Project description:Although there is significant progress in understanding the structure and function of NLRC5, a member of the NOD like receptor (NLR) family, in the context of MHC class I gene expression, the functions of NLRC5 in innate and adaptive immune responses beyond the regulation of MHC class I genes remain controversial and unresolved. In particular, the role of NLRC5 in the kidney keeps unknown. In this study, we found that NLRC5 was significantly upregulated in the kidney from mice with renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). NLRC5 deficient (NLRC5-/-) mice significantly ameliorated renal injury as evidenced by decreased serum creatinine levels, improved morphological injuries, and reduced inflammatory responses versus wild type mice. Similar protective effects were also observed in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Mechanistically, NLRC5 contributed to renal injury by promoting tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and reducing inflammatory responses which is associated with, at least in part, the negative regulation of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1). To determine the relative contribution of NLRC5 expression by parenchymal cells or leukocytes to renal damage during IRI, we generated bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice. NLRC5-/- mice engrafted with WT hematopoietic cells had significantly lower serum creatinine and less tubular damage than WT mice reconstituted with NLRC5-/- BM, suggesting that NLRC5 signaling in renal parenchymal cells plays the dominant role in mediating renal damage. Collectively, modulation of NLRC5-mediated pathway may have important therapeutic implications for patients with AKI.
Project description:Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease characterized by normal or reduced proteinuria, glomerular filtration rate, progressive damage to glomeruli, tubules, and interstitium. In this study, we performed RNA-seq reveals ultrasound-guided renal parenchymal infusion of mesenchymal stem cells in SD rats animal model in chronic kidney disease. Our results indicate that differential genes in the normal group(n=3) VS CKD group(n=3) and normal group(n=3) VS MSCs treatment group(n=3).
Project description:Organs consist of not only parenchyma but also stroma, the latter of which coordinates generation of organotypic structures. Despite recent advances in organoid technology, induction of organ-specific stroma and recapitulating the complex organ configurations from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has remained challenging. For the kidney, the stromal progenitor coordinates differentiation of the two parenchymal progenitors: nephron progenitor and ureteric bud. By identifying the origin and dorsoventral patterning of the renal stromal progenitor, we established its induction protocol from mouse PSCs. When the three types of progenitors were differentially induced from PSCs and assembled, the all PSC-derived organoids reproduced the complex kidney structures, with multiple types of stromal cells distributed around differentiating nephrons and branching ureteric buds. Thus, integration of PSC-derived stroma into the conventional organoids enables recapitulation of organotypic architecture.
Project description:Donor organ shortage, growing waiting lists and organ discard rates are key problems in kidney transplantation. Donor organ quality is a critical factor determining post-transplant graft outcomes. However, organ quality is difficult to predict. Balancing the use of marginal donors without affecting outcomes is a main issue in the transplant field. The decision of acceptance of a kidney organ for transplantation is mainly based on donor organ biopsy findings, even though there are recognized limitations. The lack of better measures of organ quality at the time of transplantation as a predictor of performance graft outcome is a serious clinical challenge. Herein, we propose the use of a limited set of genes that captures intrinsic biology of kidney donor organs to improve available scoring systems. We studied gene expression in 192 deceased donor kidney biopsies and evaluated short-term outcomes which included delayed graft function and eGFR (high versus low) at 24 months for 168 kidney transplant recipients.
Project description:Safety issues of human iPSC-derived kidney organoids as a regenerative therapy need to be evaluated. Therefore, we studied the immunogenicity of human iPSC-derived kidney organoids. We subcutaneously implanted kidney organoids in immune-deficient IL2Ry-/-RAG2-/- mice for 1 month and hereafter performed adoptive transfer of healthy allogeneic human PBMC. We used single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the diversity of kidney organoid cells and immune cell profiles. We investigated whether innate and adaptive immune cells invade kidney organoids, evoke an immune response, and influence the kidney organoid differentiation and functional capacity. Understanding the immunogenicity of kidney organoids will advance studies in the applicability of kidney organoids for regenerative medicine. Furthermore, it can serve as an in-vivo transplantation model to study solid organ transplantation.
Project description:Constitutive low level DNA damage in RNASEH2 deficiency is linked to innate immune activation. Hierarchical clustering of over 16000 transcripts revealed remarkably similar profiles in patients with lupus erythematosus and patients with AGS with up-regulation of genes involved in DNA damage signaling and type I-IFN signaling. Comparison of transcriptional profiles of native RNASEH2-deficient patient fibroblasts with wild type cells.
Project description:Kidney NKp46+ ILC have never been characterized at single cell level before. We used single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the diversity of kidney NKp46+ ILC in the kidney
Project description:In this study we tested the ability to predict organ injury from transcriptomics data in Sprague-Dawley rats at early time points after exposure to mercury chloride (10 and 34 hours). We selected mercury chloride, a compound extensively used in animal studies for its ability to cause acute kidney and liver damage.
Project description:Longitudinal changes in gene expression during islet autoimmunity (IA) may provide insight into biological processes that explain progression to type 1 diabetes (T1D). We identified individuals from Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) who developed IA, autoantibodies present on two or more visits. Illumina's NovaSeq 6000 was used to quantify gene expression in whole blood. With linear mixed models we tested for changes in expression after IA that differed across individuals who progressed to T1D (progressors) (n = 25), reverted to an autoantibody-negative stage (reverters) (n = 47), or maintained IA positivity but did not develop T1D (maintainers) (n = 66). Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to identify coexpression modules. Gene Ontology pathway analysis of the top 150 differentially expressed genes (nominal P < 0.01) identified significantly enriched pathways including leukocyte activation involved in immune response, innate immune response, and regulation of immune response. We identified a module of 14 coexpressed genes with roles in the innate immunity. The hub gene, LTF, is known to have immunomodulatory properties. Another gene within the module, CAMP, is potentially relevant based on its role in promoting β-cell survival in a murine model. Overall, results provide evidence of alterations in expression of innate immune genes prior to onset of T1D.
Project description:In this study we tested the ability to predict organ injury from in vitro transcriptomics data at early time points after exposure to mercury chloride (12 and 24 hours). We selected mercury chloride, a compound extensively used in animal studies for its ability to cause acute kidney damage.