title: PIK3C3/VPS34, the class III PtdIns 3-kinase, plays indispensable roles in the podocyte.
abstract: The mammalian homolog of yeast Vps34 (PIK3C3/VPS34) is implicated in the regulation of autophagy, and recent studies have suggested that autophagy is a key mechanism in maintaining the integrity of renal glomerular podocytes. To date, however, the role of PIK3C3 in podocytes has remained unknown. We generated a line of podocyte-specific Pik3c3-knockout (Pik3c3 (pdKO) /mVps34 (pdKO) ) mice and demonstrated an indispensable role for PIK3C3 in the regulation of intracellular vesicle trafficking and processing to protect the normal cellular metabolism, structure and function of podocytes.
authors.affiliation: Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA USA. jchen@gru.edu
authors.forename: Jian-Kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D058546:Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D050199:Podocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D058546:Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
keywords: PIK3C3; VPS34; aberrant autophagosome; autophagy; glomerulosclerosis; podocyte vacuolization; proteinuria