TIMP2 and TIMP3 have divergent roles in early renal tubulointerstitial injury

ABSTRACT: Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) are endogenous inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). While TIMP2 and TIMP3 inhibit MMPs, TIMP3 also inhibits activation of pro-MMP2 whereas TIMP2 promotes it. Here we assessed the differential role of TIMP2 and TIMP3 in renal injury using the unilateral ureteral obstruction model. Gene microarray assay showed that post-obstruction, the lack of TIMP3 had a greater impact on gene expression of intermediate, late injury- and repair-induced transcripts, kidney selective transcripts and solute carriers. Renal injury in TIMP3-/-, but not in TIMP2-/- mice increased expression of collagen type I/III, connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor-β and the downstream Smad2/3 pathway. Interestingly, ureteral obstruction markedly increased MMP2 activation in the kidneys of TIMP3-/- mice which was completely blocked in the kidneys of TIMP2-/- mice. These changes are consistent with enhanced renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in TIMP3-/- and its reduction in TIMP2-/- mice. The activity of tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme, caspase-3 and mitogen activated kinases were elevated in the kidneys of TIMP3-/- but not TIMP2-/- mice, suggesting enhanced activation of apoptotic and pathological signaling pathways only in the obstructed kidney of TIMP3-/- mice. Thus, TIMP2 and TIMP3 play differential and contrasting roles in renal injury, TIMP3 protects from damage whereas TIMP2 promotes injury through MMP2 activation. Kidneys from the wild type (WT), TIMP2-/- and TIMP3-/- mice undergoing sham or unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) procedures

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Zuocheng Wang 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-42303 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress