title: AEG-1 participates in high glucose-induced activation of Rho kinase and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in proximal tubular epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prove whether astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) plays a role in high glucose-stimulated Rho kinase activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human renal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The protein levels of AEG-1, alpha-smooth muscle actin, E-cadherin and MYPT1 were determined by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AEG-1 protein level was upregulated in HK-2 cells stimulated with high glucose. AEG-1 siRNA downregulated Rho kinase protein expression and blocked high glucose-induced EMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that AEG-1 acts a key role in high glucose-induced activation of Rho kinase and EMT in HK-2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China; Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Ning
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China. Electronic address: wjl525@163.com.
authors.forename: Jia-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Hainan Health Department, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Mao-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570311, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
keywords: Astrocyte elevated gene-1; Epithelial–mesenchymal transition; High glucose; Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis; Rho kinase