title: Secretion of ERP57 is important for extracellular matrix accumulation and progression of renal fibrosis, and is an early sign of disease onset.
abstract: Renal fibrosis is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), which compromises organ function by replacing normal organ tissue. The molecular mechanisms leading to renal fibrosis are not fully understood. Here we demonstrated that TGFβ1, AGT or PDGF stimulation of renal cells resulted in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress followed by activation of the protective unfolded protein response pathway and a high secretory level of protein disulfide isomerase ERP57 (also known as PDIA3). The TGFβ1-induced impairment of ER function could be reversed by treatment with BMP7, suggesting a specific involvement in renal fibrosis. A clear correlation between the degree of fibrosis, ER stress and the level of ERP57 could be seen in fibrosis animal models and in biopsies of renal fibrosis patients. Protein interaction studies revealed that secreted ERP57 exhibits a strong interaction with ECM proteins. Knockdown of ERP57 or antibody-targeted inhibition of the secreted form significantly impaired the secretion and accumulation of ECM. Moreover, ERP57 was excreted in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, and its level in urine correlated with the degree of renal fibrosis, suggesting that the secretion of ERP57 represents one of the first signs of renal fibrosis onset and progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Georg-August University Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany. dihazi@med.uni-goettingen.de
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dihazi
authors.forename: Gry Helene
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Dihazi
authors.forename: Asima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bibi
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eltoweissy
authors.forename: Claudia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Abdul R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubel
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasko
authors.forename: Gerhard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000235:genetics; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019704:Protein Disulfide-Isomerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D019704:Protein Disulfide-Isomerases; C085868:PDIA3 protein, human
keywords: ECM; ER stress; ERP57; Renal fibrosis; UPR