title: Cofilin-1 in the podocyte: a molecular switch for actin dynamics.
abstract: Studies by Garg et al. and Ashworth et al. investigated the functional relevance of a key regulatory protein, cofilin-1, for podocyte actin dynamics (Ashworth et al. in PLos One 5:e12626, 2010; Garg et al. in J Biol Chem 285:22676-22688, 2010). Using different model organisms (zebrafish or transgenic mice), both groups observed a collapse of the glomerular filtration barrier upon inactivation of cofilin-1. In elegant biochemical studies, Garg et al. established that cofilin-1 activity is regulated by nephrin, which is part of the slit diaphragm complex. Two feedback loops stabilize cofilin-1 in the phosphorylated versus dephosphorylated state. The novel findings render cofilin-1 activity as potential diagnostic marker for pathological changes in the podocyte cytoarchitecture.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Immunology, University Hospital of the Aachen University of Technology (RWTH), Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Marcus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moeller
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D051338:Cofilin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D050199:Podocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers; D051338:Cofilin 1