GSE107273
Role of CD133 molecule in WNT response and renal repair
Renal repair after injury is dependent on clonal expansion of proliferation competent cells. In the human kidney, the expression of CD133+ characterizes a population of resident scattered cells with resistance to damage and ability to proliferate. However, the biological function of the CD133 molecule is unknown. We found by RNA sequencing that cells undergoing cisplatin damage lost the CD133 signature and acquired metanephric mesenchymal and regenerative genes such as SNAIL1, KLF4, SOX9 and WNT3. CD133 was reacquired in the recovery phase. Lack of CD133 was specifically correlated with deregulation of the Wnt signalling and E-cadherin pathway and, functionally, limited cell proliferation after injury. By immunoprecipitation, CD133 appeared to form a complex with E-cadherin and ß-catenin. In parallel, CD133-Kd cells showed lower ß-catenin levels in basal condition and after Wnt pathway activation and reduced TCF/LEF promoter activation in respect to CD133+ cells. Finally, the lack of CD133 impaired generation of nephrospheres while favored senescence. These data indicate that CD133 may act as a permissive factor for beta-catenin signalling, preventing its degradation in the cytoplasm. Therefore, CD133 itself appears to play a functional role in renal tubular repair trough maintenance of proliferative response and control of senescence. Overall design: Expression profiling by high-throughput sequencing