Protective effects of the mTOR inhibitor everolimus on cytoskeletal injury in human podocytes are mediated by RhoA signaling.

ABSTRACT: Podocytes are highly differentiated kidney cells playing an important role in maintaining the glomerular filtration barrier. Particularly, the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton is crucial as cytoskeletal damage associated with foot process effacement and loss of slit diaphragms constitutes a major aspect of proteinuria. Previously, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was linked to actin regulation and aberrant activity of the kinase was associated with renal disease. In this study, actin-related effects of mTOR inhibition by the immunosuppressant everolimus (EV) were investigated in human podocytes using an in vitro model of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) induced proteinuria. EV substantially recovered aberrant podocyte behavior by re-establishing a stationary phenotype with decrea

SUBMITTER: Jeruschke S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3572151 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature