping Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Mao
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
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Guo H, Rogg M, Keller J, Scherzinger AK, Jäckel J, Meyer C, Sammarco A, Helmstädter M, Gorka O, Groß O, Schell C, Bechtel-Walz W. ADP-Ribosylation Factor-Interacting Protein 2 Acts as a Novel Regulator of Mitophagy and Autophagy in Podocytes in Diabetic Nephropathy. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:81. [PMID: 38247505 PMCID: PMC10812550 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Differentiated podocytes are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress and cellular waste products. The disease-related loss of postmitotic podocytes is a direct indicator of renal disease progression and aging. Podocytes use highly specific regulated networks of autophagy and endocytosis that counteract the increasing number of damaged protein aggregates and help maintain cellular homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that ARFIP2 is a regulator of autophagy and mitophagy in podocytes both in vitro and in vivo. (2) Methods: In a recent molecular regulatory network analysis of mouse glomeruli, we identified ADP-ribosylation factor-interacting protein 2 (Arfip2), a cytoskeletal regulator and cofactor of ATG9-mediated autophagosome formation, to be differentially expressed with age. We generated an Arfip2-deficient immortalized podocyte cell line using the CRISPR/Cas technique to investigate the significance of Arfip2 for renal homeostasis in vitro. For the in vivo analyses of Arfip2 deficiency, we used a mouse model of Streptozotozin-induced type I diabetes and investigated physiological data and (patho)histological (ultra)structural modifications. (3) Results: ARFIP2 deficiency in immortalized human podocytes impedes autophagy. Beyond this, ARFIP2 deficiency in human podocytes interferes with ATG9A trafficking and the PINK1-Parkin pathway, leading to the compromised fission of mitochondria and short-term increase in mitochondrial respiration and induction of mitophagy. In diabetic mice, Arfip2 deficiency deteriorates autophagy and leads to foot process effacement, histopathological changes, and early albuminuria. (4) Conclusions: In summary, we show that ARFIP2 is a novel regulator of autophagy and mitochondrial homeostasis in podocytes by facilitating ATG9A trafficking during PINK1/Parkin-regulated mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihua Guo
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Manuel Rogg
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Keller
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Scherzinger
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Jäckel
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Meyer
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alena Sammarco
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Helmstädter
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- EMcore, Renal Division, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Gorka
- Institute of Neuropathology, Experimental Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Olaf Groß
- Institute of Neuropathology, Experimental Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schell
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wibke Bechtel-Walz
- Department of Medicine IV, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Berta-Ottenstein Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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26
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Okabe M, Koike K, Yamamoto I, Tsuboi N, Matsusaka T, Yokoo T. Early growth response 1 as a podocyte injury marker in human glomerular diseases. Clin Kidney J 2024; 17:sfad289. [PMID: 38186896 PMCID: PMC10768762 DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfad289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In human glomerular diseases, visualizing podocyte injury is desirable since podocytes do not regenerate and podocyte injury leads to podocyte loss. Herein, we investigated the utility of immunostaining for early growth response 1 (EGR1), which is expressed in injured podocytes from the early stages of injury in animal experiments, as a podocyte injury marker in human glomerular diseases. Methods This study included 102 patients with biopsy-proven glomerular diseases between 2018 and 2021. The proportion of EGR1 expression in podocytes (%EGR1pod) was analyzed in relation to clinical and histopathological features, including glomerular and urinary podocyte-specific markers. Results %EGR1pod correlated significantly with the urinary protein:creatinine ratio, urinary nephrin and podocin mRNA levels, and glomerular podocin staining (rho = 0.361, 0.514, 0.487 and -0.417, respectively; adjusted P = .002, <.001, <.001 and <.001, respectively). Additionally, %EGR1pod correlated with cellular/fibrocellular crescents (rho = 0.479, adjusted P <.001). %EGR1pod was high in patients with glomerulonephritis, such as immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), lupus nephritis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis, and in those with podocytopathies, such as membranous nephropathy and primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, while %EGR1pod was low in patients with minimal change disease. In a subgroup analysis of IgAN, %EGR1pod was higher in Oxford C1 patients than in C0 patients. However, unexpectedly, patients with higher %EGR1pod were more prone to attain proteinuria remission, suggesting that EGR1 in the context of IgAN reflects reversible early injury. Conclusions Our findings indicate that EGR1 is a promising potential marker for identifying active early podocyte injury in human glomerular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Okabe
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Koike
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Izumi Yamamoto
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuo Tsuboi
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taiji Matsusaka
- Departments of Basic Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Takashi Yokoo
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Fang Z, Lee K, He JC. Injury in nonaged podocytes as an accelerator of glomerular aging. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024; 326:F118-F119. [PMID: 38031730 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00344.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengying Fang
- Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
| | - Kyung Lee
- Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
| | - John Cijiang He
- Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
- Renal Section, James J. Peters Veterans Affair Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
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Smerkous D, Mauer M, Tøndel C, Svarstad E, Gubler MC, Nelson RG, Oliveira JP, Sargolzaeiaval F, Najafian B. Development of an automated estimation of foot process width using deep learning in kidney biopsies from patients with Fabry, minimal change, and diabetic kidney diseases. Kidney Int 2024; 105:165-176. [PMID: 37774924 PMCID: PMC10842003 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Podocyte injury plays a key role in pathogenesis of many kidney diseases with increased podocyte foot process width (FPW), an important measure of podocyte injury. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the best way to estimate FPW and unbiased stereology, the current gold standard, is time consuming and not widely available. To address this, we developed an automated FPW estimation technique using deep learning. A U-Net architecture variant model was trained to semantically segment the podocyte-glomerular basement membrane interface and filtration slits. Additionally, we employed a post-processing computer vision approach to accurately estimate FPW. A custom segmentation utility was also created to manually classify these structures on digital electron microscopy (EM) images and to prepare a training dataset. The model was applied to EM images of kidney biopsies from 56 patients with Fabry disease, 15 with type 2 diabetes, 10 with minimal change disease, and 17 normal individuals. The results were compared with unbiased stereology measurements performed by expert technicians unaware of the clinical information. FPW measured by deep learning and by the expert technicians were highly correlated and not statistically different in any of the studied groups. A Bland-Altman plot confirmed interchangeability of the methods. FPW measurement time per biopsy was substantially reduced by deep learning. Thus, we have developed a novel validated deep learning model for FPW measurement on EM images. The model is accessible through a cloud-based application making calculation of this important biomarker more widely accessible for research and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Smerkous
