Nephrin expression is increased in anti-Thy1.1-induced glomerulonephritis in rats.
Nephrin is an important constituent of the glomerular filtration barrier and alteration of its expression is associated with severe proteinuria. In this study we show that injection of an anti-Thy1.1 antibody in rats not only induces a mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with increased proteinuria, but also leads to a sustained increase of nephrin mRNA and protein expression in renal glomeruli over a time period of 29 days. In contrast, podocin and CD2AP, two proteins shown to interact with nephrin in the slit diaphragm, are acutely downregulated at days 3-7 and, thereafter, recovered again to normal levels after 29 days. Interestingly, immunofluorescence staining of kidney sections at day 10 of the disease shows a highly heterogeneous pattern, in that some podocytes show complete absence of nephrin, whereas others show highly accumulated staining for nephrin compared to control sections, which in total results in an increased level of nephrin per glomerulus. In summary, our data show that in the course of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis in rats, an upregulation of nephrin expression occurs with a concomitant transient downregulation of podocin and CD2AP which may account for a highly dysregulated filtration barrier and increased proteinuria.
Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik D, Wilhelm Universität Münster, Albert Schweitzer Str.33, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
Liliana
L
Schaefer
Shuyu
S
Ren
Roland M
RM
Schaefer
Daniel
D
Mihalik
Andrea
A
Babelova
Andrea
A
Huwiler
Josef
J
Pfeilschifter
D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D048430:Cell Shape; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*
D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D000906:Antibodies; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C407223:NPHS2 protein; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; C113267:nephrin