Mechanisms of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells During Peritoneal Dialysis

A growing body of evidence indicates that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) may play an important role in the development and progression of peritoneal fibrosis during long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) leading to failure of peritoneal membrane function. Here, we review our own observations and those of others on the mechanisms of EMT of HPMC and suggest potential therapeutic strategies to prevent EMT and peritoneal fibrosis during long-term PD. We found that high glucose and H2O2 as well as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induced EMT in HPMC and that high glucose-induced EMT was blocked not only by inhibition of TGF-β1 but also by antioxidants or inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Since MAPKs are downstream target molecules of reactive oxygen species (ROS), these data suggest that high glucose-induced generation of ROS and subsequent MAPK activation mediate high glucose-induced EMT in HPMC. We and others also observed that bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) prevented EMT in HPMC. Glucose degradation products (GDP) were shown to play a role in inducing EMT. Involvement of a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in TGF-β1-induced EMT has also been proposed in cultured HPMC. A better understanding of the precise mechanisms involved in EMT of HPMC may provide new therapeutic strategies for inhibiting peritoneal fibrosis in long-term PD patients

Novel Role of Endogenous Catalase in Macrophage Polarization in Adipose Tissue

Macrophages are important components of adipose tissue inflammation, which results in metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance. Notably, obesity induces a proinflammatory phenotypic switch in adipose tissue macrophages, and oxidative stress facilitates this switch. Thus, we examined the role of endogenous catalase, a key regulator of oxidative stress, in the activity of adipose tissue macrophages in obese mice. Catalase knockout (CKO) exacerbated insulin resistance, amplified oxidative stress, and accelerated macrophage infiltration into epididymal white adipose tissue in mice on normal or high-fat diet. Interestingly, catalase deficiency also enhanced classical macrophage activation (M1) and inflammation but suppressed alternative activation (M2) regardless of diet. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of catalase activity using 3-aminotriazole induced the same phenotypic switch and inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages. Finally, the same phenotypic switch and inflammatory responses were observed in primary bone marrow-derived macrophages from CKO mice. Taken together, the data indicate that endogenous catalase regulates the polarization of adipose tissue macrophages and thereby inhibits inflammation and insulin resistance

P0719SRC KINASES AGGRAVATE DIABETIC KIDNEY INJURY THROUGH ACTIVATION OF ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM STRESS

Abstract Background and Aims Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the major cause of end-stage kidney disease which is characterized by prominent kidney fibrosis. Src family kinases (SFKs), a family of proto-oncogenes, has been acknowledged to mediate the development of kidney fibrosis. While, several studies in liver and skeletal muscle suggested the role of Src kinases in activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of Src kinases-ER stress in mediating the progression of DKD. Method Type 1 diabetes was induced by a single 60 mg/kg i.p injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in 7-week-old male, Sprague-Dawley rats. Diabetic rats received 8-week-treatment of either KF-1607 (30 mg/kg/day), a pharmacological inhibitor of SFKs, or losartan (1 mg/kg/day), a standard treatment for patients with DKD. Results Among SFKs, Fyn and Lyn kinases were particularly increased in the diabetic kidney. Inhibition of Src kinases by KF-1607 improved kidney function and inhibited tubular injury, presented by decreased serum creatinine, albuminuria, and urinary KIM-1 excretion. Pathological changes in the kidney, such as enhanced glomerular volume, tuft area, and fractional mesangial area, were ameliorated in KF-treated rats. Highly-accumulated collagen network as well as increased TGF-β and α-SMA mRNA levels in the diabetic kidney were also significantly reduced in response to KF treatment. Furthermore, it consistently attenuated kidney inflammation and oxidative stress. The renoprotective effects of KF were interestingly similar to those of losartan. We showed increases in protein levels of phosphorylated IRE-1α, ATF6, GRP78 as well as CHOP indicating an exacerbated ER stress in the diabetic kidney. These ER stress markers were significantly decreased in KF treated mice. Conclusion Altogether, Src kinases through activation of ER stress aggravates kidney injury in STZ-induced diabetic rats. </jats:sec

P0710ADOJUKSAN AMELIORATES OBSTRUCTIVE KIDNEY INJURY IN MICE

Abstract Background and Aims Sarcopenia and physical inactivity synergistically progress in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Sarcopenia is also strongly associated with the risk of mortality in the end-stage kidney disease. Exercise improves skeletal muscle mass and strength, and PGC-1α is significantly upregulated in muscle after exercise. Since patients with CKD have physical limitation to exercise, the present study aimed to find natural compounds that mimic exercise. Dojuksan, a traditional decoction was confirmed to increase PGC-1α expression in c2c12 muscle cells. Method Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) surgery was performed in 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice to induce renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, a key feature of CKD. Either Dojuksan (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day) or losartan (1.5 mg/kg/day), a standard clinical treatment for CKD, was administered orally for 7 days, started one day prior to surgery. Phytochemicals of Dojuksan were identified by LC-MS analysis. Results UUO-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis were decreased by Dojuksan as much as losartan. Interestingly, Dojuksan significantly increased PGC-1α level and AKT phosphorylation in skeletal muscle of UUO mice. Losartan did not increase PGC-1α expression and AKT activation under our experimental condition. LC-MS analysis showed that the main compounds of Dojuksan were chlorogenic acid, liquiritigenin, akeboside, and glycyrrhizic acid. Conclusion These data suggest that Dojuksan may inhibit the progression of interstitial fibrosis possibly through mimicking exercise. </jats:sec

Reactive oxygen species as glucose signaling molecules in mesangial cells cultured under high glucose

Reactive oxygen species as glucose signaling molecules in mesangial cells cultured under high glucose.BackgroundOxidative stress is one of the important mediators of vascular complications in diabetes including nephropathy. High glucose (HG) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of glucose auto-oxidation, metabolism, and formation of advanced glycosylation end products. The concept of ROS-induced tissue injury has recently been revised with the appreciation of new roles for ROS in signaling pathways and gene expression.Methods and Results. High glucose rapidly generated dichlorofluorescein-sensitive cytosolic ROS in rat and mouse mesangial cells. Neither L-glucose nor 3-O-methyl-D-glucose increased cytosolic ROS and cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of glucose transporter, effectively inhibited HG-induced ROS generation, suggesting that glucose uptake and subsequent metabolism are required in HG-induced cytosolic ROS generation. H2O2 up-regulated fibronectin mRNA expression and protein synthesis; this up-regulation was effectively inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor or by depletion of PKC. The HG-induced generation of ROS was, in turn, related to activation of PKC and transcription factors nuclear factor-κ;B (NF-κ;B) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) as well as to the up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), fibronectin mRNA expression and protein synthesis, because antioxidants effectively inhibited HG-induced PKC, NF-κ;B, AP-1 activation, and TGF-β1 and fibronectin expression in mesangial cells cultured under HG.ConclusionsAlthough signal transduction pathways linking HG, ROS, PKC, transcription factors, and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein synthesis in mesangial cells have not been fully elucidated, the current data provide evidence that ROS generated by glucose metabolism may act as integral signaling molecules under HG as in other membrane receptor signaling