Shuta Ishibe

Phosphorylation-Dependent Paxillin-ERK Association Mediates Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Stimulated Epithelial Morphogenesis

Activation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-met results in the regulation of cell-matrix interactions, including the MAPK-dependent stimulation of epithelial cell morphogenesis. In the present study we demonstrate that HGF stimulates the localization of ERK to sites of cell-matrix interactions and that this is mediated by the tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent association of inactive ERK and the focal adhesion complex protein paxillin. In addition, paxillin was found to associate with the upstream MAP kinases Raf and MEK, resulting in a complex that can mediate localized ERK activation. Mutation of the ERK binding site in paxillin prevented HGF-stimulated ERK-paxillin association and eliminated HGF-induced cell spreading and branching process formation. These experiments reveal that paxillin-dependent ERK activation at sites of cell-matrix interaction is critical for HGF-stimulated epithelial morphogenesis.

Cyst formation and activation of the extracellular regulated kinase pathway after kidney specific inactivation of Pkd1

Polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) results from failure of the kidney to properly maintain three-dimensional structure after loss of either polycystin-1 or -2. Mice with kidney selective inactivation of Pkd1 during embryogenesis develop profound renal cystic disease and die from renal failure within 3 weeks of birth. In this model, cysts form exclusively from cells in which Cre recombinase is active, but the apparent pace of cyst expansion varies by segment and cell type. Intercalated cells do not participate in cyst expansion despite the presence of cilia up to at least postnatal day 21. Cystic segments show a persistent increase in proliferation as determined by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation; however, the absolute proliferative index is dependent on the underlying proliferative potential of kidney tubule cells. Components of the extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway from Ras through MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 to the effector P90(RSK) are activated in both perinatal Pkd1 and adult Pkd2 ortholgous gene disease models. The pattern of MAPK/ERK activation is focal and does not correlate with the pattern of active proliferation identified by BrdU uptake. The possibility of a causal relationship between ERK1/2 activation and cyst cell proliferation was assessed in vivo in the acute perinatal Pkd1 model of ADPKD using MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. U0126 treatment had no effect on progression of cyst formation in this model at doses sufficient to reduce phospho-ERK1/2 in cystic kidneys. Cysts in ADPKD exhibit both increased proliferation and activation of MAPK/ERK, but cyst growth is not prevented by inhibition of ERK1/2 activation.

Methods of assessment of volume status and intercompartmental fluid shifts in hemodialysis patients: implications in clinical practice.

Determining dry weight and assessing extracellular fluid volume in hemodialysis (HD) patients is one of the greatest challenges to practicing nephrologists. The clinical examination has limited accuracy, so different strategies have been investigated to aid in this evaluation. Biochemical markers of volume overload (ANP, BNP, cGMP) are fraught with excessive variability and poor correlation with volume status. Inferior vena cava ultrasound is effective, but cumbersome and costly. Bioimpedance measurements of intra‐ and extracellular water have significant shortcomings when used as isolated measurements, but can be useful in following trends over time and have been shown to improve intradialytic symptoms and blood pressure control. Continuous blood volume monitoring is helpful in preventing intradialytic hypotension and may help identify patients who are volume overloaded and need increased ultrafiltration. In this review we discuss these different techniques and other developments in the evaluation of dry weight and volume status, which may enhance our ability to improve patient stability and well‐being during HD sessions.

Met and the epidermal growth factor receptor act cooperatively to regulate final nephron number and maintain collecting duct morphology

Ureteric bud (UB) branching during kidney development determines the final number of nephrons. Although hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor Met have been shown to stimulate branching morphogenesis in explanted embryonic kidneys, loss of Met expression is lethal during early embryogenesis without obvious kidney abnormalities. Metfl/fl;HoxB7-Cre mice, which lack Met expression selectively in the UB, were generated and found to have a reduction in final nephron number. These mice have increased Egf receptor expression in both the embryonic and adult kidney, and exogenous Egf can partially rescue the branching defect seen in kidney explants. Metfl/fl;HoxB7-Cre;wa-2/wa-2 mice, which lack normal Egfr and Met signaling, exhibit small kidneys with a marked decrease in UB branching at E14.5 as well as a reduction in final glomerular number. These mice developed progressive interstitial fibrosis surrounding collecting ducts with kidney failure and death by 3-4 weeks of age. Thus, in support of previous in vitro findings, Met and the Egf receptor can act cooperatively to regulate UB branching and mediate maintenance of the normal adult collecting duct.

Role of dynamin, synaptojanin, and endophilin in podocyte foot processes

Podocytes are specialized cells that play an integral role in the renal glomerular filtration barrier via their foot processes. The foot processes form a highly organized structure, the disruption of which causes nephrotic syndrome. Interestingly, several similarities have been observed between mechanisms that govern podocyte organization and mechanisms that mediate neuronal synapse development. Dynamin, synaptojanin, and endophilin are functional partners in synaptic vesicle recycling via interconnected actions in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and actin dynamics in neurons. A role of dynamin in the maintenance of the kidney filtration barrier via an action on the actin cytoskeleton of podocytes was suggested. Here we used a conditional double-KO of dynamin 1 (Dnm1) and Dnm2 in mouse podocytes to confirm dynamins role in podocyte foot process maintenance. In addition, we demonstrated that while synaptojanin 1 (Synj1) KO mice and endophilin 1 (Sh3gl2), endophilin 2 (Sh3gl1), and endophilin 3 (Sh3gl3) triple-KO mice had grossly normal embryonic development, these mutants failed to establish a normal filtration barrier and exhibited severe proteinuria due to abnormal podocyte foot process formation. These results strongly implicate a protein network that functions at the interface between endocytosis and actin at neuronal synapses in the formation and maintenance of the kidney glomerular filtration barrier.

