Project description:Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a uremic toxin and ligand of the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), a transcriptional regulator. Elevated serum IS may contribute to the progression of kidney disease. Therefore, we assessed mouse podocyte damage mediated by IS. Ahr was predominantly localized to the podocyte nucleus in vivo and in vitro. In isolated glomeruli, IS-exposure for 2 – 24 h induced Cyp1a1 expression, the most sensitive biomarker of Ahr activation. Mice exposed to IS for 4–8 weeks exhibited microalbuminuria, and mild glomerular injury characterized by ischemic changes, partial podocyte foot process effacement, as well as vascular and tubulointerstitial damage. Chronically IS-exposed kidneys exhibited decreased mRNA, decreased protein levels, and altered staining patterns for podocin, synaptopodin, and non-muscle myosin IIA (Myh9). Immortalized podocytes, upon differentiation, exhibited Ahr nuclear translocation beginning 30 min after 1 mM IS-exposure. At 2 h, there was a dose-dependent decrease in podocyte mRNA expression of WT1, Podxl, Snypo, Myh9, Actn4, and Cd2ap. After 24 h of exposure to IS, podocytes were smaller, had fewer actin/Myh9 fibers, and decreased viability. Ahr-RNAi decreased mRNA expression of podocyte-specific proteins and inhibited Cyp1a1 induction by IS-exposure. Combinations of Ahr-RNAi and IS-exposure further decreased Myh9 expression. In immortalized human podocytes, IS treatment caused cell injury, decreased mRNA expression of podocyte-specific proteins, integrins, collagens, cytoskeletal proteins, and bone morphogenetic proteins, and increased cytokine and chemokine expression. Thus, chronic IS-exposure causes glomerular damage by activating Ahr, altering podocyte function, differentiation, and morphology, and inducing a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Podocyte cells treated with Indoxyl sulfate, a uremic toxin and aryl-hydrocarbon receptor ligand, mediates progressive glomerular disease by damaging podocytes Human podocyte cell line treated with or without 3-Indoxyl sulfate (1mM/0.1%DMSO) in three replications
Project description:Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a uremic toxin and ligand of the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), a transcriptional regulator. Elevated serum IS may contribute to the progression of kidney disease. Therefore, we assessed mouse podocyte damage mediated by IS. Ahr was predominantly localized to the podocyte nucleus in vivo and in vitro. In isolated glomeruli, IS-exposure for 2 – 24 h induced Cyp1a1 expression, the most sensitive biomarker of Ahr activation. Mice exposed to IS for 4–8 weeks exhibited microalbuminuria, and mild glomerular injury characterized by ischemic changes, partial podocyte foot process effacement, as well as vascular and tubulointerstitial damage. Chronically IS-exposed kidneys exhibited decreased mRNA, decreased protein levels, and altered staining patterns for podocin, synaptopodin, and non-muscle myosin IIA (Myh9). Immortalized podocytes, upon differentiation, exhibited Ahr nuclear translocation beginning 30 min after 1 mM IS-exposure. At 2 h, there was a dose-dependent decrease in podocyte mRNA expression of WT1, Podxl, Snypo, Myh9, Actn4, and Cd2ap. After 24 h of exposure to IS, podocytes were smaller, had fewer actin/Myh9 fibers, and decreased viability. Ahr-RNAi decreased mRNA expression of podocyte-specific proteins and inhibited Cyp1a1 induction by IS-exposure. Combinations of Ahr-RNAi and IS-exposure further decreased Myh9 expression. In immortalized human podocytes, IS treatment caused cell injury, decreased mRNA expression of podocyte-specific proteins, integrins, collagens, cytoskeletal proteins, and bone morphogenetic proteins, and increased cytokine and chemokine expression. Thus, chronic IS-exposure causes glomerular damage by activating Ahr, altering podocyte function, differentiation, and morphology, and inducing a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Podocyte cells treated with Indoxyl sulfate, a uremic toxin and aryl-hydrocarbon receptor ligand, mediates progressive glomerular disease by damaging podocytes
Project description:The urea channel Slc14a2 (or UT-A1) mediates vasopressin-regulated urea transport across the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD). Previously, UT-A1 was found to present in a high molecular weight complex, suggesting UT-A1 is involved in certain protein-protein interactions. The present study sought to identify the proteins that interact with UT-A1 in this complex for a better understanding of how UT-A1 is regulated. Rat IMCD suspensions were treated with or without V2 receptor agonist, dDAVP, followed by in-cell crosslinking using BSOCOES and detergent solubilization. Immunoprecipitation using Dynabeads coated with UT-A1 specific antibody successfully pulled down the UT-A1 proteins. In-gel digestion protocol was carried out to prepare samples for liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry analysis of tryptic peptides using a Velos-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The peptides passing stringent spectral quality thresholds were quantified (label-free) to identify those with (UTA-1 antibody/preimmune IgG) >4. A total of 128 UT-A1 interacting proteins were identified. Gene Ontology analysis maps the distribution of these proteins throughout major cell compartments: endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, endosomes, cytosol and plasma membrane. Among them are four protein kinases (Cdc42bpb, Phkb, Camk2d, Mtor) that play roles in vasopressin-regulated phosphorylation of UT-A1. Non-label quantification was also performed to determine the stoichiometry of UT-A3 with UT-A1, the result does not support an oligomeric complex formation of UT-A1/A3. In conclusion, we have provided a refined list of UT-A1 binding proteins which can be useful for further analysis of the vasopressin signaling pathway in regulation of UT-A1 in IMCD.
Project description:Uremic pruritus (UP) is one of the common symptoms in patients with uremia, and its etiology and mechanism have not been fully understood. In view of the high incidence of UP, finding the specific changed proteins in blood of UP patients will help revealing the potential biological mechanisms of UP and explore biomarkers. In this study, LC-MS/MS based data independent acquisition (DIA) mode was used to analyze the serum samples of 54 UP patients (DKD-UP, HN-UP and GN-UP, n=18 for each), 18 uremic patients without pruritus (Negative) and 18 CKD patients without pruritus (CKD).
Project description:In this study we mutated the ecsAB operon in two different Staphylococcus aureus strains, Newman and LS-1, and performed a wide characterization of phenotypic effects of the mutations. A growth defect, increased autolysis and lysostaphin sensitivity, decreased levels of cell wall proteins and altered cell surface texture indicate that Ecs deficiency causes significant changes in the cell wall. The precursor form of staphylokinase was released into the wall in an Ecs-dependent manner. Pathogenicity of the ecs mutants was studied with a mouse arthritis model. Mice inoculated with ecs mutants developed markedly milder infections than when inoculated with the wild-type strains, as was illustrated by a lower mortality, less weight loss, decreased persistence of staphylococci in the kidneys and a milder arthritis. DNA microarray analysis revealed that inactivation of Ecs in S. aureus Newman caused either up-regulation or down-regulation of genes encoding various membrane transport proteins, particularly ABC transporters and phosphate-specific transport (PST) systems. Differentially expressed were also several genes encoding proteins involved in virulence, including the virulence factor regulator protein Rot, protein A, adhesins and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins. Furthermore, the susceptibility of ecs mutant to ribosomal antibiotics as well as the chelerythrine and sanguinarine plant alkaloids was increased. WT and ecsA mutant strains were hybridized at 3 and 6 hours of growth in rich medium (4-replicates)
Project description:Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) is the main virulence factor produced by Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) responsible for hemorrhagic colitis and the life-threatening sequela hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Project description:Ecs is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter present in aerobic and facultative anaerobic gram-positive Firmicutes. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis Ecs causes pleiotropic changes in the bacterial phenotype including inhibition of intramembrane proteolysis. The molecule(s) transported by Ecs is (are) still unknown. In this study we mutated the ecsAB operon in two Staphylococcus aureus strains, Newman and LS-1. Phenotypic and functional characterization of these Ecs deficient mutants revealed a defect in growth, increased autolysis and lysostaphin sensitivity, altered composition of cell wall proteins including the precursor form of staphylokinase and an altered bacterial surface texture. DNA microarray analysis indicated that the Ecs deficiency changed expression of the virulence factor regulator protein Rot accompanied by differential expression of membrane transport proteins, particularly ABC transporters and phosphate-specific transport systems, protein A, adhesins and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins. Virulence of the ecs mutants was studied in a mouse model of hematogenous S. aureus infection. Mice inoculated with the ecs mutant strains developed markedly milder infections than those inoculated with the wild-type strains and had consequently lower mortality, less weight loss, milder arthritis and decreased persistence of staphylococci in the kidneys. The ecs mutants had higher susceptibility to ribosomal antibiotics and plant alkaloids chelerythrine and sanguinarine. Our results show that Ecs is essential for staphylococcal virulence and antimicrobial resistance probably since the transport function of Ecs is essential for the normal structure and function of the cell wall. Thus targeting Ecs may be a new approach in combating staphylococcal infection.
Project description:The objective of the present study is to explore the role of human MSC derived adipocytes transduced with/without lenti adipo-NaKtide or lenti adipo-scrambled NaKtide in experimental uremic cardiomyopathy. We investigated the pathophysiological changes in recipient mice that underwent partial nephrectomy surgery, as a model of uremic cardiomyopathy, and implanted with NaKtide transfected human MSC derived adipocytes. We aimed to demonstrate that adipocyte specific NaKtide reprograms the adipocyte phenotype and transplantation of these metabolically healthy adipocytes in diseased condition exhibits improved systemic and cardiovascular function, through intra-organ crosstalk.