Nephrology Commons^™

Targeting Sting To Disrupt Macrophage-Mediated Adhesion In Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis, Juan Sun, Yuxiang Sun, Dandan Guo, Huolin Ye, Qiang Huang, Hu Zhou, Canming Li, Mei Liao, Yujia You, Hongli Shang, Pan Zhou, Dongxuan Wu, Janusz Witowski, Zhaoyong Hu, Hui Peng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a life-threatening fibrotic condition characterized by severe abdominal adhesions, chronic inflammation, and significant morbidity. The lack of effective treatments for EPS stems from a limited understanding of its underlying mechanisms. In this study, we developed a modified mouse model of PD-induced EPS and investigated the role of the STING signaling pathway in disease progression. Our findings reveal that STING activation in peritoneal mesothelial cells significantly increases the secretion of the macrophage chemokine CCL2, leading to enhanced macrophage infiltration and the formation of pathological adhesions. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of STING using the inhibitor H151 effectively reduced …

Dual-Function Polyester Nanoparticles For Amplified Anti-Inflammatory Effects, Ingrid M Heyns, Abiodun T Wahab, Raghu Ganugula, David Sheikh-Hamad, M N V Ravi Kumar, Meenakshi Arora

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This study investigates a dual-acting drug delivery system using naringenin (NAR) as a folate receptor ligand to enhance intestinal uptake and encapsulated NAR for combating inflammation. The dual-acting systems were tested in vitro on cisplatin-induced human kidney-2 cells and in vivo in a mouse model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). NAR-loaded passive nanoparticles [P2Ns(NAR)] and dual-acting systems [P2Ns-NAR(NAR)] showed notable advantages over unformulated NAR, reducing the required dose by up to 57 and 79%, respectively. These nanoparticles modulated immune responses, restored T cell function, and shifted macrophage polarization from proinflammatory M1 to tissue-repairing M2. In addition, P2Ns-NAR(NAR) alleviated AKI …

Macrophage Iron Dyshomeostasis Promotes Aging-Related Renal Fibrosis, Lingzhi Wu, Hongchun Lin, Shaomin Li, Yuebo Huang, Yuxiang Sun, Shuangshuang Shu, Ting Luo, Tiantian Liang, Weiyan Lai, Jialing Rao, Zhaoyong Hu, Hui Peng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Renal aging, marked by the accumulation of senescent cells and chronic low-grade inflammation, leads to renal interstitial fibrosis and impaired function. In this study, we investigate the role of macrophages, a key regulator of inflammation, in renal aging by analyzing kidney single-cell RNA sequencing data of C57BL/6J mice from 8 weeks to 24 months. Our findings elucidate the dynamic changes in the proportion of kidney cell types during renal aging and reveal that increased macrophage infiltration contributes to chronic low-grade inflammation, with these macrophages exhibiting senescence and activation of ferroptosis signaling. CellChat analysis indicates enhanced communications between macrophages and tubular …

Small Gtp-Binding Protein Gdp Dissociation Stimulator Influences Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Via Perk-Dependent Er Stress, Yuxue Yang, Ting Xiong, Ti Wang, Xiwei Chen, Ziwei Ma, Bangyun Zuo, Dong Ning, Ruilong Song, Xuesong Liu, Daxin Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Cisplatin is a common anticancer drug, but its frequent nephrotoxicity limits its clinical use. Small GTP-binding protein GDP dissociation stimulator (smgGDS), a small GTPase chaperone protein, was considerably downregulated during cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (CDDP-AKI), especially in renal tubular epithelial cells. SmgGDS-knockdown mice was established and found that smgGDS knockdown promoted CDDP-AKI, as demonstrated by an increase in serum creatine, blood urea nitrogen levels and the appearance of tubular patterns. RNA sequencing suggested that protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), which bridges mitochondria-associated ER membranes, was involved in smgGDS knockdown following CDDP-AKI, and then identified that smgGDS knockdown increased phosphorylated-PERK …

Mitochondrial Complex I Promotes Kidney Cancer Metastasis, Divya Bezwada, Luigi Perelli, Nicholas P Lesner, Ling Cai, Bailey Brooks, Zheng Wu, Hieu S Vu, Varun Sondhi, Daniel L Cassidy, Stacy Kasitinon, Sherwin Kelekar, Feng Cai, Arin B Aurora, Mckenzie Patrick, Ashley Leach, Rashed Ghandour, Yuanyuan Zhang, Duyen Do, Phyllis Mcdaniel, Jessica Sudderth, Dennis Dumesnil, Sara House, Tracy Rosales, Alan M Poole, Yair Lotan, Solomon Woldu, Aditya Bagrodia, Xiaosong Meng, Jeffrey A Cadeddu, Prashant Mishra, Javier Garcia-Bermudez, Ivan Pedrosa, Payal Kapur, Kevin D Courtney, Craig R Malloy, Giannicola Genovese, Vitaly Margulis, Ralph J Deberardinis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Most kidney cancers are metabolically dysfunctional1-4, but how this dysfunction affects cancer progression in humans is unknown. We infused 13C-labelled nutrients in over 80 patients with kidney cancer during surgical tumour resection. Labelling from [U-13C]glucose varies across subtypes, indicating that the kidney environment alone cannot account for all tumour metabolic reprogramming. Compared with the adjacent kidney, clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) display suppressed labelling of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in vivo and in ex vivo organotypic cultures, indicating that suppressed labelling is tissue intrinsic. [1,2-13C]acetate and [U-13C]glutamine infusions in patients, coupled with measurements of respiration in isolated human …

T-Bet Regulates Ion Channels And Transporters And Induces Apoptosis In Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Lang Chen, Hongwei Yi, Qingtian Li, Tianhao Duan, Xin Liu, Linfeng Li, Helen Y Wang, Changsheng Xing, Rong-Fu Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

T-bet, encoded by TBX21, is extensively expressed across various immune cell types, and orchestrates critical functions in their development, survival, and physiological activities. However, the role of T-bet in non-immune compartments, notably the epithelial cells, remains obscure. Herein, a Tet-O-T-bet transgenic mouse strain is generated for doxycycline-inducible T-bet expression in adult animals. Unexpectedly, ubiquitous T-bet overexpression causes acute diarrhea, intestinal damage, and rapid mortality. Cell-type-specific analyses reveal that T-bet-driven pathology is not attributable to its overexpression in CD4

Clonal Hematopoiesis Of Indeterminate Potential Is Associated With Acute Kidney Injury, Caitlyn Vlasschaert, Cassianne Robinson-Cohen, Jianchun Chen, Elvis Akwo, Alyssa C Parker, Samuel A Silver, Pavan K Bhatraju, Hannah Poisner, Shirong Cao, Ming Jiang, Yinqiu Wang, Aolei Niu, Edward Siew, Joseph C Van Amburg, Holly J Kramer, Anna Kottgen, Nora Franceschini, Bruce M Psaty, Russell P Tracy, Alvaro Alonso, Dan E Arking, Josef Coresh, Christie M Ballantyne, Eric Boerwinkle, Morgan Grams, Ming-Zhi Zhang, Bryan Kestenbaum, Matthew B Lanktree, Michael J Rauh, Raymond C Harris, Alexander G Bick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Age is a predominant risk factor for acute kidney injury (AKI), yet the biological mechanisms underlying this risk are largely unknown. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) confers increased risk for several chronic diseases associated with aging. Here we sought to test whether CHIP increases the risk of AKI. In three population-based epidemiology cohorts, we found that CHIP was associated with a greater risk of incident AKI, which was more pronounced in patients with AKI requiring dialysis and in individuals with somatic mutations in genes other than DNMT3A, including mutations in TET2 and JAK2. Mendelian randomization analyses supported a causal …

The Yap1/Taz-Tead Transcriptional Network Regulates Gene Expression At Neuromuscular Junctions In Skeletal Muscle Fibers, Lea Gessler, Danyil Huraskin, Yongzhi Jian, Nane Eiber, Zhaoyong Hu, Tomasz J Prószyński, Said Hashemolhosseini

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We examined YAP1/TAZ-TEAD signaling pathway activity at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of skeletal muscle fibers in adult mice. Our investigations revealed that muscle-specific knockouts of Yap1 or Taz, or both, demonstrate that these transcriptional coactivators regulate synaptic gene expression, the number and morphology of NMJs, and synaptic nuclei. Yap1 or Taz single knockout mice display reduced grip strength, fragmentation of NMJs, and accumulation of synaptic nuclei. Yap1/Taz muscle-specific double knockout mice do not survive beyond birth and possess almost no NMJs, the few detectable show severely impaired morphology and are organized in widened endplate bands; and with motor nerve endings being …

Revolutionizing Psoriasis Topical Treatment: Enhanced Efficacy Through Ceramide/Phospholipid Composite Cerosomes Co-Delivery Of Cyclosporine And Dithranol: In-Vitro, Ex-Vivo, And In-Vivo Studies, Sammar Fathy Elhabal, Nashwa Abdelaal, Saeed A S Al-Zuhairy, Mohamed Fathi Mohamed Elrefai, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa, Mohammad Ahmad Khasawneh, Ahmed Mohsen Elsaid Hamdan, Passant M Mohie, Rania A Gad, Soad L Kabil, Mohamed Kandeel El-Ashery, Bhaskara R Jasti, Nahla A Elzohairy, Nehal Elfar, Tayseer Elnawawy, Fatma E Hassan, Mohamed Ahmed El-Nabarawi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Improving the treatment of psoriasis is a serious challenge today. Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin condition affecting 125 million people worldwide. It is commonly treated with cyclosporine-A (CsA) and dithranol (DTH). CsA suppresses the activation of T-cells, immune cells involved in forming psoriatic lesions. Meanwhile, DTH is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative drug that effectively reduces the severity of psoriasis symptoms such as redness, scaling, and skin thickness. CsA and DTH belong to BCS class II with limited oral bioavailability. We aim to develop a drug delivery system for topical co-delivery of CsA and DTH, exploring its therapeutic potential. …

Chronic Kidney Disease Promotes Atrial Fibrillation Via Inflammasome Pathway Activation, Jia Song, Jose Alberto Navarro-Garcia, Jiao Wu, Arnela Saljic, Issam Abu-Taha, Luge Li, Satadru K Lahiri, Joshua A Keefe, Yuriana Aguilar-Sanchez, Oliver M Moore, Yue Yuan, Xiaolei Wang, Markus Kamler, William E Mitch, Gema Ruiz-Hurtado, Zhaoyong Hu, Sandhya S Thomas, Dobromir Dobrev, Xander Ht Wehrens, Na Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanistic link between CKD and AF remains elusive. IL-1β, a main effector of NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, is a key modulator of conditions associated with inflammation, such as AF and CKD. Circulating IL-1β levels were elevated in patients with CKD who had AF (versus patients with CKD in sinus rhythm). Moreover, NLRP3 activity was enhanced in atria of patients with CKD. To elucidate the role of NLRP3/IL-1β signaling in the pathogenesis of CKD-induced AF, Nlrp3-/- and WT mice were subjected to …

Erythrocyte Ent1-Ampd3 Axis Is An Essential Purinergic Hypoxia Sensor And Energy Regulator Combating Ckd In A Mouse Model, Changhan Chen, Tingting Xie, Yujin Zhang, Yiyan Wang, Fang Yu, Lizhen Lin, Weiru Zhang, Benjamin C Brown, Xin Zhang, Rodney E Kellems, Angelo D'Alessandro, Yang Xia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Significance statement: Hypoxia drives kidney damage and progression of CKD. Although erythrocytes respond rapidly to hypoxia, their role and the specific molecules sensing and responding to hypoxia in CKD remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated in a mouse model that erythrocyte ENT1-AMPD3 is a master energy regulator of the intracellular purinergic hypoxic compensatory response that promotes rapid energy supply from extracellular adenosine, eAMPK-dependent metabolic reprogramming, and O 2 delivery, which combat renal hypoxia and progression of CKD. ENT1-AMPD3-AMPK-BPGM comprise a group of circulating erythroid-specific biomarkers, providing early diagnostic and novel therapeutic targets for CKD.

Background: Hypoxia drives kidney damage …

The Transcription Factor Chrebp Links Mitochondrial Lipidomes To Mitochondrial Morphology And Progression Of Diabetic Kidney Disease, Li Li, Jianyin Long, Koki Mise, Naravat Poungavrin, Philip L Lorenzi, Iqbal Mahmud, Lin Tan, Pradip K Saha, Yashpal S Kanwar, Benny H Chang, Farhad R Danesh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A substantial body of evidence has established the contributions of both mitochondrial dynamics and lipid metabolism to the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the precise interplay between these two key metabolic regulators of DKD is not fully understood. Here, we uncover a link between mitochondrial dynamics and lipid metabolism by investigating the role of carbohydrate-response element-binding protein (ChREBP), a glucose-responsive transcription factor and a master regulator of lipogenesis, in kidney podocytes. We find that inducible podocyte-specific knockdown of ChREBP in diabetic db/db mice improves key biochemical and histological features of DKD in addition to significantly reducing mitochondrial fragmentation. …

Genome-Wide Association Analyses Define Pathogenic Signaling Pathways And Prioritize Drug Targets For Iga Nephropathy, Krzysztof Kiryluk, Elena Sanchez-Rodriguez, Xu-Jie Zhou, Francesca Zanoni, Lili Liu, Nikol Mladkova, Atlas Khan, Maddalena Marasa, Jun Y Zhang, Olivia Balderes, Simone Sanna-Cherchi, Andrew S Bomback, Pietro A Canetta, Gerald B Appel, Jai Radhakrishnan, Hernan Trimarchi, Ben Sprangers, Daniel C Cattran, Heather Reich, York Pei, Pietro Ravani, Kresimir Galesic, Dita Maixnerova, Vladimir Tesar, Benedicte Stengel, Marie Metzger, Guillaume Canaud, Nicolas Maillard, Francois Berthoux, Laureline Berthelot, Evangeline Pillebout, Renato Monteiro, Raoul Nelson, Robert J Wyatt, William Smoyer, John Mahan, Al-Akash Samhar, Guillermo Hidalgo, Alejandro Quiroga, Patricia Weng, Raji Sreedharan, David Selewski, Keefe Davis, Mahmoud Kallash, Tetyana L Vasylyeva, Michelle Rheault, Aftab Chishti, Daniel Ranch, Scott E Wenderfer, Dmitry Samsonov, Donna J Claes, Oleh Akchurin, Dimitrios Goumenos, Maria Stangou, Judit Nagy, Tibor Kovacs, Enrico Fiaccadori, Antonio Amoroso, Cristina Barlassina, Daniele Cusi, Lucia Del Vecchio, Giovanni Giorgio Battaglia, Monica Bodria, Emanuela Boer, Luisa Bono, Giuliano Boscutti, Gianluca Caridi, Francesca Lugani, Gianmarco Ghiggeri, Rosanna Coppo, Licia Peruzzi, Vittoria Esposito, Ciro Esposito, Sandro Feriozzi, Rosaria Polci, Giovanni Frasca, Marco Galliani, Maurizio Garozzo, Adele Mitrotti, Loreto Gesualdo, Simona Granata, Gianluigi Zaza, Francesco Londrino, Riccardo Magistroni, Isabella Pisani, Andrea Magnano, Carmelita Marcantoni, Piergiorgio Messa, Renzo Mignani, Antonello Pani, Claudio Ponticelli, Dario Roccatello, Maurizio Salvadori, Erica Salvi, Domenico Santoro, Guido Gembillo, Silvana Savoldi, Donatella Spotti, Pasquale Zamboli, Claudia Izzi, Federico Alberici, Elisa Delbarba, Michał Florczak, Natalia Krata, Krzysztof Mucha, Leszek Pączek, Stanisław Niemczyk, Barbara Moszczuk, Malgorzata Pańczyk-Tomaszewska, Malgorzata Mizerska-Wasiak, Agnieszka Perkowska-Ptasińska, Teresa Bączkowska, Magdalena Durlik, Krzysztof Pawlaczyk, Przemyslaw Sikora, Marcin Zaniew, Dorota Kaminska, Magdalena Krajewska, Izabella Kuzmiuk-Glembin, Zbigniew Heleniak, Barbara Bullo-Piontecka, Tomasz Liberek, Alicja Dębska-Slizien, Tomasz Hryszko, Anna Materna-Kiryluk, Monika Miklaszewska, Maria Szczepańska, Katarzyna Dyga, Edyta Machura, Katarzyna Siniewicz-Luzeńczyk, Monika Pawlak-Bratkowska, Marcin Tkaczyk, Dariusz Runowski, Norbert Kwella, Dorota Drożdż, Ireneusz Habura, Florian Kronenberg, Larisa Prikhodina, David Van Heel, Bertrand Fontaine, Chris Cotsapas, Cisca Wijmenga, Andre Franke, Vito Annese, Peter K Gregersen, Sreeja Parameswaran, Matthew Weirauch, Leah Kottyan, John B Harley, Hitoshi Suzuki, Ichiei Narita, Shin Goto, Hajeong Lee, Dong Ki Kim, Yon Su Kim, Jin-Ho Park, Belong Cho, Murim Choi, Ans Van Wijk, Ana Huerta, Elisabet Ars, Jose Ballarin, Sigrid Lundberg, Bruno Vogt, Laila-Yasmin Mani, Yasar Caliskan, Jonathan Barratt, Thilini Abeygunaratne, Philip A Kalra, Daniel P Gale, Ulf Panzer, Thomas Rauen, Jürgen Floege, Pascal Schlosser, Arif B Ekici, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Nan Chen, Jingyuan Xie, Richard P Lifton, Ruth J F Loos, Eimear E Kenny, Iuliana Ionita-Laza, Anna Köttgen, Bruce A Julian, Jan Novak, Francesco Scolari, Hong Zhang, Ali G Gharavi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a progressive form of kidney disease defined by glomerular deposition of IgA. Here we performed a genome-wide association study of 10,146 kidney-biopsy-diagnosed IgAN cases and 28,751 controls across 17 international cohorts. We defined 30 genome-wide significant risk loci explaining 11% of disease risk. A total of 16 loci were new, including TNFSF4/TNFSF18, REL, CD28, PF4V1, LY86, LYN, ANXA3, TNFSF8/TNFSF15, REEP3, ZMIZ1, OVOL1/RELA, ETS1, IGH, IRF8, TNFRSF13B and FCAR. The risk loci were enriched in gene orthologs causing abnormal IgA levels when genetically manipulated in mice. We also observed a positive genetic correlation between IgAN and serum …

