title: Important role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 in ischemic acute kidney injury.
abstract: We investigated the role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine were significantly higher in ASK1+/+ mice than in ASK1-/- mice after I/R injury. Renal histology of ASK1+/+ mice showed significantly greater tubular necrosis and degradation. In ASK1-/- mice, phosphorylation of ASK1, JNK, and p38K, and the number of TUNEL-positive cells and infiltrated leukocytes decreased after I/R injury. Apoptotic changes were significantly decreased in cultured renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) from ASK1-/- mice under hypoxic condition. Transfection with dominant-active ASK1 induced apoptosis in TECs. Protein expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was significantly weaker in ASK1-/- mice after I/R injury. Transfection with dominant negative-ASK1 significantly decreased MCP-1 production in TECs. These results demonstrated that ASK1 is activated in I/R-induced AKI, and blockage of ASK1 attenuates renal tubular apoptosis, MCP-1 expression, and renal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Blood Purification, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 5-45, Yushima 1-chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan. yterada.kid@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoshita
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwana
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okado
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichijo
authors.forename: Sei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5