Project description:Kidney stone disease causes significant morbidity and increases health care utilization. In this dataset, we applied a single-nucleus assay to renal papila samples in order to charachterize the cellular and molecular niches in patients with calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone disease and healthy subjects. In addition to identifying cell types important in papillary physiology, we characterize collecting duct cell subtypes and an undifferentiated epithelial cell type that was more prevalent in stone patients. Despite the focal nature of mineral deposition in nephrolithiasis, we uncover a global injury signature characterized by immune activation, oxidative stress and extracellular matrix remodeling. We also identify the association of MMP7 and MMP9 expression with stone disease and mineral deposition, respectively. MMP7 and MMP9 are significantly increased in the urine of patients with CaOx stone disease, and their levels correlate with disease activity. Our results define the spatial molecular landscape and specific pathways contributing to stone-mediated injury in the human papilla and identify associated urinary biomarkers.
Project description:Kidney stone disease causes significant morbidity and increases health care utilization. The pathogenesis of stone disease is incompletely understood, due in part to the poor characterization of the cellular and molecular makeup of the human papilla and its alteration with disease. In this work, we characterize the human renal papilla in health and calcium oxalate stone disease using single nuclear RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and high-resolution large scale multiplexed 3D and Co-Detection by indexing (CODEX) imaging. We define and localize subtypes of principal cells enriched in the papilla as well as immune and stromal cell populations. We further uncovered an undifferentiated epithelial cell signature in the papilla, particularly during nephrolithiasis.
Project description:Calcium oxalate stones account for over 80% of urinary stones, while the molecular mechanism of its formation is still not completely elucidated. The incidence of hyperoxaluria in calcium oxalate stone formation ranks only second to hypercalciuria. It plays an important role in the pathophysiological process of stone formation. We analyzed miRNA expression profiles between experimental hyperoxaluric rats and normal rats in order to find out the target genes and signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of hyperoxaluria.
Project description:We recently reported elimination of renal crystals and migration of macrophages (Mφ) around crystals in hyperoxaluric mice, suggesting Mφs might eliminate crystals. Mφs are of 2 phenotypes: inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2). Because M2Mφs are considered to be involved in tissue repair and regeneration, we focused attention on their suppressive role in renal crystal formation. Hence, we investigated the gene array profiling of renal macrophages in stone model mice and CSF-1-deficient stone model mice.
Project description:OBJECTIVES: Kidney stone diseases are common in premature infants, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not fully defined. We carried out a prospective observational study using microarray analysis to identify factors that may be crucial for the initiation and progression of stone-induced injury in the developing mouse kidney. METHODS: Mice with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Aprt) deficiency develop 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) nephrolithiasis. Gene expression changes between Aprt-/- and Aprt+/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips. RESULTS: We observed that: (i) gene expression changes induced by Aprt deficiency are developmental stage-specific; (ii) maturation-related gene expression changes are delayed in developing Aprt-/- kidneys; and (iii) immature Aprt-deficient kidneys contain large numbers of intercalated cells blocked from terminal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional changes induced by stone injury in the developing mouse kidney. Our findings help explain growth impairment in kidneys subject to injury during the early stages of development.
Project description:OBJECTIVES: Kidney stone diseases are common in premature infants, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not fully defined. We carried out a prospective observational study using microarray analysis to identify factors that may be crucial for the initiation and progression of stone-induced injury in the developing mouse kidney. METHODS: Mice with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Aprt) deficiency develop 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) nephrolithiasis. Gene expression changes between Aprt-/- and Aprt+/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips. RESULTS: We observed that: (i) gene expression changes induced by Aprt deficiency are developmental stage-specific; (ii) maturation-related gene expression changes are delayed in developing Aprt-/- kidneys; and (iii) immature Aprt-deficient kidneys contain large numbers of intercalated cells blocked from terminal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional changes induced by stone injury in the developing mouse kidney. Our findings help explain growth impairment in kidneys subject to injury during the early stages of development. Total RNA were extracted from kidneys of 12 newly born and 6 adult mice (half Aprt-/- and half control). Gene expression changes between Aprt-/- and Aprt+/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips.