title: The dysregulated glomerular cell growth in Denys-Drash syndrome.
abstract: While diffuse mesangial sclerosis is traditionally described as being the glomerulopathy of Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS), the podocyte proliferative lesions may be overlooked in these DDS cases. In the present study, an evolving process is extrapolated from a selected case of DDS that demonstrated glomerulopathy with conspicuous podocyte proliferation. The observation that podocytes express proliferation markers (Ki67, proliferating-cell nuclear antigen and topoisomerase IIalpha) in non-proliferative, mature-looking glomeruli suggests an initial pathogenic act to activate or to keep podocytes from quiescence. The subsequent proliferation of podocytes is in keeping with downregulation of WT1 and cyclin kinase inhibitors of p16 and p21. The emergence of cytokeratin-positive cells in glomeruli that show typical mesangial sclerosis implies elimination of podocytes and replacement with tubular and/or parietal epithelial cells. The final scene of evolving glomerulopathy displays apoptosis and expression of Fas-L and Bax in sclerotic mesangial lesions, which eventually end up with global sclerosis. This novel concept of DDS glomerulopathy implies complex molecular mechanisms involved in glomerular injury.
authors.affiliation: Ultrastructural and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ahyang@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors.forename: An Hang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jinn Yang
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Be Fun
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D030321:Denys-Drash Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C494826:BAX protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D025721:WT1 Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II