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Hansen KUI, Siegerist F, Daniel S, Schindler M, Iervolino A, Blumenthal A, Daniel C, Amann K, Zhou W, Endlich K, Endlich N. Prolonged podocyte depletion in larval zebrafish resembles mammalian focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis. FASEB J 2020; 34:15961-15974. [PMID: 33070374 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000724r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a histological pattern frequently found in patients with nephrotic syndrome that often progress to end-stage kidney disease. The initial step in development of this histologically defined entity is injury and ultimately depletion of podocytes, highly arborized interdigitating cells on the glomerular capillaries with important function for the glomerular filtration barrier. Since there are still no causal therapeutic options, animal models are needed to develop new treatment strategies. Here, we present an FSGS-like model in zebrafish larvae, an eligible vertebrate model for kidney research. In a transgenic zebrafish strain, podocytes were depleted, and the glomerular response was investigated by histological and morphometrical analysis combined with immunofluorescence staining and ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy. By intravenous injection of fluorescent high-molecular weight dextran, we confirmed leakage of the size selective filtration barrier. Additionally, we observed severe podocyte foot process effacement of remaining podocytes, activation of proximal tubule-like parietal epithelial cells identified by ultrastructural cytomorphology, and expression of proximal tubule markers. These activated cells deposited extracellular matrix on the glomerular tuft which are all hallmarks of FSGS. Our findings indicate that glomerular response to podocyte depletion in larval zebrafish resembles human FSGS in several important characteristics. Therefore, this model will help to investigate the disease development and the effects of potential drugs in a living organism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Florian Siegerist
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sophie Daniel
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Maximilian Schindler
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Anna Iervolino
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Biogem Research Institute Gaetano Salvatore, Ariano Irpino, Italy
| | - Antje Blumenthal
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christoph Daniel
- Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Amann
- Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Weibin Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Karlhans Endlich
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nicole Endlich
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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