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Zhang Y, Yang Y, Hu X, Wei B, Shen Q, Shi C, Chen P. RAS protein activator-like 2 (RASAL2) initiates peritubular capillary rarefaction in hypoxic renal interstitial fibrosis. Transl Res 2024; 269:14-30. [PMID: 38453052 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) often involves renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) and subsequent loss of peritubular capillaries (PTCs), which enhances disease severity. Despite advancements in our understanding of fibrosis, effective interventions for reversing capillary loss remain elusive. Notably, RIF exhibits reduced capillary density, whereas renal cell carcinoma (RCC) shows robust angiogenesis under hypoxic conditions. Using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in hypoxic human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and renal cancer cells (786-0). Analysis of altered Ras and PI3K/Akt pathways coupled with hub gene investigation revealed RAS protein activator-like 2 (RASAL2) as a key candidate. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed RASAL2's early-stage response in RIF, which reduced with fibrosis progression. RASAL2 suppression in HK-2 cells enhanced angiogenesis, as evidenced by increased proliferation, migration, and branching of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co-cultured with HK-2 cells. In mice, RASAL2 knockdown improved Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels in unilateral ureteral occlusion (UUO)-induced fibrosis (compared to wild type). Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) emerged as a pivotal mediator, substantiated by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing, with its induction linked to activation. Hypoxia increased the production of RASAL2-enriched extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from tubular cells, which were internalized by endothelial cells, contributing to the exacerbation of PTC loss. These findings underscore RASAL2's role in mediating reduced angiogenesis in RIF and reveal a novel EV-mediated communication between hypoxic tubular- and endothelial cells, demonstrating a complex interplay between angiogenesis and fibrosis in CKD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yiqiong Yang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiuxiu Hu
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bizhen Wei
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Shen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanbing Shi
- Department of Pathology, Pukou Branch of Jiangsu People's Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Pingsheng Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Nephrology, Zhong Da Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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Yang Y, Wang J, Zhang Y, Hu X, Li L, Chen P. Hypoxic tubular epithelial cells regulate the angiogenesis of HMEC-1 cells via mediation of Rab7/MMP-2 axis. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:23769-23779. [PMID: 34695807 PMCID: PMC8580335 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Renal hypoxia is associated with persisting peritubular capillary rarefaction in progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and this phenomenon mainly resulted from the dysregulated angiogenesis. Rab7 is known to be involved in renal hypoxia. However, the mechanism by which Rab7 regulates the renal hypoxia remains unclear. Protein expression was detected by western blot. Cell proliferation was detected by EdU staining. Cell migration was tested by transwell assay. Rab7 was upregulated in HK-2 cells under hypoxia conditions. Hypoxia significantly inhibited the viability and proliferation of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1 cells), while this phenomenon was obviously reversed by Rab7 silencing. Consistently, Hypoxia significantly decreased the migration and tube length of HMECs, which was partially reversed by knockdown of Rab7. Moreover, hypoxia-induced inhibition of MMP2 activity was significantly rescued by knockdown of Rab7. Moreover, ARP100 (MMP-2 inhibitor) significantly reversed the effect of Rab7 shRNA on cell viability, migration and angiogenesis. Furthermore, knockdown of Rab7 significantly alleviated the fibrosis in tissues of mice. Knockdown of Rab7 significantly alleviated the renal hypoxia in chronic kidney disease through regulation of MMP-2. Thus, our study might shed new light on exploring the new strategies against CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiong Yang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Andrology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiuxiu Hu
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Pingsheng Chen
- Institute of Nephrology, The Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
