Dataset Information

Microparticles derived from human erythropoietin mRNA-transfected mesenchymal stem cells inhibit epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis

ABSTRACT: Background Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) plays an important role in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its pathogenesis involves epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) upon renal injury. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) has been shown to display novel cytoprotective effects, in part by inhibiting transforming growth factor (TGF)-?1-induced EMT. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of microparticles (MPs) derived from human EPO gene-transfected kidney mesenchymal stem cells (hEPO-KMSCs) against TGF-?1-induced EMT in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and against TIF in mouse kidneys with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Methods EMT was induced in MDCK cells by treatment with TGF-?1 (5?ng/mL) for 48?h and then inhibited by co-treatment with rhEPO (100?IU/mL), mock gene-transfected KMSC-derived MPs (MOCK-MPs), or hEPO-KMSC-derived MPs (hEPO-MPs) for a further 48?h. UUO was induced in FVB/N mice, which were then treated with rhEPO (1000?IU/kg, intraperitoneally, every other day for 1?week), MOCK-MPs, or hEPO-MPs (80??g, intravenously). Alpha-smooth muscle actin (?-SMA), fibronectin, and E-cadherin expression were evaluated in MDCK cells and kidney tissues, and the extent of TIF in UUO kidneys was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Results TGF-?1 treatment significantly increased ?-SMA and fibronectin expression in MDCK cells and decreased that of E-cadherin, while co-treatment with rhEPO, MOCK-MPs, or hEPO-MPs markedly attenuated these changes. In addition, rhEPO and hEPO-MP treatment effectively decreased phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad3, as well as phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) expression, suggesting that rhEPO and rhEPO-MPs can inhibit TGF-?1-induced EMT via both Smad and non-Smad pathways. rhEPO and hEPO-MP treatment also significantly attenuated the extent of renal TIF after 1?week of UUO compared to MOCK-MPs, with hEPO-MPs significantly reducing myofibroblast and F4/80+ macrophage infiltration as well as EMT marker expression in UUO renal tissues in a similar manner to rhEPO. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that hEPO-MPs modulate TGF-?1-induced EMT in MDCK cells via the Smad2, Smad3, and p38 MAPK pathways and significantly attenuated renal TIF in UUO kidneys.

SUBMITTER: Lee M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7523343 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Accurate diagnosis of fibrosis is of paramount clinical importance. A human fibrosis classifier based on metzincins and related genes (MARGS) was described previously. In this investigation, expression changes of MARGS genes were explored and evaluated to examine whether the MARGS-based algorithm has any diagnostic value in a rat model of lithium nephropathy. Male Wistar rats (n = 12) were divided into 2 groups (n = 6). One group was given a diet containing lithium (40 mmol/kg food for 7 days, followed by 60mmol/kg food for the rest of the experimental period), while a control group (n = 6) was fed a normal diet. After six months, animals were sacrificed and the renal cortex and medulla of both kidneys removed for analysis. Gene expression changes were analysed using 24 GeneChip® Affymetrix Rat Exon 1.0 ST arrays. Statistically relevant genes (p-value<0.05, fold change>1.5, t-test) were further examined. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), CD44, and nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (NOV) were overexpressed in the medulla and cortex of lithium-fed rats compared to the control group. TGF?2 was overrepresented in the cortex of lithium-fed animals 1.5-fold, and 1.3-fold in the medulla of the same animals. In Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), both the medulla and cortex of lithium-fed animals showed an enrichment of the MARGS, TGF? network, and extracellular matrix (ECM) gene sets, while the cortex expression signature was enriched in additional fibrosis-related-genes and the medulla was also enriched in immune response pathways. Importantly, the MARGS-based fibrosis classifier was able to classify all samples correctly. Immunohistochemistry and qPCR confirmed the up-regulation of NOV, CD44, and TGF?2. The MARGS classifier represents a cross-organ and cross-species classifier of fibrotic conditions and may help to design a test to diagnose and to monitor fibrosis. The results also provide evidence for a common pathway in the pathogenesis of fibrosis.

Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal disease with no effective treatment. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical stage during the development of fibrosis. To assess the effect of sulforaphane (SFN) on the EMT and fibrosis using an in vitro transforming growth factor (TGF)-?1-induced model and an in vivo bleomycin (BLM)-induced model.In vitro studies, cell viability, and cytotoxicity were measured using a Cell Counting Kit-8. The functional TGF-?1-induced EMT and fibrosis were assessed using western blotting and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The lungs were analyzed histopathologically in vivo using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The BLM-induced fibrosis was characterized by western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses for fibronectin, TGF-?1, E-cadherin (E-cad), and ?-smooth muscle actin (SMA) in lung tissues.SFN reversed mesenchymal-like changes induced by TGF-?1 and restored cells to their epithelial-like morphology. The results confirmed that the expression of the epithelial marker, E-cadherin, increased after SFN treatment, while expression of the mesenchymal markers, N-cadherin, vimentin, and ?-SMA decreased in A549 cells after SFN treatment. In addition, SFN inhibited TGF-?1-induced mRNA expression of the EMT-related transcription factors, Slug, Snail, and Twist. The SFN treatment attenuated TGF-?1-induced expression of fibrosis-related proteins, such as fibronection, collagen I, collagen IV, and ?-SMA in MRC-5 cells. Furthermore, SFN reduced the TGF-?1-induced phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 protein in A549 cells and MRC-5 cells. BLM induced fibrosis in mouse lungs that was also attenuated by SFN treatment, and SFN treatment decreased BLM-induced fibronectin expression, TGF-?1 expression, and the levels of collagen I in the lungs of mice.SFN showed a significant anti-fibrotic effect in TGF-?-treated cell lines and BLM-induced fibrosis in mice. These findings showed that SFN has anti-fibrotic activity that may be considered in the treatment of IPF.

Dataset Information

Microparticles derived from human erythropoietin mRNA-transfected mesenchymal stem cells inhibit epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets