1
|
Mason WJ, Vasilopoulou E. The Pathophysiological Role of Thymosin β4 in the Kidney Glomerulus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097684. [PMID: 37175390 PMCID: PMC10177875 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases affecting the glomerulus, the filtration unit of the kidney, are a major cause of chronic kidney disease. Glomerular disease is characterised by injury of glomerular cells and is often accompanied by an inflammatory response that drives disease progression. New strategies are needed to slow the progression to end-stage kidney disease, which requires dialysis or transplantation. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4), an endogenous peptide that sequesters G-actin, has shown potent anti-inflammatory function in experimental models of heart, kidney, liver, lung, and eye injury. In this review, we discuss the role of endogenous and exogenous Tβ4 in glomerular disease progression and the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William J Mason
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mason WJ, Jafree DJ, Pomeranz G, Kolatsi-Joannou M, Rottner AK, Pacheco S, Moulding DA, Wolf A, Kupatt C, Peppiatt-Wildman C, Papakrivopoulou E, Riley PR, Long DA, Vasilopoulou E. Systemic gene therapy with thymosin β4 alleviates glomerular injury in mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12172. [PMID: 35842494 PMCID: PMC9288454 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16287-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasma ultrafiltration in the kidney occurs across glomerular capillaries, which are surrounded by epithelial cells called podocytes. Podocytes have a unique shape maintained by a complex cytoskeleton, which becomes disrupted in glomerular disease resulting in defective filtration and albuminuria. Lack of endogenous thymosin β4 (TB4), an actin sequestering peptide, exacerbates glomerular injury and disrupts the organisation of the podocyte actin cytoskeleton, however, the potential of exogenous TB4 therapy to improve podocyte injury is unknown. Here, we have used Adriamycin (ADR), a toxin which injures podocytes and damages the glomerular filtration barrier leading to albuminuria in mice. Through interrogating single-cell RNA-sequencing data of isolated glomeruli we demonstrate that ADR injury results in reduced levels of podocyte TB4. Administration of an adeno-associated viral vector encoding TB4 increased the circulating level of TB4 and prevented ADR-induced podocyte loss and albuminuria. ADR injury was associated with disorganisation of the podocyte actin cytoskeleton in vitro, which was ameliorated by treatment with exogenous TB4. Collectively, we propose that systemic gene therapy with TB4 prevents podocyte injury and maintains glomerular filtration via protection of the podocyte cytoskeleton thus presenting a novel treatment strategy for glomerular disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William J Mason
- Division of Natural Sciences, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham, Kent, UK.,Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Daniyal J Jafree
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,UCL MB/PhD Programme, Faculty of Medical Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gideon Pomeranz
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Maria Kolatsi-Joannou
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Antje K Rottner
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Sabrina Pacheco
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Dale A Moulding
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Anja Wolf
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Clinic Rechts der Isar, TUM Munich, Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Kupatt
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Clinic Rechts der Isar, TUM Munich, Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Eugenia Papakrivopoulou
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Clinique Saint Jean, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Paul R Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David A Long
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Elisavet Vasilopoulou
- Division of Natural Sciences, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham, Kent, UK. .,Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK. .,Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
The developmental competence of bovine oocytes matured in vitro using thymosin beta 4. ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2020-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) during in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes and subsequent embryonic development after in vitro fertilization as well as to assess the quality of obtained blastocysts. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in vitro in 4 different media: 1. control medium; 2. control media supplemented with 50 ng/mL Tβ4; 3. control media supplemented with 0.5 mg/mL Tβ4; and 4. control media supplemented with 1 mg/mL Tβ4. The quality of the developed blastocysts was analysed by the TUNEL method. The number of cleaved eggs was significantly higher (P<0.05) when gametes were matured in the presence of 50 ng/mL Tβ4 than it was using the other types of media. Additionally, the largest number of blastocysts was observed when 0.5 mg Tβ4 was added to the medium (P<0.05). No significant difference was noted in the mean number of apoptotic nuclei per blastocyst or in the mean number of nuclei per blastocyst in any of the analysed groups. In conclusion, Tβ4 supplementation (50 ng/mL) in maturation medium increased the number of cleaved oocytes, and the number of blastocysts obtained increased when 0.5 mg/mL Tβ4 was used. This positive effect was not observed when a higher concentration of Tβ4 (1 mg/mL) was used.
