bims-bicyki Biomed News
on Bicaudal-C1 and interactors in cystic kidney disease
Issue of 2021–08–01
sixteen papers selected by
Céline Gagnieux, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
  1. Extracellular vesicles and exosomes generated from cystic renal epithelial cells promote cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
  2. Possible Role of the Mitochondrial Genome in the Pathogenesis of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.
  3. Endovascular treatment of intrarenal aneurysms bleeding and angiomyolipomas in a patient with tuberous sclerosis and polycystic kidney disease.
  4. Autosomic dominant polycystic kidney disease and metformin: Old knowledge and new insights on retarding progression of chronic kidney disease.
  5. The importance of the number of antihypertensives in the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
  6. Diverse effects of pan-ROCK and ROCK2 inhibitors on 2 D and 3D cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells treated with TGFβ2.
  7. Association of Baseline Urinary Metabolic Biomarkers with ADPKD Severity in TAME-PKD Clinical Trial Participants.
  8. Chronic Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease Progression: Role of Nrf2.
  9. Chronic Exercise Protects against the Progression of Renal Cyst Growth and Dysfunction in Rats with Polycystic Kidney Disease.
  10. Histone Deacetylase SIRT1 promotes loss of primary cilia in Cholangiocarcinoma.
  11. Therapeutic potential for CFTR Correctors in Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease.
  12. Tracheal motile cilia in mice require CAMSAP3 for formation of central microtubule pair and coordinated beating.
  13. Myosin Light Chain Kinase driven myosin II turnover regulates actin cortex contractility during mitosis.
  14. RhoA/ROCK Signaling Regulates TGF-β1-Induced Fibrotic Effects in Human Pterygium Fibroblasts through MRTF-A.
  15. Polycystin-1 regulates cardiomyocyte mitophagy.
  16. NLRP3 Inflammasome in Metabolic-Associated Kidney Diseases: An Update.
  1. Nat Commun. 2021 07 27. 12(1): 4548
    Extracellular vesicles and exosomes generated from cystic renal epithelial cells promote cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
    Hao Ding, Linda Xiaoyan Li, Peter C Harris, Junwei Yang, Xiaogang Li.
      Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is caused by germline mutations of PKD1 or PKD2 on one allele and a somatic mutation inactivating the remaining normal allele. However, if and how null ADPKD gene renal epithelial cells affect the biology and function of neighboring cells, including heterozygous renal epithelial cells, fibroblasts and macrophages during cyst initiation and expansion remains unknown. Here we address this question with a "cystic extracellular vesicles/exosomes theory". We show that cystic cell derived extracellular vesicles and urinary exosomes derived from ADPKD patients promote cyst growth in Pkd1 mutant kidneys and in 3D cultures. This is achieved by: 1) downregulation of Pkd1 gene expression and upregulation of specific miRNAs, resulting in the activation of PKD associated signaling pathways in recipient renal epithelial cells and tissues; 2) the activation of fibroblasts; and 3) the induction of cytokine expression and the recruitment of macrophages to increase renal inflammation in cystic kidneys. Inhibition of exosome biogenesis/release with GW4869 significantly delays cyst growth in aggressive and milder ADPKD mouse models, suggesting that targeting exosome secretion has therapeutic potential for ADPKD.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24799-x
  2. Nephrology (Carlton). 2021 Jul 30.
    Possible Role of the Mitochondrial Genome in the Pathogenesis of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.
    Sayanthooran Saravanabavan, Gopala K Rangan.
      Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common monogenic renal disease in adults and is due to heterozygous germ-line variants in either PKD1, PKD2 or rarely other genes. It characterized by marked intra-familial disease variability suggesting that other genetic and/or environmental factors are involved in determining the life-time course ADPKD. Recently, research indicates that polycystin-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic re-programming contributes to progression of ADPKD. Although biochemical abnormalities have gained the most interest, variants in the mitochondrial genome could be one of the mechanisms underlying the phenotypic variability in ADPKD. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the role of the mitochondrial genome in the pathogenesis of APDKD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
    Keywords:  Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; metabolic reprogramming; mitochondrial genome
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/nep.13957
  3. J Bras Nefrol. 2021 Jul 30. pii: S0101-28002021005062301. [Epub ahead of print]
    Endovascular treatment of intrarenal aneurysms bleeding and angiomyolipomas in a patient with tuberous sclerosis and polycystic kidney disease.
    Túlio Leite, Lucas Vatanabe Pazinato, Maria Juliana de Aquino Vidal, Danielo de Freitas, Joaquim Mauricio da Motta Leal Filho.
      Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are conditions related to renal failure that can rarely occur in association as a contiguous gene syndrome. Angiomyolipomas (AMLs) are renal tumors strongly related to TSC that may rupture and cause life-threatening bleedings. We present a patient with TSC, ADPKD, and renal AMLs with persistent hematuria requiring blood transfusion. The persistent hematuria was successfully treated through endovascular embolization, a minimally invasive nephron sparing technique.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-8239-JBN-2021-0023
  4. Med Res Rev. 2021 Jul 30.
    Autosomic dominant polycystic kidney disease and metformin: Old knowledge and new insights on retarding progression of chronic kidney disease.
    Alessandro Casarella, Ramona Nicotera, Maria T Zicarelli, Alessandra Urso, Pierangela Presta, Francesca Deodato, Davide Bolignano, Giovambattista De Sarro, Michele Andreucci, Emilio Russo, Giuseppe Coppolino.
      Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common congenital kidney disorder, generally caused by mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes, coding for polycystins 1 and 2. Its pathogenesis is accompanied by alterations of the cAMP, mTOR, MAPK/ERK, and JAK/STAT pathways. ADPKD is clinically characterized by the formation of many growing cysts with kidney enlargement and a progressive damage to the parenchyma, up to its complete loss of function, and the onset of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The current aim of ADPKD therapy is the inhibition of cyst development and retardation of chronic kidney disease progression. Several drugs have been recently included as potential therapies for ADPKD including metformin, the drug of choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to its potential inhibitory effects on cystogenesis. In this review, we summarize preclinical and clinical evidence endorsing or rejecting metformin administration in ADPKD evolution and pathological mechanisms. We explored the biology of APDKD and the role of metformin in slowing down cystogenesis searching PubMed and Clinical Trials to identify relevant data from the database inception to December 2020. From our research analysis, evidence for metformin as emerging cure for ADPKD mainly arise from preclinical studies. In fact, clinical studies are still scanty and stronger evidence is awaited. Its effects are likely mediated by inhibition of the ERK pathway and increase of AMPK levels, which are both linked to ADPKD pathogenesis.
    Keywords:  chronic renal disease; cystogenesis; metformin; renal cells; renal tubule
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/med.21850
  5. Nefrologia. 2021 Jul 26. pii: S2013-2514(21)00062-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    The importance of the number of antihypertensives in the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
    Víctor Martínez Jiménez, Ana Noelia Hernández González, Inmaculada López Jiménez, Lidya Rodríguez Peña, Liliana Galbis Martínez, Manuel Santa-Olalla González, Guadalupe Ruiz Merino, Encarna Guillén Navarro.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nefroe.2021.07.002
  6. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 27. 11(1): 15286
    Diverse effects of pan-ROCK and ROCK2 inhibitors on 2 D and 3D cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells treated with TGFβ2.
    Megumi Watanabe, Yosuke Ida, Hiroshi Ohguro, Chiaki Ota, Fumihito Hikage.
      A pan-ROCK-inhibitor, ripasudil (Rip), and a ROCK2 inhibitor, KD025, were used To study the effects of Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK)1 and 2 on two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures of a TGFβ2-treated human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. In the presence of 5 ng/mL TGFβ2, the effects of these inhibitors were characterized by transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER), FITC-dextran permeability, and the size and stiffness of 3D sphenoids, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) including collagen1, 4 and 6, and fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin, a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)1-4, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, 9 and 14. TGFβ2 caused a significant increase in the TEER values, and decrease in FITC-dextran permeability, as well as a decrease in the sizes and stiffness of the 3D sphenoids. In the presence of ROCK inhibitors, the TGFβ2-induced effects of the TEER and FITC-dextran permeability were inhibited, especially by KD025. Rip induced a significant increase in sizes and a decrease in the stiffness of the TGFβ2-treated 3D sphenoids, although the effects of KD025 were weaker. Gene expressions of most of the ECMs, TIMP2 and MMP9 of 2D and 3D HTM cells were significantly up-regulated by TGFβ2. Those were significantly and differently modulated by Rip or KD025.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94791-4
  7. Kidney360. 2021 May;2(5): 795-808
    Association of Baseline Urinary Metabolic Biomarkers with ADPKD Severity in TAME-PKD Clinical Trial Participants.
    Kenneth R Hallows, Andrew D Althouse, Hui Li, Biagio Saitta, Kaleab Z Abebe, Kyongtae T Bae, Dana C Miskulin, Ronald D Perrone, Stephen L Seliger, Terry J Watnick.
       Background: Recent work suggests that dysregulated cellular metabolism may play a key role in the pathogenesis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The TAME-PKD clinical trial is testing the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of metformin, a regulator of cell metabolism, in patients with ADPKD. This study investigates the cross-sectional association of urinary metabolic biomarkers with ADPKD severity among TAME-PKD trial participants at baseline.
    Methods: Concentrations of total protein, targeted metabolites (lactate, pyruvate, succinate, and cAMP), and key glycolytic enzymes (pyruvate kinase M2 [PKM2], lactate dehydrogenase A [LDHA], and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 [PDK1]) were measured by ELISA, enzymatic assays, and immunoblotting in baseline urine specimens of 95 TAME-PKD participants. These analytes, normalized by urinary creatinine or osmolality to estimate excretion, were correlated with patients' baseline height-adjusted total kidney volumes (htTKVs) by MRI and eGFR. Additional analyses were performed, adjusting for participants' age and sex, using multivariable linear regression.
    Results: Greater htTKV correlated with lower eGFR (r=-0.39; P=0.0001). Urinary protein excretion modestly correlated with eGFR (negatively) and htTKV (positively). Urinary cAMP normalized to creatinine positively correlated with eGFR. Among glycolytic enzymes, PKM2 and LDHA excretion positively correlated with htTKV, whereas PKM2 excretion negatively correlated with eGFR. These associations remained significant after adjustments for age and sex. Moreover, in adjusted models, succinate excretion was positively associated with eGFR, and protein excretion was more strongly associated with both eGFR and htTKV in patients <43 years old.
    Conclusions: Proteinuria correlated with ADPKD severity, and urinary excretion of PKM2 and LDHA correlated with ADPKD severity at baseline in the TAME-PKD study population. These findings are the first to provide evidence in human urine samples that upregulated glycolytic flux is a feature of ADPKD severity. Future analysis may reveal if metformin treatment affects both disease progression and the various urinary metabolic biomarkers in patients throughout the study.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.34067/kid.0005962020
  8. Kidney Int Rep. 2021 Jul;6(7): 1775-1787
    Chronic Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease Progression: Role of Nrf2.
    Peter Stenvinkel, Glenn M Chertow, Prasad Devarajan, Adeera Levin, Sharon P Andreoli, Sripal Bangalore, Bradley A Warady.
      Despite recent advances in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), morbidity and mortality rates in these patients remain high. Although pressure-mediated injury is a well-recognized mechanism of disease progression in CKD, emerging data indicate that an intermediate phenotype involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in the etiology, progression, and pathophysiology of CKD. A variety of factors promote chronic inflammation in CKD, including oxidative stress and the adoption of a proinflammatory phenotype by resident kidney cells. Regulation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors through NF-κB- and nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2)-mediated gene transcription, respectively, plays a critical role in the glomerular and tubular cell response to kidney injury. Chronic inflammation contributes to the decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in CKD. Whereas the role of chronic inflammation in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has been well-elucidated, there is now substantial evidence indicating unresolved inflammatory processes lead to fibrosis and eventual end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in several other diseases, such as Alport syndrome, autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In this review, we aim to clarify the mechanisms of chronic inflammation in the pathophysiology and disease progression across the spectrum of kidney diseases, with a focus on Nrf2.
    Keywords:  Nrf2; chronic inflammation; chronic kidney disease; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative stress; resident kidney cells
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2021.04.023
  9. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Jul 21.
    Chronic Exercise Protects against the Progression of Renal Cyst Growth and Dysfunction in Rats with Polycystic Kidney Disease.
    Jiahe Qiu, Yoichi Sato, Lusi Xu, Takahiro Miura, Masahiro Kohzuki, Osamu Ito.
       INTRODUCTION: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the progressive enlargement of renal epithelial cysts and renal dysfunction. Previous studies have reported the beneficial effects of chronic exercise on chronic kidney disease. However, the effects of chronic exercise have not been fully examined in PKD patients or models. The effects of chronic exercise on the progression of PKD were investigated in a polycystic kidney (PCK) rat model.
    METHODS: Six-week-old male PCK rats were divided into a sedentary group and an exercise group. The exercise group underwent forced treadmill exercise for 12 weeks (28 m/min, 60 min/day, 5 days/week). After 12 weeks, renal function and histology were examined, and signaling cascades of PKD progression including arginine vasopressin (AVP) were investigated.
    RESULTS: Chronic exercise reduced the excretion of urinary protein, liver-type fatty acid-binding protein, plasma creatinine, urea nitrogen, and increased plasma irisin and urinary AVP excretion. Chronic exercise also slowed renal cyst growth, glomerular damage, and interstitial fibrosis, and led to reduced Ki-67 expression. Chronic exercise had no effect on cAMP content but decreased the renal expression of B-Raf and reduced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and S6.
    CONCLUSION: Chronic exercise slows renal cyst growth and damage in PCK rats, despite increasing AVP, with down-regulation of the cAMP/B-Raf/ERK and mTOR/S6 pathways in the kidney of PCK rats.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002737
  10. Hepatology. 2021 Jul 29.
    Histone Deacetylase SIRT1 promotes loss of primary cilia in Cholangiocarcinoma.
    Kishor Pant, Estanislao Peixoto, Seth Richard, Aalekhya Biswas, M Gerard O'Sullivan, Nasra Giama, Yeonjung Ha, Jun Yin, Pietro Carotenuto, Massimiliano Salati, Yanan Ren, Rendong Yang, Brunella Franco, Lewis Roberts, Sergio A Gradilone.
       BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a complex NAD+ -dependent protein deacetylase known to act as a tumor promoter or suppressor in different cancers. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of SIRT1-induced destabilization of primary cilia in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).
    APPROACH AND RESULTS: A significant overexpression of SIRT1 was detected in human CCA specimens, and CCA cells including, HuCCT1, KMCH, and WITT1 as compared to normal cholangiocytes (H69 and NHC). siRNA-mediated knockdown of SIRT1 in HuCCT1 cells induced cilia formation while, overexpression of SIRT1 in normal cholangiocytes suppressed ciliary expression. Activity of SIRT1 was regulated by presence of NAD+ in CCA cells. Inhibition of NAD+ producing enzyme Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) increased ciliary length and frequency in CCA cells and in SIRT1 overexpressed H69 cells. Furthermore, we also noted that SIRT1 induces the proteasomal mediated degradation of ciliary proteins including α-Tubulin, ARL13B and KIF3A. Moreover, overexpression of SIRT1 in H69 and NHC cells significantly induced cell proliferation and conversely, SIRT1 inhibition in HuCCT1 and KMCH cells using siRNA or sirtinol, reduced cell proliferation. In an orthotopic transplantation rat CCA model, the SIRT1 inhibitor sirtinol reduced tumor size and tumorigenic proteins (Gli1, p-Erk, and IL-6) expression.
    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, these results reveal the tumorigenic role of SIRT1 via modulation of primary cilia formation and provide the rationale for developing therapeutic approaches for CCA utilizing SIRT1 as a target.
    Keywords:  Cholangiocarcinoma; Cilia; Histone Deactylase; SIRT1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32080
  11. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Jul 27. pii: S2352-345X(21)00158-2. [Epub ahead of print]
    Therapeutic potential for CFTR Correctors in Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease.
    Murali K Yanda, Vartika Tomar, Liudmila Cebotaru.
       BACKGROUND & AIMS: ARPKD is caused by mutations in PKHD1, encoding FPC [1-4]. Severe disease occurs in perinates[5]. Those who survive the neonatal period face a myriad of comorbidities, including systemic and portal hypertension, liver fibrosis, and hepatosplenomegaly. The goal here is to uncover therapeutic strategies for ARPKD.
    METHODS: We used wild-type and an FPC-mutant cholangiocyte cell line in 3-dimenional cysts and in confluent monolayers to evaluate protein expression using western blotting and protein trafficking using confocal microscopy.
    RESULTS: We found that the protein level of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR, was down-regulated. The levels of heat shock proteins were altered in the FPC-mutant cholangiocytes, with HSP27 being downregulated and HSP90, and HSP70 upregulated. FPC-mutant cholangiocytes formed cysts, but normal cells did not. Cyst growth could be reduced by increasing HSP27 protein levels, by HSP90 and HSP70 inhibitor treatments, by silencing HSP90 through mRNA inhibition or by the novel approach of treating the cysts with the CFTR corrector VX-809. In wild-type cholangiocytes, CFTR is present in both apical and basolateral membranes. FPC malfunction resulted in altered colocalization of CFTR with both apical and basolateral membranes. Whereas, treatment with VX-809, increasing Hsp27 or inhibiting HSP70 or 90 restored CFTR localization toward normal values.
    CONCLUSIONS: FPC malfunction induces the formation of cysts, which are fueled by alterations in heat shock proteins and in CFTR protein levels and miss-localization. We suggest that CFTR correctors, already in clinical use to treat cystic fibrosis, could also be used as a treatment for ARPKD.
    Keywords:  ARPKD; ERAD; FPC; Processing; Trafficking
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.07.012
  12. Mol Biol Cell. 2021 Jul 28. mbcE21060303
    Tracheal motile cilia in mice require CAMSAP3 for formation of central microtubule pair and coordinated beating.
    Hiroko Saito, Fumiko Matsukawa-Usami, Toshihiko Fujimori, Toshiya Kimura, Takahiro Ide, Takaki Yamamoto, Tatsuo Shibata, Kenta Onoue, Satoko Okayama, Shigenobu Yonemura, Kazuyo Misaki, Yurina Soba, Yasutaka Kakui, Masamitsu Sato, Mika Toya, Masatoshi Takeichi.
      Motile cilia of multiciliated epithelial cells undergo synchronized beating to produce fluid flow along the luminal surface of various organs. Each motile cilium consists of an axoneme and a basal body, which are linked by a 'transition zone'. The axoneme exhibits a characteristic 9+2 microtubule arrangement important for ciliary motion, but how this microtubule system is generated is not yet fully understood. Here we show that CAMSAP3, a protein that can stabilize the minus end of a microtubule, concentrates at multiple sites of the cilium-basal body complex, including the upper region of the transition zone or the axonemal basal plate where the central pair of microtubules (CP) initiates. CAMSAP3 dysfunction resulted in loss of the CP and partial distortion of the basal plate, as well as the failure of multicilia to undergo synchronized beating. These findings suggest that CAMSAP3 plays pivotal roles in the formation or stabilization of the CP by localizing at the basal region of the axoneme, and thereby supports the coordinated motion of multicilia in airway epithelial cells. [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E21-06-0303
  13. Mol Biol Cell. 2021 Jul 28. mbcE20090608
    Myosin Light Chain Kinase driven myosin II turnover regulates actin cortex contractility during mitosis.
    Nilay Taneja, Sophie M Baillargeon, Dylan T Burnette.
      Force generation by the molecular motor myosin II (MII) at the actin cortex is a universal feature of animal cells. Despite its central role in driving cell shape changes, the mechanisms underlying MII regulation at the actin cortex remain incompletely understood. Here we show that Myosin Light Chain Kinase (MLCK) promotes MII turnover at the mitotic cortex. Inhibition of MLCK resulted in an alteration of the relative levels of phosphorylated Regulatory Light Chain (RLC), with MLCK preferentially creating a short-lived pRLC species and Rho associated kinase (ROCK) preferentially creating a stable ppRLC species during metaphase. Slower turnover of MII and altered RLC homeostasis upon MLCK inhibition correlated with increased cortex tension, driving increased membrane bleb initiation and growth, but reduced bleb retraction during mitosis. Taken together, we show that ROCK and MLCK play distinct roles at the actin cortex during mitosis; ROCK activity is required for recruitment of MII to the cortex, while MLCK activity promotes MII turnover. Our findings support the growing evidence that MII turnover is an essential dynamic process influencing the mechanical output of the actin cortex. [Media: see text].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E20-09-0608
  14. Curr Eye Res. 2021 Jul 29.
    RhoA/ROCK Signaling Regulates TGF-β1-Induced Fibrotic Effects in Human Pterygium Fibroblasts through MRTF-A.
    Jiajun Xie, Qingyao Ning, Huina Zhang, Shuang Ni, Juan Ye.
       PURPOSE: The overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) after surgical excision often leads to excessive fibrosis, indicating the recurrence of pterygium. The aims of the present in vitro study were to investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in regulating fibrotic effects on primary human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs), as well as to explore the possible mechanisms of these effects.
    METHODS: Pterygium samples were obtained from surgery, and profibrotic activation was induced by TGF-β1. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay; cell migration was detected by wound healing assay; quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the effects of TGF-β1 and the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling on the synthesis of alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), type I and III collagen (COL1 and COL3), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in HPFs. The changes of signaling pathways were detected by Western blot; and pharmaceutical inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling and its downstream MRFT-A/SRF transcription pathway were used to assess their possible mechanism in HPFs fibrosis.
    RESULTS: ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 decreased TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation and migration, reduced the TGF-β1-induced expression of profibrotic markers in HPFs, and suppressed TGF-β1-induced nuclear accumulation of Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) as well as accompanied elevation of F/G-actin ratio in HPFs. MRTF-A/Serum response factor(SRF) inhibitor CCG-100602 attenuated the TGF-β1-induced α-SMA expression and reduced myofibroblast activation in HPFs.
    CONCLUSIONS: RhoA/ROCK signaling played a pivotal role in TGF-β1-induced fibrosis and myofibroblast activation in HPFs at least in part by inactivating the downstream MRTF-A/SRF transcriptional pathway.
    Keywords:  MRTF-A; Pterygium; RhoA/ROCK signaling; TGF-β1; fibrosis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2021.1962363
  15. FASEB J. 2021 Aug;35(8): e21796
    Polycystin-1 regulates cardiomyocyte mitophagy.
    Andrea Ramírez-Sagredo, Clara Quiroga, Valeria Garrido-Moreno, Camila López-Crisosto, Sebastian Leiva-Navarrete, Ignacio Norambuena-Soto, Jafet Ortiz-Quintero, Magda C Díaz-Vesga, William Perez, Troy Hendrickson, Valentina Parra, Zully Pedrozo, Francisco Altamirano, Mario Chiong, Sergio Lavandero.
      Polycystin-1 (PC1) is a transmembrane protein found in different cell types, including cardiomyocytes. Alterations in PC1 expression have been linked to mitochondrial damage in renal tubule cells and in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. However, to date, the regulatory role of PC1 in cardiomyocyte mitochondria is not well understood. The analysis of mitochondrial morphology from cardiomyocytes of heterozygous PC1 mice (PDK1+/- ) using transmission electron microscopy showed that cardiomyocyte mitochondria were smaller with increased mitochondria density and circularity. These parameters were consistent with mitochondrial fission. We knocked-down PC1 in cultured rat cardiomyocytes and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes to evaluate mitochondrial function and morphology. The results showed that downregulation of PC1 expression results in reduced protein levels of sub-units of the OXPHOS complexes and less functional mitochondria (reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiration, and ATP production). This mitochondrial dysfunction activates the elimination of defective mitochondria by mitophagy, assessed by an increase of autophagosome adapter protein LC3B and the recruitment of the Parkin protein to the mitochondria. siRNA-mediated PC1 knockdown leads to a loss of the connectivity of the mitochondrial network and a greater number of mitochondria per cell, but of smaller sizes, which characterizes mitochondrial fission. PC1 silencing also deregulates the AKT-FoxO1 signaling pathway, which is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism, mitochondrial morphology, and processes that are part of cell quality control, such as mitophagy. Together, these data provide new insights about the controls that PC1 exerts on mitochondrial morphology and function in cultured cardiomyocytes dependent on the AKT-FoxO1 signaling pathway.
    Keywords:  FoxO1; cardiomyocyte; mitochondrial dynamics; mitochondrial metabolism; mitophagy; polycystin-1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202002598R
  16. Front Immunol. 2021 ;12 714340
    NLRP3 Inflammasome in Metabolic-Associated Kidney Diseases: An Update.
    Wei Xiong, Xian-Fang Meng, Chun Zhang.
      Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a group of complex metabolic disorders syndrome, which refers to the pathological state of metabolism disorder of protein, fat, carbohydrate and other substances in human body. The kidney is an important organ of metabolism, and various metabolic disorders can lead to the abnormalities in the structure and function of the kidney. The recognition of pathogenesis and treatment measures of renal damage in MS is a very important part for the renal function preserve. Inflammatory response caused by various metabolic factors is a protective mechanism of the body, but persistent inflammation will become a harmful factor and aggravate kidney damage. Inflammasomes are sensors of the innate immune system that play crucial roles in initiating inflammation in response to acute infections and chronic diseases. They are multiprotein complex composed of cytoplasmic sensors (mainly NLR family members), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC or PYCARD) and pro-caspase-1. After receiving exogenous and endogenous stimuli, the sensors begin to assemble inflammasome and then promote the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, resulting in a special way of cell death named pyroptosis. In the kidney, NLRP3 inflammasome can be activated by a variety of pathways, which eventually leads to inflammatory infiltration, renal intrinsic cell damage and renal function decline. This paper reviews the function and specific regulatory mechanism of inflammasome in kidney damage caused by various metabolic disorders, which will provide a new therapeutic perspective and targets for kidney diseases.
    Keywords:  NLRP3; inflammasome; innate immunity; kidney diseases; metabolic syndrome
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.714340
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