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael Mauer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Camilla Tøndel
- Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Einar Svarstad
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Marie-Claire Gubler
- INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Robert G Nelson
- Chronic Kidney Disease Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - João-Paulo Oliveira
- Service of Medical Genetics, São João University Hospital; Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Forough Sargolzaeiaval
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Behzad Najafian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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29
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Zhuang X, Sun Z, Du H, Zhou T, Zou J, Fu W. Metformin inhibits high glucose-induced apoptosis of renal podocyte through regulating miR-34a/SIRT1 axis. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e1053. [PMID: 38270305 PMCID: PMC10797654 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have reported SIRT1 was inversely modulated by miR-34a, However, mechanism of metformin (MFN)'s renal podocyte protection under high glucose (HG) conditions and the connection between miR-34a and SIRT1 expression in diabetic nephropathy (DN) remain unclear. METHOD We aimed to further elucidate the role of miR-34a in HG-treated podocytes in DN. A conditionally immortalized human podocyte cell line was cultivated in d-glucose (30 mM). RESULTS Microarray and RT-qPCR revealed that miR-34a was downregulated in HG-treated podocytes. Additionally, miR-34a levels increased in MFN-treated HG-induced podocytes. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot detection showed that HG treatment reduced cell viability and promoted via HG treatment, and MFN treatment reversed this phenotypic change. MiR-34a upregulation caused restored cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis in HG-treated podocytes, and miR-34a downregulation led to damaged cell survival and induced apoptosis in MFN-administered and HG-treated podocytes. The dual luciferase reporter assay showed that SIRT1 3'-UTR was a direct miR-34a target. Further studies demonstrated an elevation in SIRT1 levels in HG-exposed podocytes, whereas MFN treatment decreased SIRT1 levels. In addition, miR-34a upregulation led to reduced SIRT1 expression, whereas miR-34a inhibition increased SIRT1 levels in cells. MFN-induced miR-34a suppresses podocyte apoptosis under HG conditions by acting on SIRT1. CONCLUSION This study proposes a promising approach to interpret the mechanisms of action of the MFN-miR-34a axis involved in DN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Zhuang
- Department of DialysisLinyi Traditional Chinese Medicine HospitalLinyiShandongChina
| | - Zhuye Sun
- Department of PharmacyRizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese MedicineRizhaoShandongChina
| | - Huasheng Du
- Department of NephrologyQingdao Municipal HospitalQingdaoShandongChina
| | - Tianhui Zhou
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Jing Zou
- Department of DialysisLinyi Traditional Chinese Medicine HospitalLinyiShandongChina
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Drug DispensingZibo Central HospitalZiboShandongChina
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30
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Veloso Pereira BM, Zeng Y, Maggiore JC, Schweickart RA, Eng DG, Kaverina N, McKinzie SR, Chang A, Loretz CJ, Thieme K, Hukriede NA, Pippin JW, Wessely O, Shankland SJ. Podocyte injury at young age causes premature senescence and worsens glomerular aging. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2024; 326:F120-F134. [PMID: 37855038 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00261.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As life expectancy continues to rise, age-related diseases are becoming more prevalent. For example, proteinuric glomerular diseases typified by podocyte injury have worse outcomes in the elderly compared with young patients. However, the reasons are not well understood. We hypothesized that injury to nonaged podocytes induces senescence, which in turn augments their aging processes. In primary cultured human podocytes, injury induced by a cytopathic antipodocyte antibody, adriamycin, or puromycin aminonucleoside increased the senescence-related genes CDKN2A (p16INK4a/p14ARF), CDKN2D (p19INK4d), and CDKN1A (p21). Podocyte injury in human kidney organoids was accompanied by increased expression of CDKN2A, CDKN2D, and CDKN1A. In young mice, experimental focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) induced by adriamycin and antipodocyte antibody increased the glomerular expression of p16, p21, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal). To assess the long-term effects of early podocyte injury-induced senescence, we temporally followed young mice with experimental FSGS through adulthood (12 m of age) and middle age (18 m of age). p16 and Sudan black staining were higher at middle age in mice with earlier FSGS compared with age-matched mice that did not get FSGS when young. This was accompanied by lower podocyte density, reduced canonical podocyte protein expression, and increased glomerular scarring. These results are consistent with injury-induced senescence in young podocytes, leading to increased senescence of podocytes by middle age accompanied by lower podocyte lifespan and health span.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Glomerular function is decreased by aging. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in age-related glomerular changes and which factors could contribute to a worse glomerular aging process. Here, we reported that podocyte injury in young mice and culture podocytes induced senescence, a marker of aging, and accelerates glomerular aging when compared with healthy aging mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Maria Veloso Pereira
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yuting Zeng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Joseph C Maggiore
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | - Diana G Eng
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Natalya Kaverina
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Sierra R McKinzie
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Anthony Chang
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Carol J Loretz
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Karina Thieme
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Neil A Hukriede
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Jeffrey W Pippin
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Oliver Wessely
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
| | - Stuart J Shankland
- Division of Nephrology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
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31
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Gong L, Wang R, Wang X, Liu J, Han Z, Li Q, Jin Y, Liao H. Research progress of natural active compounds on improving podocyte function to reduce proteinuria in diabetic kidney disease. Ren Fail 2023; 45:2290930. [PMID: 38073545 PMCID: PMC11001328 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2023.2290930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a primary cause of end-stage renal disease. Proteinuria is a clinical indicator of the different stages of DKD, and podocyte injury is a major cause of proteinuria. Podocyte-specific proteins (PSPs) play important roles in the normal filtration of podocytes. Studies have shown that natural active compounds (NACs) can ameliorate proteinuria; however, the mechanism related to PSPs needs to be explored. In this study, the five stages of DKD related to proteinuria and the functions of PSPs are displayed separately. Mechanisms for ameliorating proteinuria and improving the PSPs of the 15 NACs are summarized. The in vitro and in vivo mechanistic research showed that five compounds, astragaloside IV, ligustrazine, berberine, emodin and resveratrol, exerted renal protective effects via AMPK signaling, icariin and berberine via TLR4 signaling, hirudin and baicalin via MAPK signaling, curcumin and baicalin via NF-κB signaling, and emodin via protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase signaling. The 13 PSPs were divided into five categories: actin cytoskeleton, basal domain, apical domain, slit diaphragm, and others. In conclusion, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-oxidative stress, and enhanced autophagy are the main mechanisms underlying the ameliorative effects of NACs. Podocyte apoptosis is mainly related to nephrin and podocin, which are the most studied slit diaphragm PSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Gong
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jing Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Zhaodi Han
- Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
| | - Qian Li
- Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
| | - Yi Jin
- Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
| | - Hui Liao
- Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People’s Hospital), Taiyuan, China
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32
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Li Y, Fang Y, Liu J. Downregulation of TRPC6 regulates ERK1/2 to prevent sublytic C5b‑9 complement complex‑induced podocyte injury through activating autophagy. Exp Ther Med 2023; 26:576. [PMID: 38023364 PMCID: PMC10652242 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.12275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is a common glomerular disease, in which 50-60% of patients can progress to end-stage renal disease within 10-20 years, seriously endangering human health. Podocyte injury is the direct cause of IMN. Sublytic C5b-9 complement complex induces damage in podocytes' structure and function. In sublytic C5b-9 treated podocytes, the expression of canonical transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6) is increased. However, the specific mechanism of TRPC6 in sublytic C5b-9 treated podocytes is unclear. The present study aimed to reveal the effect and mechanism of TRPC6 on sublytic C5b-9-induced podocytes. Normal human serum was stimulated using zymosan to form C5b-9. A lactate dehydrogenase release assay was used to examine C5b-9 cytotoxicity in podocytes. The RNA and protein expression levels were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescent assay, respectively. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry were carried out to test the viability and apoptosis of podocytes, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe autophagic vacuole. F-actin was tested through phalloidin staining. Sublytic C5b-9 was deposited and TRPC6 expression was boosted in podocytes stimulated through zymosan activation serum. Knockdown of TRPC6 raised the viability and reduced the apoptosis rate of sublytic C5b-9-induced podocytes. Meanwhile, transfection of small-interfering (si)TRPC6 facilitated autophagy progression and enhanced the activation of cathepsin B/L in sublytic C5b-9-induced podocytes. The phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 was receded in siTRPC6 and sublytic C5b-9 co-treated podocytes. Moreover, the addition of the ERK1/2 activator partially reversed the effect of TRPC6 inhibition on sublytic C5b-9-induced podocytes. TRPC6 knockdown reduced the damage of sublytic C5b-9 to podocytes by weakening the ERK1/2 phosphorylation level to activate autophagy. These results indicated that targeting TRPC6 reduced the injury of sublytic C5b-9 on podocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Weifang Yidu Central Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 262550, P.R. China
| | - Youfu Fang
- Department of Pediatrics, Weifang Yidu Central Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 262550, P.R. China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Weifang Yidu Central Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 262550, P.R. China
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33
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Khalil R, Bonnemaijer JDD, Kreutz R, Spaink HP, Hogendoorn PCW, Baelde HJ. Transmembrane protein 14A protects glomerular filtration barrier integrity. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15847. [PMID: 38054547 PMCID: PMC10698812 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmembrane protein 14A (TMEM14A) is a relatively unknown protein that is now identified to be required for maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier. It is an integral transmembrane protein of 99 amino acids with three transmembrane domains. TMEM14A has been implied to suppress Bax-mediated apoptosis in other studies. Other than that, little is currently known of its function. Here, we show that its expression is diminished before onset of proteinuria in a spontaneously proteinuric rat model. Knocking down tmem14a mRNA translation results in proteinuria in zebrafish embryos without affecting tubular reabsorption. Also, it is primarily expressed by podocytes. Lastly, an increase in glomerular TMEM14A expression is exhibited in various proteinuric renal diseases. Overall, these results suggest that TMEM14A is a novel factor in the protective mechanisms of the nephron to maintain glomerular filtration barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramzi Khalil
- Department of PathologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Reinhold Kreutz
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and ToxicologyCharité ‐ University MedicineBerlinGermany
| | - Herman P. Spaink
- Institute of Biology LeidenLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Hans J. Baelde
- Department of PathologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
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Huang X, Chen Z, Luo Z, Hao Y, Feng J, Zhu Z, Yang X, Zhang Z, Hu J, Liang W, Ding G. PFKFB3 downregulation aggravates Angiotensin II-induced podocyte detachment. Ren Fail 2023; 45:2230318. [PMID: 37427767 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2023.2230318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Podocytes play a critical role in maintaining normal glomerular filtration, and podocyte loss from the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) initiates and worsens chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the exact mechanism underlying podocyte loss remains unclear. Fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) is a bifunctional enzyme that plays crucial roles in glycolysis, cell proliferation, cell survival, and cell adhesion. This study aimed to determine the role of PFKFB3 in angiotensin II (Ang II) kidney damage. We found that mice infused with Ang II developed glomerular podocyte detachment and impaired renal function accompanied by decreased PFKFB3 expression in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of PFKFB3 with the PFKFB3 inhibitor 3PO further aggravated podocyte loss induced by Ang II. In contrast, activating PFKFB3 with the PFKFB3 agonist meclizine alleviated the podocyte loss induced by Ang II. Mechanistically, PFKFB3 knockdown likely aggravate Ang II-induced podocyte loss by suppressing talin1 phosphorylation and integrin beta1 subunit (ITGB1) activity. Conversely, PFKFB3 overexpression protected against Ang II-induced podocyte loss. These findings suggest that Ang II leads to a decrease in podocyte adhesion by suppressing PFKFB3 expression, and indicates a potential therapeutic target for podocyte injury in CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Huang
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaowei Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zilv Luo
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiqun Hao
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zijing Zhu
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xueyan Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zongwei Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jijia Hu
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guohua Ding
- Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Nephrology and Urology Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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35
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Schindler M, Siegerist F, Lange T, Simm S, Bach SM, Klawitter M, Gehrig J, Gul S, Endlich N. A Novel High-Content Screening Assay Identified Belinostat as Protective in a FSGS-Like Zebrafish Model. J Am Soc Nephrol 2023; 34:1977-1990. [PMID: 37752628 PMCID: PMC10703078 DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND FSGS affects the complex three-dimensional morphology of podocytes, resulting in loss of filtration barrier function and the development of sclerotic lesions. Therapies to treat FSGS are limited, and podocyte-specific drugs are unavailable. To address the need for treatments to delay or stop FSGS progression, researchers are exploring the repurposing of drugs that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for other purposes. METHODS To identify drugs with potential to treat FSGS, we used a specific zebrafish screening strain to combine a high-content screening (HCS) approach with an in vivo model. This zebrafish screening strain expresses nitroreductase and the red fluorescent protein mCherry exclusively in podocytes (providing an indicator for podocyte depletion), as well as a circulating 78 kDa vitamin D-binding enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion protein (as a readout for proteinuria). To produce FSGS-like lesions in the zebrafish, we added 80 µ M metronidazole into the fish water. We used a specific screening microscope in conjunction with advanced image analysis methods to screen a library of 138 drugs and compounds (including some FDA-approved drugs) for podocyte-protective effects. Promising candidates were validated to be suitable for translational studies. RESULTS After establishing this novel in vivo HCS assay, we identified seven drugs or compounds that were protective in our FSGS-like model. Validation experiments confirmed that the FDA-approved drug belinostat was protective against larval FSGS. Similar pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors also showed potential to reproduce this effect. CONCLUSIONS Using an FSGS-like zebrafish model, we developed a novel in vivo HCS assay that identified belinostat and related pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors as potential candidates for treating FSGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Schindler
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Florian Siegerist
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Tim Lange
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stefan Simm
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sophia-Marie Bach
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marianne Klawitter
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Sheraz Gul
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Hamburg, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Chugh SS, Clement LC. "Idiopathic" minimal change nephrotic syndrome: a podocyte mystery nears the end. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2023; 325:F685-F694. [PMID: 37795536 PMCID: PMC10878723 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00219.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of zinc fingers and homeoboxes (ZHX) transcriptional factors and the upregulation of hyposialylated angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) in podocytes have been crucial in explaining the cardinal manifestations of human minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). Recently, uncovered genomic defects upstream of ZHX2 induce a ZHX2 hypomorph state that makes podocytes inherently susceptible to mild cytokine storms resulting from a common cold. In ZHX2 hypomorph podocytes, ZHX proteins are redistributed away from normal transmembrane partners like aminopeptidase A (APA) toward alternative binding partners like IL-4Rα. During disease relapse, high plasma soluble IL-4Rα (sIL-4Rα) associated with chronic atopy complements the cytokine milieu of a common cold to displace ZHX1 from podocyte transmembrane IL-4Rα toward the podocyte nucleus. Nuclear ZHX1 induces severe upregulation of ANGPTL4, resulting in incomplete sialylation of part of the ANGPTL4 protein, secretion of hyposialylated ANGPTL4, and hyposialylation-related injury in the glomerulus. This pattern of injury induces many of the classic manifestations of human minimal change disease (MCD), including massive and selective proteinuria, podocyte foot process effacement, and loss of glomerular basement membrane charge. Administration of glucocorticoids reduces ANGPTL4 upregulation, which reduces hyposialylation injury to improve the clinical phenotype. Improving sialylation of podocyte-secreted ANGPTL4 also reduces proteinuria and improves experimental MCD. Neutralizing circulating TNF-α, IL-6, or sIL-4Rα after the induction of the cytokine storm in Zhx2 hypomorph mice reduces albuminuria, suggesting potential new therapeutic targets for clinical trials to prevent MCD relapse. These studies collectively lay to rest prior suggestions of a role of single cytokines or soluble proteins in triggering MCD relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumant S Chugh
- Glomerular Disease Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Lionel C Clement
- Glomerular Disease Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States
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37
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Wu Y, Deng H, Sun J, Tang J, Li X, Xu Y. Poricoic acid A induces mitophagy to ameliorate podocyte injury in diabetic kidney disease via downregulating FUNDC1. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2023; 37:e23503. [PMID: 37706594 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a devastating complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and is the most prevalent chronic kidney disease (CKD). Poricoic acid A (PAA), a component isolated from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Poria cocos, has hypoglycaemic and anti-fibrosis effects. However, the role of PAA in DKD remains largely unclear. To mimics an in vitro model of DKD, the mouse podocyte MPC5 cells were treated with high glucose (25 mM; HG) for 24 h. CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays were conducted for assessing MPC5 cell viability and apoptosis. Meanwhile, streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce experimental DKD in mice by intraperitoneal injection. PAA notably inhibited the apoptosis and inflammation, reduced the generation of ROS, and elevated the MMP level in HG-treated MPC5 cells. Moreover, PAA obviously reduced blood glucose and urine protein levels, inhibited renal fibrosis in DKD mice. Meanwhile, PAA markedly increased LC3 and ATG5 levels and declined p62 and FUNDC1 levels in HG-treated MPC5 cells and in the kidney tissues of DKD mice, leading to the activation of cell mitophagy. Furthermore, the downregulation of FUNDC1 also inhibited apoptosis, inflammation, and promoted mitophagy in HG-treated MPC5 cells. As expected, the knockdown of FUNDC1 further enhanced the protective role of PAA in MPC5 cells following HG treatment, indicating that induction of mitophagy could attenuate podocyte injury. Collectively, PAA could exert beneficial effects on podocyte injury in DKD by promoting mitophagy via downregulating FUNDC1. These findings suggested that PAA may have great potential in alleviating kidney injury in DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Haohua Deng
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiazhong Sun
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jun Tang
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yancheng Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Unnersjö-Jess D, Ramdedovic A, Butt L, Plagmann I, Höhne M, Hackl A, Brismar H, Blom H, Schermer B, Benzing T. Advanced optical imaging reveals preferred spatial orientation of podocyte processes along the axis of glomerular capillaries. Kidney Int 2023; 104:1164-1169. [PMID: 37774923 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian kidneys filter enormous volumes of water and small solutes, a filtration driven by the hydrostatic pressure in glomerular capillaries, which is considerably higher than in most other tissues. Interdigitating cellular processes of podocytes form the slits for fluid filtration connected by the membrane-like slit diaphragm cell junction containing a mechanosensitive ion channel complex and allow filtration while counteracting hydrostatic pressure. Several previous publications speculated that podocyte processes may display a preferable orientation on glomerular capillaries instead of a random distribution. However, for decades, the controversy over spatially oriented filtration slits could not be resolved due to technical limitations of imaging technologies. Here, we used advanced high-resolution, three-dimensional microscopy with high data throughput to assess spatial orientation of podocyte processes and filtration slits quantitatively. Filtration-slit-generating secondary processes preferentially align along the capillaries' longitudinal axis while primary processes are preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. This preferential orientation required maturation in development of the mice but was lost in mice with kidney disease due to treatment with nephrotoxic serum or with underlying heterologous mutations in the podocyte foot process protein podocin. Thus, the observation that podocytes maintain a preferred spatial orientation of their processes on glomerular capillaries goes well in line with the role of podocyte foot processes as mechanical buttresses to counteract mechanical forces resulting from pressurized capillaries. Future studies are needed to establish how podocytes establish and maintain their orientation and why orientation is lost under pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Unnersjö-Jess
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; MedTechLabs, BioClinicum, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden; Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden; Division of Renal Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Amer Ramdedovic
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Linus Butt
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ingo Plagmann
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Höhne
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Agnes Hackl
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hjalmar Brismar
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Hans Blom
- MedTechLabs, BioClinicum, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden; Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Bernhard Schermer
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Benzing
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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Nguyen JK, Wu Z, Agudelo J, Herlitz LC, Miller AW, Bruggeman LA. Local Inflammation But Not Kidney Cell Infection Associated with High APOL1 Expression in COVID-Associated Nephropathy. Kidney360 2023; 4:1757-1762. [PMID: 37927001 PMCID: PMC10758510 DOI: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
In coronavirus disease-19 biopsies, detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was rare with no evidence of viral replication, whereas autopsy tissue failed quality control. In patients with FSGS, apolipoprotein L1 expression differed by degree of immune cell infiltrates, with some podocytes exhibiting up to 18-fold higher expression. In COVAN, the predicted high induction of apolipoprotein L1 expression occurs in a pattern consistent with the stochastic nature of FSGS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane K. Nguyen
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Zhenzhen Wu
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jose Agudelo
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Leal C. Herlitz
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Aaron W. Miller
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Leslie A. Bruggeman
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Kidney Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
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Stamellou E, Agrawal S, Siegerist F, Buse M, Kuppe C, Lange T, Buhl EM, Alam J, Strieder T, Boor P, Ostendorf T, Gröne HJ, Floege J, Smoyer WE, Endlich N, Moeller MJ. Inhibition of the glucocorticoid receptor attenuates proteinuric kidney diseases in multiple species. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2023:gfad254. [PMID: 38037533 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfad254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Glucocorticoids are the treatment of choice for proteinuric patients with minimal-change disease (MCD) and primary focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Immunosuppressive as well as direct effects on podocytes are believed to mediate their actions. In this study, we analyzed the anti-proteinuric effects of inhibition of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in glomerular epithelial cells, including podocytes. METHODS We employed genetic and pharmacological approaches to inhibit the GR. Genetically, we used Pax8-Cre/GRfl/fl mice to specifically inactivate the GR in kidney epithelial cells. Pharmacologically, we utilized a glucocorticoid antagonist called mifepristone. RESULTS Genetic inactivation of GR, specifically in kidney epithelial cells, using Pax8-Cre/GRfl/fl mice, ameliorated proteinuria following protein overload. We further tested the effects of pharmacological GR inhibition in three models and species: the puromycin-aminonucleoside-induced nephrosis model in rats, the protein overload model in mice and the inducible transgenic NTR/MTZ zebrafish larvae with specific and reversible podocyte injury. In all three models, both pharmacological GR activation and inhibition consistently and significantly ameliorated proteinuria. Additionally, we translated our findings to humans, where three nephrotic adult patients with MCD or primary FSGS with contraindications or insufficient responses to corticosteroids, were treated with mifepristone. This treatment resulted in a clinically relevant reduction of proteinuria. CONCLUSIONS Thus, across multiple species and proteinuria models, both genetic and pharmacological GR inhibition was at least as effective as pronounced GR activation. While, the mechanism remains perplexing, GR inhibition may be a novel and targeted therapeutic approach to treat glomerular proteinuria potentially bypassing adverse actions of steroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Stamellou
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology and Electron Microscopy Facility, RWTH University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Shipra Agrawal
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Florian Siegerist
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marc Buse
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christoph Kuppe
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Tim Lange
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Eva Miriam Buhl
- Institute of Pathology and Electron Microscopy Facility, RWTH University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jessica Alam
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thiago Strieder
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Boor
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology and Electron Microscopy Facility, RWTH University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Tammo Ostendorf
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Floege
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - William E Smoyer
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH,USA
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- NIPOKA, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marcus J Moeller
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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41
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‘t Hart DC, van der Vlag J, Nijenhuis T. A Putative Role for TRPC6 in Immune-Mediated Kidney Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16419. [PMID: 38003608 PMCID: PMC10671681 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive activation of the immune system is the cause of a wide variety of renal diseases. However, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the aberrant activation of the immune system in the kidneys often remain unknown. TRPC6, a member of the Ca2+-permeant family of TRPC channels, is important in glomerular epithelial cells or podocytes for the process of glomerular filtration. In addition, TRPC6 plays a crucial role in the development of kidney injuries by inducing podocyte injury. However, an increasing number of studies suggest that TRPC6 is also responsible for tightly regulating the immune cell functions. It remains elusive whether the role of TRPC6 in the immune system and the pathogenesis of renal inflammation are intertwined. In this review, we present an overview of the current knowledge of how TRPC6 coordinates the immune cell functions and propose the hypothesis that TRPC6 might play a pivotal role in the development of kidney injury via its role in the immune system.
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42
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Veissi ST, van den Berge T, van Wijk JAE, van der Velden T, Classens R, Lunsonga L, Brockotter R, Kaffa C, Bervoets S, Smeets B, van den Heuvel LPWJ, Schreuder MF. Levamisole Modulation of Podocytes' Actin Cytoskeleton in Nephrotic Syndrome. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3039. [PMID: 38002039 PMCID: PMC10669662 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Podocytes play a central role in glomerular diseases such as (idiopathic) nephrotic syndrome (iNS). Glucocorticoids are the gold standard therapy for iNS. Nevertheless, frequent relapses are common. In children with iNS, steroid-sparing agents are used to avoid prolonged steroid use and reduce steroid toxicity. Levamisole is one of these steroid-sparing drugs and although clinical effectiveness has been demonstrated, the molecular mechanisms of how levamisole exerts its beneficial effects remains poorly studied. Apart from immunomodulatory capacities, nonimmunological effects of levamisole on podocytes have also been suggested. We aimed to elaborate on the effects of levamisole on human podocytes in iNS. RNA sequencing data from a human podocyte cell line treated with levamisole showed that levamisole modulates the expression of various genes involved in actin cytoskeleton stabilization and remodeling. Functional experiments showed that podocytes exposed to puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and NS patient plasma resulted in significant actin cytoskeleton derangement, reduced cell motility, and impaired cellular adhesion when compared to controls, effects that could be restored by levamisole. Mechanistic studies revealed that levamisole exerts its beneficial effects on podocytes by signaling through the glucocorticoid receptor and by regulating the activity of Rho GTPases. In summary, our data show that levamisole exerts beneficial effects on podocytes by stabilizing the actin cytoskeleton in a glucocorticoid receptor-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan T Veissi
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tijmen van den Berge
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joanna A E van Wijk
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thea van der Velden
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - René Classens
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lynn Lunsonga
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rick Brockotter
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Kaffa
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Bervoets
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Smeets
- Department of Pathology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lambertus P W J van den Heuvel
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Development and Regeneration, University Hospital Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michiel F Schreuder
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Romagnani P, Kitching AR, Leung N, Anders HJ. The five types of glomerulonephritis classified by pathogenesis, activity and chronicity (GN-AC). Nephrol Dial Transplant 2023; 38:ii3-ii10. [PMID: 37218714 PMCID: PMC10635795 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfad067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a diverse group of immune-mediated disorders. Currently, GN is classified largely by histological patterns that are difficult to understand and teach, and most importantly, do not indicate treatment choices. Indeed, altered systemic immunity is the primary pathogenic process and the key therapeutic target in GN. Here, we apply a conceptual framework of immune-mediated disorders to GN guided by immunopathogenesis and hence immunophenotyping: (i) infection-related GN require pathogen identification and control; (ii) autoimmunity-related GN, defined by presence of autoantibodies and (iii) alloimmunity-related GN in transplant recipients both require the suppression of adaptive immunity in lymphoid organs and bone marrow; (iv) autoinflammation-related GN, e.g. inborn errors of immunity diagnosed by genetic testing, requires suppression of single cytokine or complement pathways; and (v) Monoclonal gammopathy-related GN requires B or plasma cell clone-directed therapy. A new GN classification should include disease category, immunological activity to tailor the use of the increasing number of immunomodulatory drugs, and chronicity to trigger standard chronic kidney disease care including the evolving spectrum of cardio-renoprotective drugs. Certain biomarkers allow diagnosis and the assessment of immunological activity and disease chronicity without kidney biopsy. The use of these five GN categories and a therapy-focused GN classification is likely to overcome some of the existing hurdles in GN research, management and teaching by reflecting disease pathogenesis and guiding the therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Romagnani
- Department of Experimental and Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio” and Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - A Richard Kitching
- Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Monash University Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Departments of Nephrology and Paediatric Nephrology, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nelson Leung
- Divisions of Nephrology and Hypertension and of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Hans-Joachim Anders
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig- Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
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Ester L, Cabrita I, Ventzke M, Kieckhöfer E, Christodoulou M, Mandel AM, Diefenhardt P, Fabretti F, Benzing T, Habbig S, Schermer B. The role of the FSGS disease gene product and nuclear pore protein NUP205 in regulating nuclear localization and activity of transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:3153-3165. [PMID: 37565816 PMCID: PMC10630254 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in genes encoding nuclear pore proteins (NUPs) lead to the development of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which NUP dysfunction contributes to podocyte injury preceding FSGS remain unclear. The tightly regulated activity of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW-domain-containing transcription regulator 1 (TAZ), the transcriptional effectors of the Hippo pathway, is crucial for podocytes and the maintenance of the glomerular filter. In this study, we investigate the impact of NUPs on the regulation of YAP/TAZ nuclear import and activity in podocytes. In unbiased interactome studies using quantitative label-free mass spectrometry, we identify the FSGS disease gene products NUP107, NUP133, NUP205, and Exportin-5 (XPO5) as components of YAP and TAZ protein complexes in podocytes. Moreover, we demonstrate that NUP205 is essential for YAP/TAZ nuclear import. Consistently, both the nuclear interaction of YAP/TAZ with TEA domain transcription factor 1 and their transcriptional activity were dependent on NUP205 expression. Additionally, we elucidate a regulatory feedback mechanism whereby YAP activity is modulated in response to TAZ-mediated NUP205 expression. In conclusion, this study establishes a connection between the FSGS disease protein NUP205 and the activity of the transcriptional regulators and Hippo effectors YAP and TAZ and it proposes a potential pathological role of YAP/TAZ dysregulation in podocytes of patients with pathogenic NUP205 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lioba Ester
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Inês Cabrita
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Michel Ventzke
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Emilia Kieckhöfer
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Marita Christodoulou
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Amrei M Mandel
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Paul Diefenhardt
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Francesca Fabretti
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Benzing
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sandra Habbig
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schermer
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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Salemkour Y, Yildiz D, Dionet L, ‘t Hart DC, Verheijden KA, Saito R, Mahtal N, Delbet JD, Letavernier E, Rabant M, Karras A, van der Vlag J, Nijenhuis T, Tharaux PL, Lenoir O. Podocyte Injury in Diabetic Kidney Disease in Mouse Models Involves TRPC6-mediated Calpain Activation Impairing Autophagy. J Am Soc Nephrol 2023; 34:1823-1842. [PMID: 37678257 PMCID: PMC10631601 DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autophagy protects podocytes from injury in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Restoring glomerular autophagy is a promising approach to limit DKD. This study demonstrates a novel regulatory mechanism of autophagy that blocks this critical protection of the glomerular filtration barrier. We demonstrated that TRPC6 induced in podocytes in mouse models of diabetes mediates calpain activation, thereby impairing podocyte autophagy, causing injury and accelerating DKD. Furthermore, this study provides proof of principle for druggable targets for DKD because restoration of podocyte autophagy by calpain inhibitors effectively limits glomerular destruction. BACKGROUND Diabetic kidney disease is associated with impaired podocyte autophagy and subsequent podocyte injury. The regulation of podocyte autophagy is unique because it minimally uses the mTOR and AMPK pathways. Thus, the molecular mechanisms underlying the impaired autophagy in podocytes in diabetic kidney disease remain largely elusive. METHODS This study investigated how the calcium channel TRPC6 and the cysteine protease calpains deleteriously affect podocyte autophagy in diabetic kidney disease in mice. We demonstrated that TRPC6 knockdown in podocytes increased the autophagic flux because of decreased cysteine protease calpain activity. Diabetic kidney disease was induced in vivo using streptozotocin with unilateral nephrectomy and the BTBR ob/ob mouse models. RESULTS Diabetes increased TRPC6 expression in podocytes in vivo with decreased podocyte autophagic flux. Transgenic overexpression of the endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin, as well as pharmacologic inhibition of calpain activity, normalized podocyte autophagic flux, reduced nephrin loss, and prevented the development of albuminuria in diabetic mice. In kidney biopsies from patients with diabetes, we further confirmed that TRPC6 overexpression in podocytes correlates with decreased calpastatin expression, autophagy blockade, and podocyte injury. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we discovered a new mechanism that connects TRPC6 and calpain activity to impaired podocyte autophagy, increased podocyte injury, and development of proteinuria in the context of diabetic kidney disease. Therefore, targeting TRPC6 and/or calpain to restore podocyte autophagy might be a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dilemin Yildiz
- Department of Nephrology, Research Institute of Medical Innovations, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Léa Dionet
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - Daan C. ‘t Hart
- Department of Nephrology, Research Institute of Medical Innovations, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kim A.T. Verheijden
- Department of Nephrology, Research Institute of Medical Innovations, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ryuta Saito
- Discovery Technology Laboratories, Sohyaku, Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Jean-Daniel Delbet
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France
- Pediatric Nephrology Department, Armand Trousseau Hospital, DMU Origyne, APHP, Paris and French Reference Center for Rare Diseases MARHEA, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Letavernier
- Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
- INSERM UMR S 1155, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
- Explorations Fonctionnelles Multidisciplinaires, AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
| | - Marion Rabant
- Pathology Department, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital - Paris, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Karras
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, PARCC, Paris, France
- Nephrology Unit, Georges Pompidou European Hospital - Paris, Paris, France
| | - Johan van der Vlag
- Department of Nephrology, Research Institute of Medical Innovations, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tom Nijenhuis
- Department of Nephrology, Research Institute of Medical Innovations, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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46
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Dan Hu Q, Wang H, Liu J, He T, Tan R, Zhang Q, Su H, Kantawong F, Lan H, Wang L. Btg2 Promotes Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis via Smad3-Dependent Podocyte-Mesenchymal Transition. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2023; 10:e2304360. [PMID: 37749872 PMCID: PMC10646233 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Podocyte injury plays a critical role in the progression of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Here, it is reported that B-cell translocation gene 2 (Btg2) promotes Adriamycin (ADR)-induced FSGS via Smad3-dependent podocyte-mesenchymal transition. It is found that in FSGS patients and animal models, Btg2 is markedly upregulated by podocytes and correlated with progressive renal injury. Podocyte-specific deletion of Btg2 protected against the onset of proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis in ADR-treated mice along with inhibition of EMT markers such as α-SMA and vimentin while restoring epithelial marker E-cadherin. In cultured MPC5 podocytes, overexpression of Btg2 largely promoted ADR and TGF-β1-induced EMT and fibrosis, which is further enhanced by overexpressing Btg2 but blocked by disrupting Btg2. Mechanistically, Btg2 is rapidly induced by TGF-β1 and then bound Smad3 but not Smad2 to promote Smad3 signaling and podocyte EMT, which is again exacerbated by overexpressing Btg2 but blocked by deleting Btg2 in MPC5 podocytes. Interestingly, blockade of Smad3 signaling with a Smad3 inhibitor SIS3 is also capable of inhibiting Btg2 expression and Btg2-mediated podocyte EMT, revealing a TGF-β/Smad3-Btg2 circuit mechanism in Btg2-mediated podocyte injury in FSGS. In conclusion, Btg2 is pathogenic in FSGS and promotes podocyte injury via a Smad3-dependent EMT pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong‐ Dan Hu
- Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicinethe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
- Department of Medical TechnologyFaculty of Associated Medical SciencesChiang Mai UniversityChiang Mai50200Thailand
- Department of Nephrologythe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western MedicineSouthwest Medical UniversityLuzhou646000China
| | - Hong‐Lian Wang
- Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicinethe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Nephrologythe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
- Department of Nephrologythe Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
| | - Tao He
- Cancer Medicine InstituteCollege of Basic Medical SciencesSouthwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
| | - Rui‐Zhi Tan
- Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicinethe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
- Department of Medical TechnologyFaculty of Associated Medical SciencesChiang Mai UniversityChiang Mai50200Thailand
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Nephrologythe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
| | - Hong‐Wei Su
- Department of Urologythe Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
| | - Fahsai Kantawong
- Department of Medical TechnologyFaculty of Associated Medical SciencesChiang Mai UniversityChiang Mai50200Thailand
| | - Hui‐Yao Lan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciencesthe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Li Wang
- Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicinethe Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversitySichuan646000China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western MedicineSouthwest Medical UniversityLuzhou646000China
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Vasquez-Rios G, De Cos M, Campbell KN. Novel Therapies in APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease: From Molecular Pathways to Therapeutic Options. Kidney Int Rep 2023; 8:2226-2234. [PMID: 38025220 PMCID: PMC10658239 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) high-risk variants confer an increased risk for the development and progression of kidney disease among individuals of recent African ancestry. Over the past several years, significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of APOL1-mediated kidney diseases (AMKD), including genetic regulation, environmental interactions, immunomodulatory, proinflammatory and apoptotic signaling processes, as well as the complex role of APOL1 as an ion channel. Collectively, these findings have paved the way for novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate APOL1-mediated kidney injury. Precision medicine approaches are being developed to identify subgroups of AMKD patients who may benefit from these targeted interventions, fueling hope for improved clinical outcomes. This review summarizes key mechanistic insights in the pathogenesis of AMKD, emergent therapies, and discusses future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Vasquez-Rios
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marina De Cos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kirk N. Campbell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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48
