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Increased hedgehog signaling in postnatal kidney results in aberrant activation of nephron developmental programs.

ABSTRACT: Hedgehog (Hh) is a core signaling pathway implicated in fundamental processes during embryonic kidney development. We previously found that loss-of-function mutations in the transcription factor GLIS2, a putative vertebrate ortholog of Drosophila Ci, cause nephronophthisis type 7 in humans and mice. Kidney tubular cells in Glis2-knockout mice acquire mesenchymal phenotype, but the cellular mechanisms of this transition are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Glis2 is a functional component of Hh signaling and is necessary to suppress this pathway in the postnatal kidney. In the epithelial compartment, Glis2 opposes Gli1 activity by binding cis-acting regulatory sequences in the 5' flanking regions of Snai1 and Wnt4, thereby inhibiting de-differentiation of tubular cells. We conclude that Glis2 is necessary to inhibit Hh signaling and to maintain the mature tubular epithelial phenotype in the adult kidney. This is the first description of a molecular mechanism that links the Hh signaling pathway to cystic kidney diseases and can open new avenues for the treatment of diverse ciliopathies.

SUBMITTER: Li B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3188992 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Increased hedgehog signaling in postnatal kidney results in aberrant activation of nephron developmental programs.

Li Binghua B Rauhauser Alysha A AA Dai Julie J Sakthivel Ramanavelan R Igarashi Peter P Jetten Anton M AM Attanasio Massimo M

Human molecular genetics 20110804 21

Hedgehog (Hh) is a core signaling pathway implicated in fundamental processes during embryonic kidney development. We previously found that loss-of-function mutations in the transcription factor GLIS2, a putative vertebrate ortholog of Drosophila Ci, cause nephronophthisis type 7 in humans and mice. Kidney tubular cells in Glis2-knockout mice acquire mesenchymal phenotype, but the cellular mechanisms of this transition are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Glis2 is a functional component of Hh ...[more]

PMID: 21816948

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Project description:Preterm neonates are at high risk for nephron loss under adverse clinical conditions (e.g., cardiocirculatory decompensation, nephrotoxic drugs). Importantly, the onset of renal damage potentially collides with the proceeding nephrogenesis of prematurity prior 36 weeks of gestation. Recent animal studies suggest that early nephron loss within this vulnerable phase is associated with more severe glomerular and tubulointerstitial alterations later in life, irrespective of the occurrence of arterial hypertension. It is known that nephrogenic pathways are reactivated after acute kidney injury supporting renal repair and regeneration. In this study we hypothesized that nephron loss during nephrogenesis leads to an alteration of the kidney developmental program which in turn impairs homeostasis and repair and thus aggravates kidney injury later in life. Preterm infants prior to 36 weeks of gestation show an active nephrogenesis after birth. In rats, nephrogenesis is still active until day 10 of life. Mimicking the human situation of acute nephron loss in preterm neonates with ongoing nephrogenesis, rats were uninephrectomized at day 1 of life (UNXd1). A second group of animals was uninephrectomized at day 14 of life (UNXd14), which resembles a nephron loss after terminated nephrogenesis. Age-matched control groups were sham operated. Three days after uninephrectomy the animals were sacrificed. Transcriptional renal changes were analyzed by RNAseqencing, followed by in silico functional pathway analysis. In UNXd1 animals 1182 genes were differentially regulated compared to the respective control group. The functional groups “renal development” and “kidney injury” were among the most differentially regulated groups and revealed distinctive alterations in UNXd1 animals. Reduced expression levels of candidate genes concerning renal development (Bmp7, Gdnf, Pdgf-B, Wt1) and kidney injury (nephrin, podocin, Tgf-β1) were detected in the kidney of UNXd1 animals. The downregulation of Bmp7 and Gdnf expression in the remaining kidney of UNXd1 animals persisted until day 28 of life. In UNXd14 rats Six2 was upregulated and Pax22 downregulated compared to controls. We conclude that neonatal nephron loss during active nephrogenesis affects renal development and induces persistently reduced expression levels of genes which in turn might hinder tissue repair after kidney injury later in life.

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Increased hedgehog signaling in postnatal kidney results in aberrant activation of nephron developmental programs.

Publications

Increased hedgehog signaling in postnatal kidney results in aberrant activation of nephron developmental programs.

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