Complement activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase in glomerular epithelial cells.
In the rat passive Heymann nephritis model of membranous nephropathy, complement C5b-9 induces sublethal glomerular epithelial cell (GEC) injury and proteinuria. C5b-9 activates cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)), and products of cPLA(2)-mediated phospholipid hydrolysis modulate GEC injury and proteinuria. In the present study, we demonstrate that C5b-9 activates c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in cultured rat GECs and that JNK activity is increased in glomeruli isolated from proteinuric rats with passive Heymann nephritis, as compared with control rats. Stable overexpression of cPLA(2) in GECs amplified complement-induced release of arachidonic acid (AA) and JNK activity, as compared with neo (control) GECs. Activation of JNK was not affected by indomethacin. Incubation of GECs with complement stimulated production of superoxide, and pretreatment with the antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, and alpha-tocopherol as well as with diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of the NADPH oxidase, inhibited complement-induced JNK activation. Conversely, H(2)O(2) activated JNK, whereas exogenously added AA stimulated both superoxide production and JNK activity. Overexpression of a dominant-inhibitory JNK mutant or treatment with diphenylene iodonium exacerbated complement-dependent GEC injury. Thus, activation of cPLA(2) and release of AA facilitate complement-induced JNK activation. AA may activate the NADPH oxidase, leading to production of reactive oxygen species, which in turn mediate the activation of JNK. The functional role of JNK activation is to limit or protect GECs from complement attack.
Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Hongwei
H
Peng
Tomoko
T
Takano
Joan
J
Papillon
Krikor
K
Bijian
Abdelkrim
A
Khadir
Andrey V
AV
Cybulsky
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000502:physiology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000276:immunology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054513:Group IV Phospholipases A2; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000502:physiology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000494:pharmacology
D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D007527:Isoenzymes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054513:Group IV Phospholipases A2