Project description:We identified Fox1 and Foxc2 core transcription factors in kidney glomeruli. To investigate their transcriptional regulatory roles in glomeruli, we performed ChIPseq of Foxc1 and Foxc2 in adult mouse kidney glomeruli. The genome wide distribution of Foxc1/2 binding sites revealed they regulated the differentiation and mature state of adult podocyte to maintain kidney homeostatis.
Project description:The goal of this study was to identify transcriptomic changes of mouse glomeruli in mice with podocyte-specific deletion of Kruppel-like factor 4, a zinc-finger transcription factor.
Project description:We found that podocyte-specific bPIX deficient (KO) mice developed progressive proteinuria starting at ~8 weeks of age, and glomerulosclerosis and podocyte loss by 13 weeks of age. To investigate the mechanism of podocyte loss induced by bPIX deficiency, we analyzed mRNA expression by RNA-sequence using isolated glomeruli from control (CTRL) and KO mice.
Project description:Foxc1 and Foxc2 are highly expressed in adult podocytes. To bypass embryonic lethality of Foxc1 and Foxc2 KO, mice ubiquitously expressing inducible-Cre (ROSA26-CreERT2) were mated with floxed-Foxc1 and floxed-Foxc2 mice. We used microarrays to detail effects of deletions of Foxc1 and Foxc2 on podocyte gene expression profiles in adult podocyte in vivo and in vitro.
Project description:Podocytes are highly specialised cells within the glomeruli of the kidney that maintain the filtration barrier by forming interdigitating foot processes and slit-diaphragms. Disruption to these features result in proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. Studies into podocyte biology and disease have previously relied on conditionally immortalised cell lines due to the non- proliferative nature of this cell type. Here we describe an advanced model to study both podocyte and glomerular biology using isolated glomeruli from kidney organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells.
Project description:Quiescent stem cells are periodically activated to maintain tissue homeostasis or occasionally called into action upon injury. Molecular mechanisms that constitutively maintain stem cell identity or promote stem cell proliferation and differentiation upon activation have been extensively studied. However, it is unclear how quiescent stem cells maintain identity and reinforce quiescence when they transition from quiescence to activation. Here we show mouse hair follicle stem cell compartment induces a transcription factor, Foxc1, when activated. Importantly, deletion of Foxc1 in the activated but not quiescent stem cells compromises stem cell identity, fails to re-establish quiescence and subsequently drives premature stem cell activation.These findings uncover a dynamic, cell-intrinsic mechanism employed by hair follicle stem cells to reinforce stemness in response to activation. Poly(A)-enriched transcriptome RNA-seq on HFSCs isolated in WT and K14Cre cKO mice at anagen and early telogen stage of hair cycle.
Project description:We compared mRNA profiles of isolated glomeruli versus sorted podocytes between diabetic and control mice. IRG mice crossed with eNOS-/- mice were further bred with podocin-rTTA and TetON-Cre mice to permanently label podocytes before the diabetic injury. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin. mRNA profiles of isolated glomeruli and sorted podocytes from diabetic and control mice at 10 weeks after induction of diabetes were examined. Consistent with the previous reports, expression of podocyte-specific markers in the glomeruli were down-regulated in the diabetic mice compared to controls. However, these differences disappeared when mRNA levels were corrected for podocyte number per glomerulus. Interestingly, the expression of these markers was not altered in sorted podocytes from diabetic mice, suggesting that the reduced expression of podocyte markers in isolated glomeruli is likely a secondary effect of reduced podocyte number, rather than the loss of differentiation markers. Analysis of the differentially expressed genes in diabetic mice also revealed distinct up-regulated pathways in the glomeruli (mitochondrial function and oxidative stress) and podocytes (actin organization). In conclusion, our data suggest that podocyte-specific gene expression in transcriptome obtained from the whole glomeruli may not represent those of podocytes in the diabetic kidney. We compared mRNA profiles of isolated glomeruli versus sorted podocytes between diabetic and control mice.
Project description:Podocytes form filtration barrier through foot process around glomerualar basement membrane and selectively permit permeability of molecular smaller than albumin. Diabetes can cause podocyte pathological changes leading to high urine albumin level. Diabetic mouse model OVE26 has extremly high urine albumin and previously studies indicated its podocyte damaged. Here we try to find the key genes change in OVE26 diabetic mouse model podocyte by microarray assay while normal FVB mouse podocyte set as control. Podocyte eGFP transgenic mice were made on FVB background and crossbred to OVE26 diabetic model. Glomeruli isolated from OVE-GFP mice were digested by trypsin into signal cell. Podocytes with GFP were sorting out by FACS.
Project description:Quiescent stem cells are periodically activated to maintain tissue homeostasis or occasionally called into action upon injury. Molecular mechanisms that constitutively maintain stem cell identity or promote stem cell proliferation and differentiation upon activation have been extensively studied. However, it is unclear how quiescent stem cells maintain identity and reinforce quiescence when they transition from quiescence to activation. Here we show mouse hair follicle stem cell compartment induces a transcription factor, Foxc1, when activated. Importantly, deletion of Foxc1 in the activated but not quiescent stem cells compromises stem cell identity, fails to re-establish quiescence and subsequently drives premature stem cell activation.These findings uncover a dynamic, cell-intrinsic mechanism employed by hair follicle stem cells to reinforce stemness in response to activation.