Project description:Renal fibrosis is an important pathological change in the development of progressive kidney diseases. Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification of proteins involved in the regulation of various pathophysiological processes. In this study, we found that the deubiquitinating enzyme YOD1 is significantly upregulated in the kidney tissues of Ang II-challenged mice and Ang II upregulates YOD1 expression in renal tubular epithelial cells. YOD1 deficiency significantly alleviated renal injury and fibrosis induced by Ang II infusion in mice. Mechanistically, RNA-seq and co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed a pro-fibrotic protein, JAK2, as a YOD1-binding protein. We identify that JAK2 interacts with the C-terminal Znf domain of YOD1. YOD1 removed K48-linked ubiquitination of JAK2 at residue K970 via its active site C155, which stabilizes JAK2 and then maintains JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation to induce pro-fibrotic gene expression in renal tubular epithelial cells. JAK2 inhibitors reversed the renal fibrosis promoted by YOD1 in mice. We also show increased levels of YOD1 and JAK2 in the kidney tissues of patients with renal fibrosis. In addition, YOD1 knockout significantly prevents unilateral ureteral ligation (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis in mice. Collectively, these findings identify YOD1 as a novel regulator in renal fibrosis via deubiquitinating JAK2.
Project description:Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the leading cause of end-stage renal diseases, but the efficacy of current treatment remains unsatisfactory. The pathogenesis of DKD needs a more in-depth research. Ubiquitin specific proteases 36 (USP36), a member of deubiquitinating enzymes family, has aroused wide concerns for its role in deubiquitinating and stabilizing target proteins. Nevertheless, the role of USP36 in diabetes has never been reported yet. Herein, we identified an increased expression of USP36 both in vitro and in vivo in diabetic renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs), and its overexpression is related to the enhanced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Further investigation into the mechanisms proved that USP36 could directly bind to and mediate the deubiquitination of dedicator of cytokinesis 4 (DOCK4), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that could activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and induce EMT. Our study revealed a new mechanism that USP36 participates in the pathogenesis of DKD, and provided potential intervening targets accordingly.
Project description:Renal transplantation is the preferred treatment of end stage renal disease, but allograft survival is limited by development of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy in response to various stimuli. Much effort has been put into identifying new protein markers of fibrosis to support the diagnosis. In present work, we performed an in-depth quantitative proteomics analysis of allograft biopsies from 31 prevalent renal transplant patients and identified correlated the quantified proteins with the volume fraction of fibrosis as determined by a morphometric method. Linear regression analysis identified four proteins that were highly associated with the degree of interstitial fibrosis, namely Coagulation Factor XIII A chain (estimate 18.7, adjusted p<0.03), Uridine Phosphorylase 1 (estimate 19.4, adjusted p<0.001), Actin-related protein 2/3 subunit 2 (estimate 34.2, adjusted p<0.05) and Cytochrome C Oxidase Assembly Factor 6 homolog (estimate -44.9, adjusted p<0.002) even after multiple testing. Proteins that were negatively associated with fibrosis (p < 0.005) were primarily related to normal metabolic processes and respiration, whereas proteins that were positively associated with fibrosis (p < 0.005) were involved in catabolic processes, cytoskeleton organization and immune response. The identified proteins may be candidates for further validation with regards to renal fibrosis. The results support the notion that cytoskeleton organization and immune responses are prevalent processes in renal allograft fibrosis.
Project description:Despite a growing body of knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection, the mechanisms of renal scaring associated with acute pyelonephritis (APN) are poorly understood. Limited data available regarding histopathology, immune cell recruitment and gene expression changes during APN severely restricts the development of therapies to prevent renal scars. Here, we address this knowledge gap using inbred, immunocompetent mice with vesicoureteral reflux. Transurethral inoculation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli leads to renal mucosal injury, tubulointerstitial nephritis, and interstitial fibrosis – all histopathologic features of human APN. Interstitial fibrosis correlates most significantly with inflammation 7 and 28 days post infection. Flow cytometry identifies recruitment of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes to infected kidneys. Renal transcriptional analysis reveals molecular signatures associated with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, immune cell chemotaxis, and leukocyte activation. Thus, C3H/HeOuJ mice with APN comprise a novel model of renal fibrosis that recapitulates the human condition of acquired renal scarring in an immunocompetent setting. The integration of organ pathology, quantitative cellular immune influx, and transcriptional analyses begin, for the first time, to define mechanisms of tissue injury during APN in the context of an intact immune response. The strong relationship between pro-inflammatory cell recruitment and fibrosis supports the hypothesis that renal scarring arises as a consequence of excessive host inflammation. Our studies suggest that immunomodulatory therapies should be investigated to reduce renal scarring in patients with APN.
Project description:Renal fibrosis is a widely used pathological indicator of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), and renal fibrosis mediates most progressive renal diseases as a final pathway. Nevertheless, the key genes related to the host response are still unclear. In this study, the potential gene network, signaling pathways, and key genes under UUO model in mouse kidneys were investigated by integrating two transcriptional data profiles.
Project description:Renal fibrosis is a widely used pathological indicator of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), and renal fibrosis mediates most progressive renal diseases as a final pathway. Nevertheless, the key genes related to the host response are still unclear. In this study, the potential gene network, signaling pathways, and key genes under UUO model in mouse kidneys were investigated by integrating two transcriptional data profiles.
Project description:Numerous studies have proven the critical role of macrophages in the renal fibrosis process. Notably, G Protein-coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 (GPER1), a novel estrogen receptor, has been shown to play a ubiquitous role in the regulation of macrophage activities and proinflammatory pathways. However, the precise role of GPER1 in macrophage-mediated renal fibrosis is unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of macrophage GPER1 in the UUO-induced renal fibrosis model. Compared to vehicle-treated ovariectomized (OVX) female and male UUO models, we observed that G-1 (GPER1 agonist)-treated OVX female and male UUO mice had fewer renal fibrotic lesions and less M1 and M2 macrophage infiltration in the kidney tissues. Conversely, Gper1 deletion in male UUO mice accelerated renal fibrosis and increased inflammation. In vitro studies also revealed that GPER1 activation reduced M0 macrophage polarization towards M1 and M2 phenotypes. The RNA sequencing analysis and immunoblotting indicated that GPER1 activation was primarily involved in downregulating immune pathways activation and inactivating MAPK pathways. Tubular epithelial cells co-cultured with G1-pretreated M1 macrophages exhibited fewer injuries and immune activation. In addition, fibroblasts co-cultured with G1-pretreated M2 macrophages showed downregulated extracellular matrix expression. Overall, this is the first study to demonstrate the effect of GPER1 on macrophage-mediated renal fibrosis via inhibition of M1 and M2 macrophage polarization. These findings indicate that GPER1 may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of renal fibrosis.
Project description:To further explore differentially expressed genes in high glucose-induced renal tubular fibrosis cells, we used whole transcriptome microarray expression profiling as a discovery platform to identify genes with a potential role in the high glucose-induced renal fibrosis process. Low-glucose stimulation (5.5 mM glucose) and high-glucose stimulation (25 mM glucose) of human renal tubular HK2 cells identified a consensus profile of 644 highly expressed genes to distinguish high-glucose fibrotic renal tubules from control samples.