title: RhoGTPase activation is a key step in renal epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation.
abstract: ESRD is characterized by an interstitial infiltrate of inflammatory cells in association with tubular atrophy, epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT), and interstitial fibrosis. Human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK2 cells) undergo EMT in response to activated PBMC conditioned medium (aPBMC-CM), showing acquisition of a fibroblastoid morphology, increased fibronectin-EDA (EDA) expression, loss of junctional E-cadherin localization, and cytokeratin 19 (K19) expression. The signaling pathway(s) that regulates EMT in response to aPBMC-CM is not well understood. This study shows that aPBMC-CM induces a rapid activation of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 activity in HK2 cells from 15 min to 48 h. Moreover, infection with adenovirus expressing constitutively active RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 significantly increased the expression of EDA and downregulated expression of E-cadherin and K19. Dominant negative RhoA expression suppressed aPBMC-CM-induced upregulation of EDA but did not restore the expression of E-cadherin and K19. Constitutively active RhoA activated the Rho kinase and its downstream effectors, whereas constitutively active Rac1 and Cdc42 activated the P21-activated protein kinase in epithelial cells. In further experiments, HK2 cells were treated with toxin B, exoenzyme C3, Y-27632, and HA1077. These strategies, inhibiting the Rho/Rho kinase pathway, as well as the Rac1/Cdc42/P21-activated protein kinase pathway, blocked transdifferentiation of HK2 cells in response to aPBMC-CM. To conclude, these results indicate that aPBMC-CM activates RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 and their downstream effectors, leading to HK2 cells undergoing transdifferentiation. Therefore, activation of small RhoGTPases is a key step in the mechanism of EMT and likely to be a contributor to tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Teijin Biomedical Laboratory, Medical Research Council Technology, 1-3 Burtonhole Lane, London, NW7 1AD, UK.
authors.forename: Sharmila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Ken-ichro
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Roger M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein