Project description:Alport syndrome is a rare hereditary renal disorder with no etiologic therapy. We found that osteopontin (OPN) is highly expressed in the renal tubules of the Alport mouse and plays a causative pathological role. OPN genetic deletion ameliorated albuminuria, hypertension, tubulointerstitial proliferation, renal apoptosis, and hearing and visual deficits in the Alport mouse. In Alport renal tubules we found extensive cholesterol accumulation and increased protein expression of dynamin-3 (DNM3) and LDL receptor (LDLR) in addition to dysmorphic mitochondria with defective bioenergetics. Increased pathological cholesterol influx was confirmed by a remarkably increased uptake of injected DiI-LDL cholesterol by Alport renal tubules, and by the improved lifespan of the Alport mice when crossed with the Ldlr-/- mice with defective cholesterol influx. Moreover, OPN-deficient Alport mice demonstrated significant reduction of DNM3 and LDLR expression. In human renal epithelial cells, overexpressing DNM3 resulted in elevated LDLR protein expression and defective mitochondrial respiration. Our results suggest a potentially new pathway in Alport pathology where tubular OPN causes DNM3- and LDLR-mediated enhanced cholesterol influx and impaired mitochondrial respiration.
Project description:We define a pathogenic subset of microglia that is distinguished by expression of the CD11c protein and by production of osteopontin (OPN). OPN production by this CD11c+ microglial subset correlates positively with disease pathology and severity in the 5XFAD mouse model and in AD patients. Genetic ablation of OPN in 5XFAD mice leads to reduced development of pro-inflammatory CD11c+ microglia, increased amyloid beta (Aβ) phagocytosis and improved cognitive function.
Project description:Alport syndrome is a glomerular disease. To understand the disease progression of alport syndrome and potential therapeutical effects of hEV derived from AFSCs, we performed spatial transcriptomics to profile the heterogeniety of cell populations in kidneys of mouse of AS through disease progression and hEV treated AS mice as well. Our analysis sheds light on key functional parts of the kidney responsible in disease progression as well as potential targets of hEV therapy.
Project description:The goals of this study is to determine transcriptomic changes in the mouse ventral prostate associated with E. coli-induced chronic inflammation and fibrosis and the alteration of this gene expression signature in osteopontin deficient mice.