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Aroor AR, Habibi J, Nistala R, Ramirez-Perez FI, Martinez-Lemus LA, Jaffe IZ, Sowers JR, Jia G, Whaley-Connell A. Diet-Induced Obesity Promotes Kidney Endothelial Stiffening and Fibrosis Dependent on the Endothelial Mineralocorticoid Receptor. Hypertension 2019; 73:849-858. [PMID: 30827147 PMCID: PMC6448566 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.118.12198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is characterized by enhanced MR (mineralocorticoid receptor) activation, vascular stiffness, and associated cardiovascular and kidney disease. Consumption of a Western-style diet (WD), high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates, by female mice, leads to obesity and vascular stiffening. Use of ECMR (endothelial cell-specific MR) knockout mice supports that ECMR activation is critical for development of vascular and cardiac fibrosis and stiffening. However, the role of ECMR activation in kidney inflammation and fibrosis remains unknown. We hypothesized that cell-specific deletion of ECMR would prevent WD-induced central aortic stiffness and protect the kidney from endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffening. Four-week-old female ECMR KO and wild-type mice were fed either mouse chow or WD for 16 weeks. WD feeding increased body weight and fat mass, proteinuria, as well as vascular stiffness indices (pulse wave velocity and kidney artery stiffening) and impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilatation without blood pressure changes. The WD-induced kidney arterial stiffening was associated with attenuated eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) activation, increased oxidative stress, proinflammatory immune responses, alterations in extracellular matrix degradation pathways, and fibrosis. ECMR deletion prevented these abnormalities by improving eNOS activation and reducing macrophage proinflammatory M1 polarization, expression of TG2 (transglutaminase 2), and MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-9. Our data support the concept that ECMR activation contributes to endothelial dysfunction, increased kidney artery fibrosis/stiffening, and impaired NOS (NO synthase) activation, processes associated with macrophage infiltration and polarization, inflammation, and oxidative stress, collectively resulting in tubulointerstitial fibrosis in females consuming a WD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annayya R Aroor
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (A.R.A., J.H., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
| | - Javad Habibi
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (A.R.A., J.H., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
| | - Ravi Nistala
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension (R.N., A.W.-C.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
| | - Francisco I Ramirez-Perez
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine (F.I.R.-P., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S.)
| | - Luis A Martinez-Lemus
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology (L.A.M.-L., J.R.S.)
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine (F.I.R.-P., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
| | - Iris Z Jaffe
- Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA (I.Z.J.)
| | - James R Sowers
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (A.R.A., J.H., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology (L.A.M.-L., J.R.S.)
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine (F.I.R.-P., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
| | - Guanghong Jia
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (A.R.A., J.H., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
| | - Adam Whaley-Connell
- From the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Center (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Department of Medicine (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (A.R.A., J.H., J.R.S., G.J., A.W.-C.)
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension (R.N., A.W.-C.)
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO (A.R.A., J.H., R.N., L.A.M.-L., J.R.S., A.W.-C.)
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Zhang X, Chen L. Effects of CoCl 2-simulated hypoxia on the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases in renal adenocarcinoma cells and renal tubular epithelial cells. Exp Ther Med 2018; 16:1454-1460. [PMID: 30116394 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with hypoxia, but the effects of hypoxia on the process of angiogenesis in the two diseases are dramatically different. Some of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), such as MMP2 and MMP9, may have a role because they represent the most prominent family of proteinases associated with angiogenesis. In the present study, the differential response of human renal cell cancer cells (786-0), human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) to hypoxia with regards to the expression of MMP2, MMP9, MMP14, TIMP2, RECK was investigated. Cobalt chloride (CoCl2) treatment was used to simulate the hypoxia environment in RCC and CKD. The expression levels of HIF-1α, RECK, MMP2, MMP9, MMP14 and TIMP2 in HK2, 786-0 and HMEC-1 cells were determined by western blot analysis after incubation with varying concentrations of CoCl2 for 24 h. It was indicated that the effects of hypoxia on the endogenous expression of RECK and MMP2 differed depending on the considered cell type. Notably, the RECK expression was significantly decreased in 786-0 cells under hypoxia, whereas this expression was slightly increased in HK2 and HMEC-1 cells. Furthermore, the MMP2 expression was significantly increased in HMEC-1 cells under hypoxia, whereas the expression was slightly decreased in HK2 and 786-0 cells. These results demonstrate that 786-0, HK2 and HMEC-1 cells respond differently under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, MMP2 and RECK may serve divergent roles in HK2 and HMEC-1 cells under hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
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