Inhibition of Podocyte FAK Protects against Proteinuria and Foot Process Effacement

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in cell motility. Movement and retraction of podocyte foot processes, which accompany podocyte injury, suggest focal adhesion disassembly. To understand better the mechanisms by which podocyte foot process effacement leads to proteinuria and kidney failure, we studied the function of FAK in podocytes. In murine models, glomerular injury led to activation of podocyte FAK, followed by proteinuria and foot process effacement. Both podocyte-specific deletion of FAK and pharmacologic inactivation of FAK abrogated the proteinuria and foot process effacement induced by glomerular injury. In vitro, podocytes isolated from conditional FAK knockout mice demonstrated reduced spreading and migration; pharmacologic inactivation of FAK had similar effects on wild-type podocytes. In conclusion, FAK activation regulates podocyte foot process effacement, suggesting that pharmacologic inhibition of this signaling cascade may have therapeutic potential in the setting of glomerular injury.

Epithelial-mesenchymal-epithelial cycling in kidney repair.

Purpose of reviewTubule repair following acute kidney injury involves epithelial de-differentiation followed by cell migration and proliferation and eventual re-differentiation. This review describes our understanding of how that process is regulated. Recent findingsEpithelial de-differentiation after kidney injury or in epithelial culture systems is controlled by secreted factors such as transforming growth factor β and hepatocyte growth factor as well as cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. These surface signals stimulate intracellular signaling via the mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphoinositide-3-kinase, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways that in turn activate the morphologic and transcriptional events involved in cell spreading, migration, and proliferation. As cell confluency increases during the repair process, and the factors stimulating de-differentiation are suppressed, these morphogenic programs are downregulated and signals to promote re-differentiation are activated. SummaryThis review focuses on the underlying molecular mechanism of epithelial de-differentiation and re-differentiation in tubule repair in vivo and formation in vitro, thus giving insight into possible strategies for improving recovery following acute kidney injury and preventing progression to chronic kidney disease.

Transgenic expression of human APOL1 risk variants in podocytes induces kidney disease in mice

African Americans have a heightened risk of developing chronic and end-stage kidney disease, an association that is largely attributed to two common genetic variants, termed G1 and G2, in the APOL1 gene. Direct evidence demonstrating that these APOL1 risk alleles are pathogenic is still lacking because the APOL1 gene is present in only some primates and humans; thus it has been challenging to demonstrate experimental proof of causality of these risk alleles for renal disease. Here we generated mice with podocyte-specific inducible expression of the APOL1 reference allele (termed G0) or each of the risk-conferring alleles (G1 or G2). We show that mice with podocyte-specific expression of either APOL1 risk allele, but not of the G0 allele, develop functional (albuminuria and azotemia), structural (foot-process effacement and glomerulosclerosis) and molecular (gene-expression) changes that closely resemble human kidney disease. Disease development was cell-type specific and likely reversible, and the severity correlated with the level of expression of the risk allele. We further found that expression of the risk-variant APOL1 alleles interferes with endosomal trafficking and blocks autophagic flux, which ultimately leads to inflammatory-mediated podocyte death and glomerular scarring. In summary, this is the first demonstration that the expression of APOL1 risk alleles is causal for altered podocyte function and glomerular disease in vivo.

Podocyte-associated talin1 is critical for glomerular filtration barrier maintenance

Podocytes are specialized actin-rich epithelial cells that line the kidney glomerular filtration barrier. The interface between the podocyte and the glomerular basement membrane requires integrins, and defects in either α3 or β1 integrin, or the α3β1 ligand laminin result in nephrotic syndrome in murine models. The large cytoskeletal protein talin1 is not only pivotal for integrin activation, but also directly links integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we found that mice lacking talin1 specifically in podocytes display severe proteinuria, foot process effacement, and kidney failure. Loss of talin1 in podocytes caused only a modest reduction in β1 integrin activation, podocyte cell adhesion, and cell spreading; however, the actin cytoskeleton of podocytes was profoundly altered by the loss of talin1. Evaluation of murine models of glomerular injury and patients with nephrotic syndrome revealed that calpain-induced talin1 cleavage in podocytes might promote pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome. Furthermore, pharmacologic inhibition of calpain activity following glomerular injury substantially reduced talin1 cleavage, albuminuria, and foot process effacement. Collectively, these findings indicate that podocyte talin1 is critical for maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier and provide insight into the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome.

Cell Confluence Regulates Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Stimulated Cell Morphogenesis in a β-Catenin-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT Following organ injury, morphogenic epithelial responses can vary depending on local cell density. In the present study, the role of cell confluence in determining the responsiveness of renal epithelial cells to the dedifferentiating morphogenic signals of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was examined. Increasing confluence resulted in a greater tendency of cells to organize into epithelial tubes and a significant decrease in migratory responsiveness to HGF. Analysis of downstream signaling revealed that the HGF receptor c-Met was equally activated in confluent and nonconfluent cells following HGF stimulation but that phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent activation of Akt and Rac were selectively diminished in confluent cells. In nonconfluent cells treated with HGF, the high level of Akt activation resulted in inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) and increased β-catenin nuclear signaling. In contrast, confluent cells, in which HGF-stimulated Akt activation was diminished, displayed less inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3β and less nuclear signaling by β-catenin. Overexpression of β-catenin (SA), which cannot be phosphorylated by GSK-3β and targeted for ubiquitination, significantly increased migration in fully confluent cells. Thus, cells maintained at high confluence selectively downregulate signaling events such as Rac activation and β-catenin-dependent transcription that would otherwise promote cell dedifferentiation and migration.