title: Mechanisms of angiotensin II signaling on cytoskeleton of podocytes.
abstract: Podocytes are significant in establishing the glomerular filtration barrier. Sustained rennin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation is crucial in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury and causes proteinuria. This study demonstrates that angiotensin II (Ang II) caused a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent rearrangement of cortical F-actin and a migratory phenotype switch in cultured mouse podocytes with stable Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) expression. Activated small GTPase Rac-1 and phosphorylated ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins provoked Ang II-induced F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling. This work also shows increased expression of Rac-1 and phosphorylated ERM proteins in cultured podocytes, and in glomeruli of podocyte-specific AT1R transgenic rats (Neph-hAT1 TGRs). The free radical scavenger DMTU eliminated Ang II-induced cell migration, ERM protein phosphorylation and cortical F-actin remodeling, indicating that ROS mediates the influence of Rac-1 on podocyte AT1R signaling. Heparin, a potent G-coupled protein kinase 2 inhibitor, was found to abolish ERM protein phosphorylation and cortical F-actin ring formation in Ang II-treated podocytes, indicating that phosphorylated ERM proteins are the cytoskeletal effector in AT1R signaling. Moreover, Ang II stimulation triggered down-regulation of alpha actinin-4 and reduced focal adhesion expression in podocytes. Signaling inhibitor assay of Ang II-treated podocytes reveals that Rac-1, RhoA, and F-actin reorganization were involved in expressional regulation of alpha actinin-4 in AT1R signaling. With persistent RAS activation, the Ang II-induced phenotype shifts from being dynamically stable to adaptively migratory, which may eventually exhaust podocytes with a high actin cytoskeletal turnover, causing podocyte depletion and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal Medicine and Nephrology, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Hsiang-Hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Endlich
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velic
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weide
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schlatter
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pavenstädt
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D048430:Cell Shape; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D050199:Podocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D000804:Angiotensin II
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