Collapse
|
4
|
Louzao-Martinez L, van Dijk CG, Xu YJ, Korn A, Bekker NJ, Brouwhuis R, Nicese MN, Demmers JA, Goumans MJT, Masereeuw R, Duncker DJ, Verhaar MC, Cheng C. A proteome comparison between human fetal and mature renal extracellular matrix identifies EMILIN1 as a regulator of renal epithelial cell adhesion. Matrix Biol Plus 2019; 4:100011. [PMID: 33543009 PMCID: PMC7852202 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2019.100011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-based approaches using tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to replace damaged renal tissue with 3D constructs is a promising emerging therapy for kidney disease. Besides living cells, a template provided by a scaffold based on biomaterials and bioactive factors is needed for successful kidney engineering. Nature's own template for a scaffolding system is the extracellular matrix (ECM). Research has focused on mapping the mature renal ECM; however, the developing fetal ECM matches more the active environment required in 3D renal constructs. Here, we characterized the differences between the human fetal and mature renal ECM using spectrometry-based proteomics of decellularized tissue. We identified 99 different renal ECM proteins of which the majority forms an overlapping core, but also includes proteins enriched in either the fetal or mature ECM. Relative protein quantification showed a significant dominance of EMILIN1 in the fetal ECM. We functionally tested the role of EMILIN1 in the ECM using a novel methodology that permits the reliable anchorage of native cell-secreted ECM to glass coverslips. Depletion of EMILIN1 from the ECM layer using siRNA mediated knock-down technologies does not affect renal epithelial cell growth, but does promote migration. Lack of EMILIN1 in the ECM layer reduces the adhesion strength of renal epithelial cells, shown by a decrease in focal adhesion points and associated stress fibers. We showed in this study the importance of a human renal fetal and mature ECM catalogue for identifying promising ECM components that have high implementation potential in scaffolds for 3D renal constructs. Proteomics revealed the differences between the renal fetal and mature extracellular matrix. EMILIN1 has a significant dominance in the fetal extracellular matrix. EMILIN1 depletion from the extracellular matrix reduces the adhesion strength and promotes migration of renal epithelial cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Louzao-Martinez
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Christian G.M. van Dijk
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Yan Juan Xu
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Amber Korn
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolaas J. Bekker
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Romi Brouwhuis
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Novella Nicese
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Rosalinde Masereeuw
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dirk J. Duncker
- Experimental Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Marianne C. Verhaar
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Cheng
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Experimental Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author at: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, the Netherlands, Experimental Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vasilopoulou E, Riley PR, Long DA. Thymosin-β4: A key modifier of renal disease. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2018; 18:185-192. [DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1473371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisavet Vasilopoulou
- Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, UK
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Paul R. Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David A. Long
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Loss of endogenous thymosin β 4 accelerates glomerular disease. Kidney Int 2016; 90:1056-1070. [PMID: 27575556 PMCID: PMC5073078 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Glomerular disease is characterized by morphologic changes in podocyte cells accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis. Thymosin β4 regulates cell morphology, inflammation, and fibrosis in several organs and administration of exogenous thymosin β4 improves animal models of unilateral ureteral obstruction and diabetic nephropathy. However, the role of endogenous thymosin β4 in the kidney is unknown. We demonstrate that thymosin β4 is expressed prominently in podocytes of developing and adult mouse glomeruli. Global loss of thymosin β4 did not affect healthy glomeruli, but accelerated the severity of immune-mediated nephrotoxic nephritis with worse renal function, periglomerular inflammation, and fibrosis. Lack of thymosin β4 in nephrotoxic nephritis led to the redistribution of podocytes from the glomerular tuft toward the Bowman capsule suggesting a role for thymosin β4 in the migration of these cells. Thymosin β4 knockdown in cultured podocytes also increased migration in a wound-healing assay, accompanied by F-actin rearrangement and increased RhoA activity. We propose that endogenous thymosin β4 is a modifier of glomerular injury, likely having a protective role acting as a brake to slow disease progression.
Collapse
|
7
|
Vasilopoulou E, Winyard PJD, Riley PR, Long DA. The role of thymosin-β4 in kidney disease. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2015; 15 Suppl 1:S187-90. [DOI: 10.1517/14712598.2015.1009891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
8
|
Nemolato S, Cabras T, Fanari MU, Cau F, Fanni D, Gerosa C, Manconi B, Messana I, Castagnola M, Faa G. Immunoreactivity of thymosin beta 4 in human foetal and adult genitourinary tract. Eur J Histochem 2010; 54:e43. [PMID: 21263742 PMCID: PMC3167329 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2010.e43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2010] [Accepted: 09/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosins beta 4 (Tβ4) is a member of the beta-thymosins family, a family of peptides playing essential roles in many cellular functions. Our recent studies suggested Tβ4 plays a key role in the development of human salivary glands and the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to analyse the presence of Tβ4 in the human adult and foetal genitourinary tract. Immunolocalization of Tβ4 was studied in autoptic samples of kidney, bladder, uterus, ovary, testicle and prostate obtained from four human foetuses and four adults. Presence of the peptide was observed in cells of different origin: in surface epithelium, in gland epithelial cells and in the interstitial cells. Tβ4 was mainly found in adult and foetal bladder in the transitional epithelial cells; in the adult endometrium, glands and stromal cells were immunoreactive for the peptide; Tβ4 was mainly localized in the glands of foetal prostate while, in the adults a weak Tβ4 reactivity was restricted to the stroma. In adult and foetal kidney, Tβ4 reactivity was restricted to ducts and tubules with completely spared glomeruli; a weak positivity was observed in adult and foetal oocytes; immunoreactivity was mainly localized in the interstitial cells of foetal and adult testis. In this study, we confirm that Tβ4 could play a relevant role during human development, even in the genitourinary tract, and reveal that immunoreactivity for this peptide may change during postnatal and adult life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Nemolato
- Dipartimento di Citomorfologia, Divisione di Anatomia Patologica, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Finkielstain GP, Forcinito P, Lui JCK, Barnes KM, Marino R, Makaroun S, Nguyen V, Lazarus JE, Nilsson O, Baron J. An extensive genetic program occurring during postnatal growth in multiple tissues. Endocrinology 2009; 150:1791-800. [PMID: 19036884 PMCID: PMC2659288 DOI: 10.1210/en.2008-0868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian somatic growth is rapid in early postnatal life but then slows and eventually ceases in multiple tissues. We hypothesized that there exists a postnatal gene expression program that is common to multiple tissues and is responsible for this coordinate growth deceleration. Consistent with this hypothesis, microarray analysis identified more than 1600 genes that were regulated with age (1 vs. 4 wk) coordinately in kidney, lung, and heart of male mice, including many genes that regulate proliferation. As examples, we focused on three growth-promoting genes, Igf2, Mest, and Peg3, that were markedly down-regulated with age. In situ hybridization revealed that expression occurred in organ-specific parenchymal cells and suggested that the decreasing expression with age was due primarily to decreased expression per cell rather than a decreased number of expressing cells. The declining expression of these genes was slowed during hypothyroidism and growth inhibition (induced by propylthiouracil at 0-5 wk of age) in male rats, suggesting that the normal decline in expression is driven by growth rather than by age per se. We conclude that there exists an extensive genetic program occurring during postnatal life. Many of the involved genes are regulated coordinately in multiple organs, including many genes that regulate cell proliferation. At least some of these are themselves apparently regulated by growth, suggesting that, in the embryo, a gene expression pattern is established that allows for rapid somatic growth of multiple tissues, but then, during postnatal life, this growth leads to negative-feedback changes in gene expression that in turn slow and eventually halt somatic growth, thus imposing a fundamental limit on adult body size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela P Finkielstain
- Developmental Endocrinology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1103, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Duong Van Huyen JP, Viltard M, Nehiri T, Freund N, Bélair MF, Martinerie C, Lelongt B, Bruneval P, Lelièvre-Pégorier M. Expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 is altered during nephrogenesis in fetuses from diabetic rats. J Transl Med 2007; 87:680-9. [PMID: 17496904 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.3700562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important physiological feature of normal growth and development. Recent studies have emphasized the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in normal mouse nephrogenesis. We have demonstrated previously in the rat that in utero exposure to maternal diabetes impairs renal development leading to a 30% reduction in the nephron number. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) are known to mediate high glucose effects on matrix degradation. The aim of the present study was to address the expression of type IV collagenase and TGF-beta1/CTGF systems in rat kidney during normal development and after in utero exposure to maternal diabetes. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA metanephric expressions and activities were dramatically downregulated in kidneys issued from diabetic fetuses and in metanephros cultured in the presence of high glucose concentration. TGF-beta1 and CTGF expressions were significantly enhanced in diabetic fetal kidneys and in high glucose cultured metanephroi. Conditioned media obtained from metanephroi grown with high glucose concentration upregulated functional TGF-beta activity in transfected ATDC5 cells. In conclusion, in impaired nephrogenesis resulting from in utero exposure to maternal diabetes, alteration of both type IV collagenase and TGF-beta1/CTGF systems may lead to abnormal remodeling of ECM, which may, in turn, induce defects in ureteral bud branching leading to the observed reduction in the nephron number with consequences later in life: progression of chronic renal disease and hypertension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Duong Van Huyen
- INSERM U652, IFR 58, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Université René Descartes (Paris 5), Paris, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|