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Iwata Y, Deng Q, Kakizoe Y, Nakagawa T, Miyasato Y, Nakagawa M, Nishiguchi K, Nagayoshi Y, Narita Y, Izumi Y, Kuwabara T, Adachi M, Mukoyama M. A Serine Protease Inhibitor, Camostat Mesilate, Suppresses Urinary Plasmin Activity and Alleviates Hypertension and Podocyte Injury in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15743. [PMID: 37958726 PMCID: PMC10650472 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In proteinuric renal diseases, the serine protease (SP) plasmin activates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by cleaving its γ subunit. We previously demonstrated that a high-salt (HS) diet provoked hypertension and proteinuria in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats, accompanied by γENaC activation, which were attenuated by camostat mesilate (CM), an SP inhibitor. However, the effects of CM on plasmin activity in DS rats remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of CM on plasmin activity, ENaC activation, and podocyte injury in DS rats. The DS rats were divided into the control diet, HS diet (8.0% NaCl), and HS+CM diet (0.1% CM) groups. After weekly blood pressure measurement and 24-h urine collection, the rats were sacrificed at 5 weeks. The HS group exhibited hypertension, massive proteinuria, increased urinary plasmin, and γENaC activation; CM treatment suppressed these changes. CM prevented plasmin(ogen) attachment to podocytes and mitigated podocyte injury by reducing the number of apoptotic glomerular cells, inhibiting protease-activated receptor-1 activation, and suppressing inflammatory and fibrotic cytokine expression. Our findings highlight the detrimental role of urinary plasmin in the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension and glomerular injury. Targeting plasmin with SP inhibitors, such as CM, may be a promising therapeutic approach for these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunobu Iwata
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Qinyuan Deng
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kakizoe
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
- Comprehensive Clinical Education, Training and Development Center, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Terumasa Nakagawa
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Miyasato
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Miyuki Nakagawa
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Kayo Nishiguchi
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yu Nagayoshi
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yuki Narita
- Department of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Izumi
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takashige Kuwabara
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Masataka Adachi
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Masashi Mukoyama
- Department of Nephrology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
- Comprehensive Clinical Education, Training and Development Center, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
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49
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Tu YC, Shu HP, Sun LL, Liao QQ, Feng L, Ren M, Yao LJ. The Physiopathologic Roles of Calcium Signaling in Podocytes. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2023; 28:240. [PMID: 37919067 DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2810240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) plays a critical role in podocyte function. The Ca2+-sensitive receptors on the cell surface can sense changes in Ca2+ concentration, and Ca2+ flow into podocytes, after activation of Ca2+ channels (such as transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels and N-type calcium channels) by different stimuli. In addition, the type 2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2) and the voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) on mitochondrial store-operated calcium channels (SOCs) on the endoplasmic reticulum maintain the Ca2+ homeostasis of the organelle. Ca2+ signaling is transmitted through multiple downstream signaling pathways and participates in the morphogenesis, structural maintenance, and survival of podocytes. When Ca2+ is dysregulated, it leads to the occurrence and progression of various diseases, such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, diabetic kidney disease, lupus nephritis, transplant glomerulopathy, and hypertensive renal injury. Ca2+ signaling is a promising therapeutic target for podocyte-related diseases. This review first summarizes the role of Ca2+ sensing, Ca2+ channels, and different Ca2+-signaling pathways in the biological functions of podocytes, then, explores the status of Ca2+ signaling in different podocyte-related diseases and its advances as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Tu
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hua-Pan Shu
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lu-Lu Sun
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qian-Qian Liao
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Feng
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ming Ren
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li-Jun Yao
- Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430000 Wuhan, Hubei, China
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50
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Chen Q, Jiang H, Ding R, Zhong J, Li L, Wan J, Feng X, Peng L, Yang X, Chen H, Wang A, Jiao J, Yang Q, Chen X, Li X, Shi L, Zhang G, Wang M, Yang H, Li Q. Cell-type-specific molecular characterization of cells from circulation and kidney in IgA nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1231937. [PMID: 37908345 PMCID: PMC10613708 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a relatively rare and serious presentation of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) (NS-IgAN). Previous research has suggested that the pathogenesis of NS-IgAN may involve circulating immune imbalance and kidney injury; however, this has yet to be fully elucidated. To investigate the cellular and molecular status of NS-IgAN, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and kidney cells from pediatric patients diagnosed with NS-IgAN by renal biopsy. Consistently, the proportion of intermediate monocytes (IMs) in NS-IgAN patients was higher than in healthy controls. Furthermore, flow cytometry confirmed that IMs were significantly increased in pediatric patients with NS. The characteristic expression of VSIG4 and MHC class II molecules and an increase in oxidative phosphorylation may be important features of IMs in NS-IgAN. Notably, we found that the expression level of CCR2 was significantly increased in the CMs, IMs, and NCMs of patients with NS-IgAN. This may be related to kidney injury. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are classified into two subsets of cells: Treg1 (CCR7 high, TCF7 high, and HLA-DR low) and Treg2 (CCR7 low, TCF7 low, and HLA-DR high). We found that the levels of Treg2 cells expressed significant levels of CCR4 and GATA3, which may be related to the recovery of kidney injury. The state of NS in patients was closely related to podocyte injury. The expression levels of CCL2, PRSS23, and genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition were significantly increased in podocytes from NS-IgAN patients. These represent key features of podocyte injury. Our analysis suggests that PTGDS is significantly downregulated following injury and may represent a new marker for podocytes. In this study, we systematically analyzed molecular events in the circulatory system and kidney tissue of pediatric patients with NS-IgAN, which provides new insights for targeted therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Huimin Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Rong Ding
- Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Biopharmaceutical Public Service Platform Co. Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinjie Zhong
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Longfei Li
- Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Biopharmaceutical Public Service Platform Co. Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Junli Wan
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqian Feng
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Liping Peng
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Han Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Anshuo Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Jia Jiao
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Qin Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuelan Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Li
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Shi
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Gaofu Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Mo Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiping Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiu Li
- Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
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