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Canas JJ, Arregui SW, Zhang S, Knox T, Calvert C, Saxena V, Schwaderer AL, Hains DS. DEFA1A3 DNA gene-dosage regulates the kidney innate immune response during upper urinary tract infection. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302462. [PMID: 38580392 PMCID: PMC10997819 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are host defense effectors with potent neutralizing and immunomodulatory functions against invasive pathogens. The AMPs α-Defensin 1-3/DEFA1A3 participate in innate immune responses and influence patient outcomes in various diseases. DNA copy-number variations in DEFA1A3 have been associated with severity and outcomes in infectious diseases including urinary tract infections (UTIs). Specifically, children with lower DNA copy numbers were more susceptible to UTIs. The mechanism of action by which α-Defensin 1-3/DEFA1A3 copy-number variations lead to UTI susceptibility remains to be explored. In this study, we use a previously characterized transgenic knock-in of the human DEFA1A3 gene mouse to dissect α-Defensin 1-3 gene dose-dependent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory roles during uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) UTI. We elucidate the relationship between kidney neutrophil- and collecting duct intercalated cell-derived α-Defensin 1-3/DEFA1A3 expression and UTI. We further describe cooperative effects between α-Defensin 1-3 and other AMPs that potentiate the neutralizing activity against UPEC. Cumulatively, we demonstrate that DEFA1A3 directly protects against UPEC meanwhile impacting pro-inflammatory innate immune responses in a gene dosage-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge J Canas
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Samuel W Arregui
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Shaobo Zhang
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Taylor Knox
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Christi Calvert
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Vijay Saxena
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Andrew L Schwaderer
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David S Hains
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Kidney and Urology Translational Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Schwaderer AL, Rajadhyaksha E, Canas J, Saxena V, Hains DS. Intercalated cell function, kidney innate immunity, and urinary tract infections. Pflugers Arch 2024; 476:565-578. [PMID: 38227050 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02905-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Intercalated cells (ICs) in the kidney collecting duct have a versatile role in acid-base and electrolyte regulation along with the host immune defense. Located in the terminal kidney tubule segment, ICs are among the first kidney cells to encounter bacteria when bacteria ascend from the bladder into the kidney. ICs have developed several mechanisms to combat bacterial infections of the kidneys. For example, ICs produce antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which have direct bactericidal activity, and in many cases are upregulated in response to infections. Some AMP genes with IC-specific kidney expression are multiallelic, and having more copies of the gene confers increased resistance to bacterial infections of the kidney and urinary tract. Similarly, studies in human children demonstrate that those with history of UTIs are more likely to have single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IC-expressed AMP genes that impair the AMP's bactericidal activity. In murine models, depleted or impaired ICs result in decreased clearance of bacterial load following transurethral challenge with uropathogenic E. coli. A 2021 study demonstrated that ICs even act as phagocytes and acidify bacteria within phagolysosomes. Several immune signaling pathways have been identified in ICs which may represent future therapeutic targets in managing kidney infections or inflammation. This review's objective is to highlight IC structure and function with an emphasis on current knowledge of IC's diverse innate immune capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Schwaderer
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Evan Rajadhyaksha
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Jorge Canas
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Vijay Saxena
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - David S Hains
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, 699 Riley Hospital Drive, STE 230, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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Saxena V, Arregui S, Zhang S, Canas J, Qin X, Hains DS, Schwaderer AL. Generation of Atp6v1g3-Cre mice for investigation of intercalated cells and the collecting duct. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2023; 325:F770-F778. [PMID: 37823193 PMCID: PMC10881235 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00137.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Kidney intercalated cells (ICs) maintain acid-base homeostasis and recent studies have demonstrated that they function in the kidney's innate defense. To study kidney innate immune function, ICs have been enriched using vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) B1 subunit (Atp6v1b1)-Cre (B1-Cre) mice. Although Atp6v1b1 is considered kidney specific, it is expressed in multiple organ systems, both in mice and humans, raising the possibility of off-target effects when using the Cre-lox system. We have recently shown using single-cell RNA sequencing that the gene that codes for the V-ATPase G3 subunit (mouse gene: Atp6v1g3; human gene: ATP6V1G3; protein abbreviation: G3) mRNA is selectively enriched in human kidney ICs. In this study, we generated Atp6v1g3-Cre (G3-Cre) reporter mice using CRISPR/CAS technology and crossed them with Tdtomatoflox/flox mice. The resultant G3-Cre+Tdt+ progeny was evaluated for kidney specificity in multiple tissues and found to be highly specific to kidney cells with minimal or no expression in other organs evaluated compared with B1-Cre mice. Tdt+ cells were flow sorted and were enriched for IC marker genes on RT-PCR analysis. Next, we crossed these mice to ihCD59 mice to generate an IC depletion mouse model (G3-Cre+ihCD59+/+). ICs were depleted in these mice using intermedilysin, which resulted in lower blood pH, suggestive of a distal renal tubular acidosis phenotype. The G3-Cre mice were healthy, bred normally, and produce regular-sized litter. Thus, this new "IC reporter" mice can be a useful tool to study ICs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study details the development, validation, and experimental use of a new mouse model to study the collecting duct and intercalated cells. Kidney intercalated cells are a cell type increasingly recognized to be important in several human diseases including kidney infections, acid-base disorders, and acute kidney injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Saxena
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Samuel Arregui
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Shaobo Zhang
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Jorge Canas
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Xuebin Qin
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States
| | - David S Hains
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Andrew L Schwaderer
- Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
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Schwartz L, de Dios Ruiz-Rosado J, Stonebrook E, Becknell B, Spencer JD. Uropathogen and host responses in pyelonephritis. Nat Rev Nephrol 2023; 19:658-671. [PMID: 37479904 PMCID: PMC10913074 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00737-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections seen in clinical practice. The ascent of UTI-causing pathogens to the kidneys results in pyelonephritis, which can trigger kidney injury, scarring and ultimately impair kidney function. Despite sizable efforts to understand how infections develop or are cleared in the bladder, our appreciation of the mechanisms by which infections develop, progress or are eradicated in the kidney is limited. The identification of virulence factors that are produced by uropathogenic Escherichia coli to promote pyelonephritis have begun to fill this knowledge gap, as have insights into the mechanisms by which kidney tubular epithelial cells oppose uropathogenic E. coli infection to prevent or eradicate UTIs. Emerging data also illustrate how specific cellular immune responses eradicate infection whereas other immune cell populations promote kidney injury. Insights into the mechanisms by which uropathogenic E. coli circumvent host immune defences or antibiotic therapy to cause pyelonephritis is paramount to the development of new prevention and treatment strategies to mitigate pyelonephritis and its associated complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schwartz
- The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center, Nationwide Children's Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA.
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Juan de Dios Ruiz-Rosado
- The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center, Nationwide Children's Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Emily Stonebrook
- The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center, Nationwide Children's Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brian Becknell
- The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center, Nationwide Children's Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John David Spencer
- The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center, Nationwide Children's Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA.
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Chelangarimiyandoab F, Mungara P, Batta M, Cordat E. Urinary Tract Infections: Renal Intercalated Cells Protect against Pathogens. J Am Soc Nephrol 2023; 34:1605-1614. [PMID: 37401780 PMCID: PMC10561816 DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections affect more than 1 in 2 women during their lifetime. Among these, more than 10% of patients carry antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, highlighting the urgent need to identify alternative treatments. While innate defense mechanisms are well-characterized in the lower urinary tract, it is becoming evident that the collecting duct (CD), the first renal segment encountered by invading uropathogenic bacteria, also contributes to bacterial clearance. However, the role of this segment is beginning to be understood. This review summarizes the current knowledge on CD intercalated cells in urinary tract bacterial clearance. Understanding the innate protective role of the uroepithelium and of the CD offers new opportunities for alternative therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Chelangarimiyandoab
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Kuhn HW, Hreha TN, Hunstad DA. Immune defenses in the urinary tract. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:701-711. [PMID: 37591712 PMCID: PMC10528756 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in preclinical modeling of urinary tract infections (UTIs) have enabled the identification of key facets of the host response that influence pathogen clearance and tissue damage. Here, we review new insights into the functions of neutrophils, macrophages, and antimicrobial peptides in innate control of uropathogens and in mammalian infection-related tissue injury and repair. We also discuss novel functions for renal epithelial cells in innate antimicrobial defense. In addition, epigenetic modifications during bacterial cystitis have been implicated in bladder remodeling, conveying susceptibility to recurrent UTI. In total, contemporary work in this arena has better defined host processes that shape UTI susceptibility and severity and might inform the development of novel preventive and therapeutic approaches for acute and recurrent UTI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter W Kuhn
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Teri N Hreha
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David A Hunstad
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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