scholarly journals A tissue-bioengineering strategy for modeling rare human kidney diseases in vivo

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. O. R. Hernandez ◽  
X. Wang ◽  
M. Vazquez-Segoviano ◽  
M. Lopez-Marfil ◽  
M. F. Sobral-Reyes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
Transcriptional Signature ◽  
Disease Mechanisms ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
Experimental Approaches ◽  
Kidney Lesions ◽  
Kidney Organoids

AbstractThe lack of animal models for some human diseases precludes our understanding of disease mechanisms and our ability to test prospective therapies in vivo. Generation of kidney organoids from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) patient-derived-hiPSCs allows us to recapitulate a rare kidney tumor called angiomyolipoma (AML). Organoids derived from TSC2−/− hiPSCs but not from isogenic TSC2+/− or TSC2+/+ hiPSCs share a common transcriptional signature and a myomelanocytic cell phenotype with kidney AMLs, and develop epithelial cysts, replicating two major TSC-associated kidney lesions driven by genetic mechanisms that cannot be consistently recapitulated with transgenic mice. Transplantation of multiple TSC2−/− renal organoids into the kidneys of immunodeficient rats allows us to model AML in vivo for the study of tumor mechanisms, and to test the efficacy of rapamycin-loaded nanoparticles as an approach to rapidly ablate AMLs. Collectively, our experimental approaches represent an innovative and scalable tissue-bioengineering strategy for modeling rare kidney disease in vivo.

scholarly journals A Tissue-Bioengineering Strategy for Modeling Rare Human Kidney Diseases In Vivo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Hernandez ◽  
Xichi Wang ◽  
Miriam Vazquez-Segoviano ◽  
Maria Fernanda Sobral-Reyes ◽  
Alejandro Moran-Horowich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Modeling ◽  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Cystic Kidney Disease ◽  
Cystic Kidney ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
Mtor Inhibition ◽  
Transcriptional Signature ◽  
Kidney Organoids

The lack of animal models for certain human diseases precludes our understanding of disease mechanisms and our ability to test new therapies in vivo. Here we generated kidney organoids from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) patient-derived-hiPSCs to recapitulate a rare kidney tumor called angiomylipoma (AML). Organoids derived from TSC2-/- hiPSCs but not from isogenic TSC2+/- or TSC2+/+ hiPSCs shared a common transcriptional signature and a myomelanocytic cell phenotype with kidney AMLs, and developed epithelial cysts, replicating two major TSC-associated kidney lesions driven by genetic mechanisms that cannot be robustly and consistently recapitulated with transgenic mice. Transplantation of multiple TSC2-/- kidney organoids into the kidneys of immunodeficient rats allowed us to recapitulate AML and cystic kidney disease in vivo, in a scalable fashion and with fidelity, and to test the efficiency of rapamycin-loaded nanoparticles as a novel approach to ablate AMLs by inducing apoptosis triggered by mTOR-inhibition. Collectively, these methods represent a novel tissue-bioengineering strategy for rare disease modeling in vivo.

scholarly journals 3D kidney organoids for bench-to-bedside translation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navin Gupta✉ ◽  
Emre Dilmen ◽  
Ryuji Morizane
Keyword(s):  
Collecting Duct ◽  
Developmental Toxicity ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Duct Systems ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Induced Pluripotent ◽  
Kidney Organoids

Abstract The kidneys are essential organs that filter the blood, removing urinary waste while maintaining fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Current conventional research models such as static cell cultures and animal models are insufficient to grasp the complex human in vivo situation or lack translational value. To accelerate kidney research, novel research tools are required. Recent developments have allowed the directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells to generate kidney organoids. Kidney organoids resemble the human kidney in vitro and can be applied in regenerative medicine and as developmental, toxicity, and disease models. Although current studies have shown great promise, challenges remain including the immaturity, limited reproducibility, and lack of perfusable vascular and collecting duct systems. This review gives an overview of our current understanding of nephrogenesis that enabled the generation of kidney organoids. Next, the potential applications of kidney organoids are discussed followed by future perspectives. This review proposes that advancement in kidney organoid research will be facilitated through our increasing knowledge on nephrogenesis and combining promising techniques such as organ-on-a-chip models.

scholarly journals Organoid single-cell profiling identifies a transcriptional signature of glomerular disease

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Harder ◽  
Rajasree Menon ◽  
Edgar A. Otto ◽  
Jian Zhou ◽  
Sean Eddy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Gene Expression Signature ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Glomerular Disease ◽  
Podocyte Injury ◽  
Compensation Mechanisms ◽  
Kidney Organoids

ABSTRACTPodocyte injury is central to many forms of kidney disease, but transcriptional signatures reflecting podocyte injury and compensation mechanisms are challenging to analyze in vivo. Human kidney organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), a new model for disease and regeneration, present an opportunity to explore the transcriptional plasticity of podocytes. Here, transcriptional profiling of over 12,000 single cells from human PSC-derived kidney organoid cultures was used to identify robust and reproducible cell-lineage gene expression signatures shared with developing human kidneys based on trajectory analysis. Surprisingly, the gene expression signature characteristic of developing glomerular epithelial cells was also observed in glomerular tissue from a kidney disease cohort. This signature correlated with proteinuria and inverse eGFR, and was confirmed in an independent podocytopathy cohort. Three genes in particular were further identified as critical components of the glomerular disease signature. We conclude that cells in human PSC-derived kidney organoids reliably recapitulate the developmental transcriptional program of podocytes and other cell lineages in the human kidney, and that the early transcriptional profile seen in developing podocytes is reactivated in glomerular disease. Our findings demonstrate an innovative approach to identifying novel molecular programs involved in the pathogenesis of glomerulopathies.

scholarly journals Maturation of Nephrons by Implanting hPSC-Derived Kidney Progenitors Under Kidney Capsules of Unilaterally Nephrectomized Mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Yu ◽  
Shan Jiang ◽  
Kailin Li ◽  
Xianzhen Yang ◽  
Zhihe Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Modeling ◽  
Vascular System ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Mice Model ◽  
Immunodeficient Mice ◽  
Filtration Barrier ◽  
Kidney Organoids

Abstract Background Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSCs)-derived kidney organoids may contribute to disease modeling and generation of kidney replacement tissues. However, realization of such applications requires the induction of hPSCs into functional mature organoids. One of the key questions for this process is whether a specific vascular system exists for nephrogenesis. Our previous study showed that implantation of hPSC-derived organoids below the kidney capsules of unilaterally nephrectomized immunodeficient mice for a short-term (2 weeks) resulted in the enlargement of organoids and production of vascular cells, although signs of maturation were lacking. Methods In this study, organoids are induced in vitro during 15 days and then sub-capsularly grafted into kidneys, we used the same unilaterally nephrectomized immunodeficient mice model to examine whether a medium -term (4 weeks) implantation could improve organoid maturation and vascularization, as evaluated by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). Results We demonstrate that after 2–4 weeks implantation, implanted renal organoids can form host-derived vascularization and mature in the absence of any exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor. Glomerular filtration barrier maturation was evidenced by glomerular basement membrane deposition, perforated glomerular endothelial cell development, as well as apical to basal podocyte polarization. A polarized monolayer epithelium and extensive brush border were also observed for tubular epithelial cells. Conclusions Our results indicate that the in vivo microenvironment is important for the maturation of human kidney organoids. Stromal expansion and a reduction of nephron structures were observed following longer-term (12 weeks) implantation,suggesting effects on off-target cells during the induction process. Accordingly, induction efficiency and transplantation models should be improved in the future.

scholarly journals Interleukin-1β Activates a MYC-Dependent Metabolic Switch in Kidney Stromal Cells Necessary for Progressive Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1690-1705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario R. Lemos ◽  
Michael McMurdo ◽  
Gamze Karaca ◽  
Julia Wilflingseder ◽  
Irina A. Leaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Metabolic Switch ◽  
Metabolic Derangement ◽  
Sequestosome 1 ◽  
Kidney Organoids

Background Kidney injury is characterized by persisting inflammation and fibrosis, yet mechanisms by which inflammatory signals drive fibrogenesis remain poorly defined.Methods RNA sequencing of fibrotic kidneys from patients with CKD identified a metabolic gene signature comprising loss of mitochondrial and oxidative phosphorylation gene expression with a concomitant increase in regulators and enzymes of glycolysis under the control of PGC1α and MYC transcription factors, respectively. We modeled this metabolic switch in vivo, in experimental murine models of kidney injury, and in vitro in human kidney stromal cells (SCs) and human kidney organoids.Results In mice, MYC and the target genes thereof became activated in resident SCs early after kidney injury, suggesting that acute innate immune signals regulate this transcriptional switch. In vitro, stimulation of purified human kidney SCs and human kidney organoids with IL-1β recapitulated the molecular events observed in vivo, inducing functional metabolic derangement characterized by increased MYC-dependent glycolysis, the latter proving necessary to drive proliferation and matrix production. MYC interacted directly with sequestosome 1/p62, which is involved in proteasomal degradation, and modulation of p62 expression caused inverse effects on MYC expression. IL-1β stimulated autophagy flux, causing degradation of p62 and accumulation of MYC. Inhibition of the IL-1R signal transducer kinase IRAK4 in vivo or inhibition of MYC in vivo as well as in human kidney organoids in vitro abrogated fibrosis and reduced tubular injury.Conclusions Our findings define a connection between IL-1β and metabolic switch in fibrosis initiation and progression and highlight IL-1β and MYC as potential therapeutic targets in tubulointerstitial diseases.

scholarly journals Human Urine as a Noninvasive Source of Kidney Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Oliveira Arcolino ◽  
Agnès Tort Piella ◽  
Elli Papadimitriou ◽  
Benedetta Bussolati ◽  
Daniel J. Antonie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Kidney Cells ◽  
Proximal Tubule Cells ◽  
Disease Mechanisms ◽  
Viable Cells ◽  
Novel Drug

Urine represents an unlimited source of patient-specific kidney cells that can be harvested noninvasively. Urine derived podocytes and proximal tubule cells have been used to study disease mechanisms and to screen for novel drug therapies in a variety of human kidney disorders. The urinary kidney stem/progenitor cells and extracellular vesicles, instead, might be promising for therapeutic treatments of kidney injury. The greatest advantages of urine as a source of viable cells are the easy collection and less complicated ethical issues. However, extensive characterization andin vivostudies still have to be performed before the clinical use of urine-derived kidney progenitors.

scholarly journals Kidney Organoids as a Novel Platform to Evaluate Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Acute Kidney Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weitao Zhang ◽  
Ruochen Qi ◽  
Tingting Li ◽  
Xuepeng Zhang ◽  
Yi Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Acute Kidney Injury ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Kidney Cells ◽  
Pathological Changes ◽  
Kidney Organoids

Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is a life-threatening syndrome. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a widely used inducer for modeling SA-AKI both in vivo and in vitro. However, due to the innate complexity of the kidney architecture, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SA-AKI, as well as those involved in LPS-induced kidney injury remain to be clarified. Kidney organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) act as a model of multiple types of kidney cells in vitro and eliminate potential confounders in vivo. In the current study, we established LPS-induced kidney injury models both in vivo and in human kidney organoids. Kidney function, pathological changes, and markers of oxidative stress were evaluated with/without the presence of methylprednisolone (MP) treatment both in vivo and in vitro. The extent of LPS-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in kidney organoids was further investigated in vitro. LPS-induced acute kidney injury in mice, together with pathological changes and increased oxidative stress, as well as enhanced apoptosis in kidney cells were evaluated. These phenomena were ameliorated by MP treatment. Experiments in kidney organoids showed that the LPS-induced apoptotic effects occurred mainly in podocytes and proximal tubular cells. Our experiments demonstrated the efficacy of using kidney organoids as a solid platform to study LPS-induced kidney injury. LPS induced oxidative stress as well as apoptosis in kidney cells independently of changes in perfusion or immune cell infiltration. MP treatment partially alleviated LPS-induced injury by reducing kidney cell oxidative stress and apoptosis.

scholarly journals Modeling oxidative injury response in human kidney organoids

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Przepiorski ◽  
Thitinee Vanichapol ◽  
Eugenel B. Espiritu ◽  
Amanda E. Crunk ◽  
Emily Parasky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Organic Anion ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Mitochondrial Morphology ◽  
Tubular Atrophy ◽  
Kidney Fibrosis ◽  
Kidney Organoids

Abstract BackgroundPersistent acute kidney injury (AKI) leads to tubular atrophy, kidney fibrosis, and, if severe enough, chronic kidney disease (CKD). A common feature of AKI is the generation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damage cells and induce inflammation. MethodsHuman kidney organoids were treated with hemin, an iron-containing porphyrin derived from lysed red blood cells, that generates ROS in disease settings such as rhabdomyolysis, sepsis and ischemia reperfusion leading to AKI. In addition, we developed an induced pluripotent stem cell line expressing the biosensor, CytochromeC-GFP (CytoC-GFP), which provides a real-time readout of mitochondrial morphology, health, and early apoptotic events. ResultsWe found that hemin-treated kidney organoids show oxidative damage, increased expression of injury markers, impaired functionality of organic anion and cation transport and undergo fibrosis. Tubule injury could be detected in live CytoC-GFP organoids by cytoplasmic localization of fluorescence. Finally, we show that 4-(phenylthio)butanoic acid, an HDAC inhibitor with anti-fibrotic effects in vivo , reduces hemin-induced human kidney organoid fibrosis. ConclusionTogether this work establishes a hemin-induced model of kidney organoid injury and fibrosis as a new model to study renal repair and a human platform for developing AKI therapeutics.

scholarly journals Efficient Gene Transfer to Kidney Mesenchymal Cells Using a Synthetic Adeno-Associated Viral Vector

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 2287-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichiro Ikeda ◽  
Zhao Sun ◽  
Xiao Ru ◽  
Luk H. Vandenberghe ◽  
Benjamin D. Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Viral Vector ◽  
Mesangial Cells ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Mesenchymal Cells ◽  
Kidney Fibrosis ◽  
Kidney Organoids

BackgroundAfter injury, mesenchymal progenitors in the kidney interstitium differentiate into myofibroblasts, cells that have a critical role in kidney fibrogenesis. The ability to deliver genetic material to myofibroblast progenitors could allow new therapeutic approaches to treat kidney fibrosis. Preclinical and clinical studies show that adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) efficiently and safely transduce various tissue targets in vivo; however, protocols for transduction of kidney mesenchymal cells have not been established.MethodsWe evaluated the transduction profiles of various pseudotyped AAV vectors expressing either GFP or Cre recombinase reporters in mouse kidney and human kidney organoids.ResultsOf the six AAVs tested, a synthetic AAV called Anc80 showed specific and high-efficiency transduction of kidney stroma and mesangial cells. We characterized the cell specificity, dose dependence, and expression kinetics and showed the efficacy of this approach by knocking out Gli2 from kidney mesenchymal cells by injection of Anc80-Cre virus into either homozygous or heterozygous Gli2-floxed mice. After unilateral ureteral obstruction, the homozygous Gli2-floxed mice had less fibrosis than the Gli2 heterozygotes had. We observed the same antifibrotic effect in β-catenin–floxed mice injected with Anc80-Cre virus before obstructive injury, strongly supporting a central role for canonical Wnt signaling in kidney myofibroblast activation. Finally, we showed that the Anc80 synthetic virus can transduce the mesenchymal lineage in human kidney organoids.ConclusionsThese studies establish a novel method for inducible knockout of floxed genes in mouse mesangium, pericytes, and perivascular fibroblasts and are the foundation for future gene therapy approaches to treat kidney fibrosis.

Role of Methylglyoxal in Diabetic Cardiovascular and Kidney Diseases: Insights from Basic Science for Application into Clinical Practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (26) ◽  
pp. 3072-3083 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sowndramalingam Sankaralingam ◽  
Angham Ibrahim ◽  
MD Mizanur Rahman ◽  
Ali H. Eid ◽  
Shankar Munusamy
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Kidney Diseases ◽  
Vascular Dysfunction ◽  
Dicarbonyl Compound ◽  
Renal Complications ◽  
Lysine Residues ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
Prevalence Of Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus are increasing globally at alarming rates. Cardiovascular and renal complications are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. Methylglyoxal (MG) - a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound – is increased in patients with diabetes and has been implicated to play a detrimental role in the etiology of cardiovascular and renal complications. Derived from glucose, MG binds to arginine and lysine residues in proteins, and the resultant end products serve as surrogate markers of MG generation in vivo. Under normal conditions, MG is detoxified by the enzyme glyoxalase 1 (Glo1), using reduced glutathione as a co-factor. Elevated levels of MG is known to cause endothelial and vascular dysfunction, oxidative stress and atherosclerosis; all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, MG has also been shown to cause pathologic structural alterations and impair kidney function. Conversely, MG scavengers (such as N-acetylcysteine, aminoguanidine or metformin) or Nrf2/Glo1 activators (such as trans-resveratrol / hesperetin) are shown to be useful in preventing MG-induced cardiovascular and renal complications in diabetes. However, clinical evidence supporting the MG lowering properties of these agents are limited and hence, need further investigation. Conclusion: Reducing MG levels directly using scavengers or indirectly via activation of Nrf2/Glo1 may serve as a novel and potent therapeutic strategy to counter the deleterious effects of MG in diabetic complications.

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