Tfeb And Tfe3 Drive Kidney Cystogenesis And Tumorigenesis, Chiara Di Malta, Angela Zampelli, Letizia Granieri, Claudia Vilardo, Rossella De Cegli, Laura Cinque, Edoardo Nusco, Salvatore Pece, Daniela Tosoni, Francesca Sanguedolce, Nicolina Cristina Sorrentino, Maria J Merino, Deborah Nielsen, Ramaprasad Srinivasan, Mark W Ball, Christopher J Ricketts, Cathy D Vocke, Martin Lang, Baktiar Karim, Luisa Lanfrancone, Laura S Schmidt, W Marston Linehan, Andrea Ballabio

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome is an inherited familial cancer syndrome characterized by the development of cutaneous lesions, pulmonary cysts, renal tumors and cysts and caused by loss-of-function pathogenic variants in the gene encoding the tumor-suppressor protein folliculin (FLCN). FLCN acts as a negative regulator of TFEB and TFE3 transcription factors, master controllers of lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy, by enabling their phosphorylation by the mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1). We have previously shown that deletion of Tfeb rescued the renal cystic phenotype of kidney-specific Flcn KO mice. Using Flcn/Tfeb/Tfe3 double and triple KO mice, we now show that both Tfeb …

A Parathyroid Hormone/Salt-Inducible Kinase Signaling Axis Controls Renal Vitamin D Activation And Organismal Calcium Homeostasis, Sung-Hee Yoon, Mark B Meyer, Carlos Arevalo, Murat Tekguc, Chengcheng Zhang, Jialiang S Wang, Christian D Castro Andrade, Katelyn Strauss, Tadatoshi Sato, Nancy A Benkusky, Seong Min Lee, Rebecca Berdeaux, Marc Foretz, Thomas B Sundberg, Ramnik J Xavier, Charles H Adelmann, Daniel J Brooks, Anthony Anselmo, Ruslan I Sadreyev, Ivy A Rosales, David E Fisher, Navin Gupta, Ryuji Morizane, Anna Greka, J Wesley Pike, Michael Mannstadt, Marc N Wein

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The renal actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) promote 1,25-vitamin D generation; however, the signaling mechanisms that control PTH-dependent vitamin D activation remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) orchestrated renal 1,25-vitamin D production downstream of PTH signaling. PTH inhibited SIK cellular activity by cAMP-dependent PKA phosphorylation. Whole-tissue and single-cell transcriptomics demonstrated that both PTH and pharmacologic SIK inhibitors regulated a vitamin D gene module in the proximal tubule. SIK inhibitors increased 1,25-vitamin D production and renal Cyp27b1 mRNA expression in mice and in human embryonic stem cell–derived kidney organoids. Global- and kidney-specific Sik2/Sik3 mutant mice showed Cyp27b1 upregulation, …

Tubular-Specific Expression Of Hiv Protein Vpr Leads To Severe Tubulointerstitial Damage Accompanied By Progressive Fibrosis And Cystic Development, Yuqiang Chen, Ya Chen, Jia Fu, Zeguo Sun, Huilin Li, Wenzhen Xiao, Jing E, Benjamin Y Lo, Niansong Wang, Weijia Zhang, Mary E Klotman, Paul E Klotman, Jeffrey B Kopp, Vivette D D'Agati, John Cijiang He, Kyung Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of morbidity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals. HIV infection leads to a wide spectrum of kidney cell damage, including tubular epithelial cell (TEC) injury. Among the HIV-1 proteins, the pathologic effects of viral protein R (Vpr) are well established and include DNA damage response, cell cycle arrest, and cell death. Several in vitro studies have unraveled the molecular pathways driving the cytopathic effects of Vpr in tubular epithelial cells. However, the in vivo effects of Vpr on tubular injury and CKD pathogenesis have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we use a …

Tfeb-Mediated Lysosomal Exocytosis Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Lipotoxicity In The Kidney, Jun Nakamura, Takeshi Yamamoto, Yoshitsugu Takabatake, Tomoko Namba-Hamano, Satoshi Minami, Atsushi Takahashi, Jun Matsuda, Shinsuke Sakai, Hiroaki Yonishi, Shihomi Maeda, Sho Matsui, Isao Matsui, Takayuki Hamano, Masatomo Takahashi, Maiko Goto, Yoshihiro Izumi, Takeshi Bamba, Miwa Sasai, Masahiro Yamamoto, Taiji Matsusaka, Fumio Niimura, Motoko Yanagita, Shuhei Nakamura, Tamotsu Yoshimori, Andrea Ballabio, Yoshitaka Isaka

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Obesity is a major risk factor for end-stage kidney disease. We previously found that lysosomal dysfunction and impaired autophagic flux contribute to lipotoxicity in obesity-related kidney disease, in both humans and experimental animal models. However, the regulatory factors involved in countering renal lipotoxicity are largely unknown. Here, we found that palmitic acid strongly promoted dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB) by inhibiting the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1 pathway in a Rag GTPase-dependent manner, though these effects gradually diminished after extended treatment. We then investigated the role of TFEB in the pathogenesis of obesity-related kidney …

Splicing Factor Srsf1 Deficiency In The Liver Triggers Nash-Like Pathology And Cell Death, Waqar Arif, Bhoomika Mathur, Michael F Saikali, Ullas V Chembazhi, Katelyn Toohill, You Jin Song, Qinyu Hao, Saman Karimi, Steven M Blue, Brian A Yee, Eric L Van Nostrand, Sushant Bangru, Grace Guzman, Gene W Yeo, Kannanganattu V Prasanth, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk, Carolyn L Cummins, Auinash Kalsotra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Regulation of RNA processing contributes profoundly to tissue development and physiology. Here, we report that serine-arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) is essential for hepatocyte function and survival. Although SRSF1 is mainly known for its many roles in mRNA metabolism, it is also crucial for maintaining genome stability. We show that acute liver damage in the setting of targeted SRSF1 deletion in mice is associated with the excessive formation of deleterious RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops), which induce DNA damage. Combining hepatocyte-specific transcriptome, proteome, and RNA binding analyses, we demonstrate that widespread genotoxic stress following SRSF1 depletion results in global inhibition of mRNA …

Interfering With Lipid Metabolism Through Targeting Ces1 Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma For Chemotherapy, Gang Li, Xin Li, Iqbal Mahmud, Jazmin Ysaguirre, Baharan Fekry, Shuyue Wang, Bo Wei, Kristin L Eckel-Mahan, Philip L Lorenzi, Richard Lehner, Kai Sun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common lethal form of liver cancer. Apart from surgical removal and transplantation, other treatments have not yet been well established for patients with HCC. In this study, we found that carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) is expressed at various levels in HCC. We further revealed that blockage of CES1 by pharmacological and genetical approaches leads to altered lipid profiles that are directly linked to impaired mitochondrial function. Mechanistically, lipidomic analyses indicated that lipid signaling molecules, including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which activate PPARα/γ, were dramatically reduced upon CES1 inhibition. As a result, the expression of SCD, …

Notch Blockade Specifically In Bone Marrow-Derived Fsp-1-Positive Cells Ameliorates Renal Fibrosis, Yongdong Wu, Ming Liang, Fengzhang Huang, Owen H Cheng, Xiaoguang Xiao, Tae Hoon Lee, Luan Truong, Jizhong Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The infiltration of inflammatory cells during a kidney injury stimulates myofibroblast activation leading to kidney fibrosis. Fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP-1) positive cells have been reported as either myofibroblasts or monocytes during tissue fibrosis. The functions of FSP-1+ cells that are associated with the development of renal fibrosis and the signaling pathways that regulate FSP-1+ cell activation have not been well defined. Methods: In mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), we characterized FSP-1+ cells and determined the role of the Notch signaling pathway in the activation of bone marrow-derived FSP-1+ cells during kidney fibrosis. Results: In kidneys from mice with …

Uremic Myopathy And Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Kidney Disease, Eurico Serrano, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Zhao Lin, Megan Roche, Maria Paula Martinez Cantarin

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Alterations in muscle structure and function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are associated with poor outcomes. As key organelles in muscle cell homeostasis, mitochondrial metabolism has been studied in the context of muscle dysfunction in CKD. We conducted a study to determine the contribution of oxidative metabolism, glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation to the muscle metabolism in CKD. Mice developed CKD by exposure to adenine in the diet. Muscle of CKD mice showed significant weight loss compared to non-CKD mice, but only extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle showed a decreased number of fibers. There was no difference in the …

Hepatic Circadian And Differentiation Factors Control Liver Susceptibility For Fatty Liver Disease And Tumorigenesis, Baharan Fekry, Aleix Ribas-Latre, Rachel Van Drunen, Rafael Bravo Santos, Samay Shivshankar, Yulin Dai, Zhongming Zhao, Seung-Hee Yoo, Zheng Chen, Kai Sun, Frances M Sladek, Mamoun Younes, Kristin Eckel-Mahan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths, and the most common primary liver malignancy to present in the clinic. With the exception of liver transplant, treatment options for advanced HCC are limited, but improved tumor stratification could open the door to new treatment options. Previously, we demonstrated that the circadian regulator Aryl Hydrocarbon-Like Receptor Like 1 (ARNTL, or Bmal1) and the liver-enriched nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) are robustly co-expressed in healthy liver but incompatible in the context of HCC. Faulty circadian expression of HNF4α- either by isoform switching, or loss of expression- results in an increased …

Eosinophils Attenuate Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury In Mice Through St2-Dependent Il-13 Production, Yaochun Wang, Yang Yang, Meng Wang, Shuhong Wang, Jong-Min Jeong, Long Xu, Yankai Wen, Christoph Emontzpohl, Constance Lynn Atkins, Kevin Duong, Nicolas F Moreno, Xiaoyi Yuan, David R Hall, Wasim Dar, Dechun Feng, Bin Gao, Yong Xu, Zoltan Czigany, Sean P Colgan, J Steve Bynon, Shizuo Akira, Jared M Brown, Holger K Eltzschig, Elizabeth A Jacobsen, Cynthia Ju

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Eosinophils are a myeloid cell subpopulation that mediates type 2 T helper cell immune responses. Unexpectedly, we identified a rapid accumulation of eosinophils in 22 human liver grafts after hepatic transplantation. In contrast, no eosinophils were detectable in healthy liver tissues before transplantation. Studies with two genetic mouse models of eosinophil deficiency and a mouse model of antibody-mediated eosinophil depletion revealed exacerbated liver injury after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion. Adoptive transfer of bone marrow-derived eosinophils normalized liver injury of eosinophil-deficient mice and reduced hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury in wild-type mice. Mechanistic studies combining genetic and adoptive transfer approaches identified …

Nephron Segment-Specific Gene Expression Using Aav Vectors., Laureano D Asico, Santiago Cuevas, Xiaobo Ma, Pedro A Jose, Ines Armando, Prasad R Konkalmatt

Medicine Faculty Publications

AAV9 vector provides efficient gene transfer in all segments of the renal nephron, with minimum expression in non-renal cells, when administered retrogradely via the ureter. It is important to restrict the transgene expression to the desired cell type within the kidney, so that the physiological endpoints represent the function of the transgene expressed in that specific cell type within kidney. We hypothesized that segment-specific gene expression within the kidney can be accomplished using the highly efficient AAV9 vectors carrying the promoters of genes that are expressed exclusively in the desired segment of the nephron in combination with administration by retrograde …

Mechanotransduction Signaling In Podocytes From Fluid Flow Shear Stress., Tarak Srivastava, Hongying Dai, Daniel P. Heruth, Uri S. Alon, Robert E. Garola, Jianping Zhou, R Scott Duncan, Ashraf El-Meanawy, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Ram Sharma, Mark L. Johnson, Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Recently, we and others have found that hyperfiltration-associated increase in biomechanical forces, namely, tensile stress and fluid flow shear stress (FFSS), can directly and distinctly alter podocyte structure and function. The ultrafiltrate flow over the major processes and cell body generates FFSS to podocytes. Our previous work suggests that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-PGE2-PGE2 receptor 2 (EP2) axis plays an important role in mechanoperception of FFSS in podocytes. To address mechanotransduction of the perceived stimulus through EP2, cultured podocytes were exposed to FFSS (2 dyn/cm2) for 2 h. Total RNA from cells at the end of FFSS treatment, 2-h post-FFSS, and 24-h …

Genetic Drivers Of Kidney Defects In The Digeorge Syndrome., Esther Lopez-Rivera, Yangfan P. Liu, Miguel Verbitsky, Blair R. Anderson, Valentina P. Capone, Edgar A. Otto, Zhonghai Yan, Adele Mitrotti, Jeremiah Martino, Nicholas J. Steers, David A. Fasel, Katarina Vukojevic, Rong Deng, Silvia E. Racedo, Qingxue Liu, Max Werth, Rik Westland, Asaf Vivante, Gabriel S. Makar, Monica Bodria, Matthew G. Sampson, Christopher E. Gillies, Virginia Vega-Warner, Mariarosa Maiorana, Donald S. Petrey, Barry Honig, Vladimir J. Lozanovski, Rémi Salomon, Laurence Heidet, Wassila Carpentier, Dominique Gaillard, Alba Carrea, Loreto Gesualdo, Daniele Cusi, Claudia Izzi, Francesco Scolari, Joanna A E Van Wijk, Adela Arapovic, Mirna Saraga-Babic, Marijan Saraga, Nenad Kunac, Ali Samii, Donna M. Mcdonald-Mcginn, Terrence B. Crowley, Elaine H. Zackai, Dorota Drozdz, Monika Miklaszewska, Marcin Tkaczyk, Przemyslaw Sikora, Maria Szczepanska, Malgorzata Mizerska-Wasiak, Grazyna Krzemien, Agnieszka Szmigielska, Marcin Zaniew, John M. Darlow, Prem Puri, David Barton, Emilio Casolari, Susan L. Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Zoran Gucev, Hakon Hakonarson, Hana Flogelova, Velibor Tasic, Anna Latos-Bielenska, Anna Materna-Kiryluk, Landino Allegri, Craig S. Wong, Iain A Drummond, Vivette D'Agati, Akira Imamoto, Jonathan M. Barasch, Friedhelm Hildebrandt, Krzysztof Kiryluk, Richard P. Lifton, Bernice E. Morrow, Cecile Jeanpierre, Virginia E. Papaioannou, Gian Marco Ghiggeri, Ali G. Gharavi, Nicholas Katsanis, Simone Sanna-Cherchi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The DiGeorge syndrome, the most common of the microdeletion syndromes, affects multiple organs, including the heart, the nervous system, and the kidney. It is caused by deletions on chromosome 22q11.2; the genetic driver of the kidney defects is unknown.

