title: The effect of connective tissue growth factor on human renal tubular epithelial cell transdifferentiation.
abstract: To investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in transdifferentiation of human renal tubular epithelial cell (HKC), in vitro cultured HKC cells were divided into 3 groups: negtive control, low dose CTGF-treated group (rh CTGF, 2.5 ng/ml) and high dose CTGF-treated (rhCTGF, 5.0 ng/ml). Then the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) were assessed by indirect immuno-fluorescence, and the percentage of alpha-SMA positive cells were assessed by flow cytometry. RT-PCR were also performed to examine the mRNA level of alpha-SMA. Upon the stimulation of different concentrations of rhCTGF, the expression of alpha-SMA were markedly stronger than that in negative controls. The percentages of alpha-SMA positive cells were significantly higher in the stimulated groups than that of negative controls (38.9%, 65.5% vs 2.4%, P<0.01). alpha-SMA mRNA levels were also up-regulated by the stimulation of rhCTGF (P<0.01). These results suggest that CTGF can promote the transdifferentiation of human renal tubular epithelial cells towards myofibroblast (Myo-F).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Anguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; C526317:CCN2 protein, human; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor