title: Cyclosporin A induces transcription of transforming growth factor beta in a cultured murine proximal tubular cell line.
abstract: One pathological feature of chronic cyclosporin A (Cs-A) nephrotoxicity is striped interstitial fibrosis, the pathogenesis of which is not completely understood. We have previously reported that Cs-A directly stimulates the synthesis of various collagens in a cultured murine proximal tubular cell line (MCT cells). In addition, we have recently observed that Cs-A stimulates the synthesis of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in MCT cells. To this end, we investigated whether Cs-A directly stimulates transcription of TGF-beta in this cell line. A single dose of 2,000 ng/ml Cs-A stimulates the expression of TGF-beta1 transcripts in MCT cells. This stimulation is abrogated in the presence of 150 and 250 ng/ml actinomycin D without significantly influencing basal mRNA expression, suggesting that the increase in mRNA is due to stimulated transcriptional activity. Furthermore, nuclear runoff experiments demonstrate that Cs-A directly stimulates the transcriptional activity of the TGF-beta1 gene in MCT cells. The results of transient transfection of reporter gene constructs containing regulatory elements of the murine TGF-beta1 promoter into MCT cells and subsequent treatment with Cs-A further suggest direct effects of Cs-A on TGF-beta1 gene transcription. This is the first report demonstrating Cs-A-mediated TGF-beta1 gene transcription in renal cells. Considering the well-known profibrogenic effects of TGF-beta, our results suggest a novel mechanism of Cs-A nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zahner
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Ziyadeh
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016572:Cyclosporine