METHODS: We conducted a genomewide search for structural variants in two cohorts: 2080 patients with congenital kidney and urinary tract anomalies and 22,094 controls. We performed exome and targeted resequencing in samples obtained from 586 additional patients with congenital kidney anomalies. We also carried out functional studies using zebrafish and mice.

RESULTS: We identified heterozygous deletions of 22q11.2 in 1.1% …

The Synergistic Roles Of Cholecystokinin B And Dopamine D5 Receptors On The Regulation Of Renal Sodium Excretion., Xiaoliang Jiang, Wei Chen, Xing Liu, Zihao Wang, Yunpeng Liu, Robin A Felder, John J Gildea, Pedro A. Jose, Chuan Qin, Zhiwei Yang

Medicine Faculty Publications

Renal dopamine D1-like receptors (D1R and D5R) and the gastrin receptor (CCKBR) are involved in the maintenance of sodium homeostasis. The D1R has been found to interact synergistically with CCKBR in renal proximal tubule (RPT) cells to promote natriuresis and diuresis. D5R, which has a higher affinity for dopamine than D1R, has some constitutive activity. Hence, we sought to investigate the interaction between D5R and CCKBR in the regulation of renal sodium excretion. In present study, we found D5R and CCKBR increase each other's expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in the HK-2 cell, the specificity of which was …

Ethanol At Low Concentrations Protects Glomerular Podocytes Through Alcohol Dehydrogenase And 20-Hete., Ellen T. Mccarthy, Jianping Zhou, Ryan Eckert, David Genochio, Rishi Sharma, Olurinde Oni, Alok De, Tarak Srivastava, Ram Sharma, Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Clinical studies suggest cardiovascular and renal benefits of ingesting small amounts of ethanol. Effects of ethanol, role of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) or of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in podocytes of the glomerular filtration barrier have not been reported. We found that mouse podocytes at baseline generate 20-HETE and express ADH but not CYP2e1. Ethanol at high concentrations altered the actin cytoskeleton, induced CYP2e1, increased superoxide production and inhibited ADH gene expression. Ethanol at low concentrations upregulated the expression of ADH and CYP4a12a. 20-HETE, an arachidonic acid metabolite generated by CYP4a12a, blocked the ethanol-induced cytoskeletal derangement and superoxide generation. Ethanol at high …

Renal And Hematological Effects Of Clcf-1, A B-Cell-Stimulating Cytokine Of The Il-6 Family., Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma, Jianping Zhou, David Gennochi, Timothy Fields, Ram Sharma, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Tarak Srivastava, Jos Domen, Aurélie Tormo, Jean-François Gauchat

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

CLCF-1 is a cytokine known for B-cell stimulation and for neurotrophic properties. We have identified CLCF-1 as a potential injurious factor in the human renal disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). We investigated its effects on renal cells and renal function in in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods include measurement of the effect of CLCF-1 on phosphorylation of target molecules of the JAK/STAT pathway, on cytoskeleton and cell morphology in cultured podocytes, on albumin permeability of isolated rat glomeruli, and on tissue phosphorylation and urine albumin after acute or chronic CLCF-1 injection. In addition, cell sorting was performed to determine …

Cyclooxygenase-2, Prostaglandin E2, And Prostanoid Receptor Ep2 In Fluid Flow Shear Stress-Mediated Injury In The Solitary Kidney., Tarak Srivastava, Uri S. Alon, Patricia A. Cudmore, Belal Tarakji, Alexander Kats, Robert E. Garola, R Scott Duncan, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Ram Sharma, Mark L. Johnson, Lynda F. Bonewald, Ashraf El-Meanawy, Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hyperfiltration subjects podocytes to increased tensile stress and fluid flow shear stress (FFSS). We showed a 1.5- to 2.0-fold increase in FFSS in uninephrectomized animals and altered podocyte actin cytoskeleton and increased synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) following in vitro application of FFSS. We hypothesized that increased FFSS mediates cellular changes through specific receptors of PGE2. Presently, we studied the effect of FFSS on cultured podocytes and decapsulated isolated glomeruli in vitro, and on solitary kidney in uninephrectomized sv129 mice. In cultured podocytes, FFSS resulted in increased gene and protein expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 but not COX-1, prostanoid receptor EP2 …