scholarly journals Loss of Histone H3 K79 Methyltransferase Dot1l Facilitates Kidney Fibrosis by Upregulating Endothelin 1 through Histone Deacetylase 2

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Long Zhang ◽  
Lihe Chen ◽  
Chao Gao ◽  
Enuo Chen ◽  
Andrea R. Lightle ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe progression rate of CKD varies substantially among patients. The genetic and epigenetic contributions that modify how individual patients respond to kidney injury are largely unknown. Emerging evidence has suggested that histone H3 K79 methyltransferase Dot1l has an antifibrotic effect by repressing Edn1, which encodes endothelin 1 in the connecting tubule/collecting duct.MethodsTo determine if deletion of the Dot1l gene is a genetic and epigenetic risk factor through regulating Edn1, we studied four groups of mice: wild-type mice, connecting tubule/collecting duct–specific Dot1l conditional knockout mice (Dot1lAC), Dot1l and Edn1 double-knockout mice (DEAC), and Edn1 connecting tubule/collecting duct–specific conditional knockout mice (Edn1AC), under three experimental conditions (streptozotocin-induced diabetes, during normal aging, and after unilateral ureteral obstruction). We used several approaches (colocalization, glutathione S-transferase pulldown, coimmunoprecipitation, yeast two-hybrid, gel shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays) to identify and confirm interaction of Dot1a (the major Dot1l splicing variant in the mouse kidney) with histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), as well as the function of the Dot1a-HDAC2 complex in regulating Edn1 transcription.ResultsIn each case, Dot1lAC mice developed more pronounced kidney fibrosis and kidney malfunction compared with wild-type mice. These Dot1lAC phenotypes were ameliorated in the double-knockout DEAC mice. The interaction between Dot1a and HDAC2 prevents the Dot1a-HDAC2 complex from association with DNA, providing a counterbalancing mechanism governing Edn1 transcription by modulating H3 K79 dimethylation and H3 acetylation at the Edn1 promoter.ConclusionsOur study confirms Dot1l to be a genetic and epigenetic modifier of kidney fibrosis, reveals a new mechanism regulating Edn1 transcription by Dot1a and HDAC2, and reinforces endothelin 1 as a therapeutic target of kidney fibrosis.

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 6303-6310 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Yu ◽  
M A Gorovsky

Although quantitatively minor replication-independent (replacement) histone variants have been found in a wide variety of organisms, their functions remain unknown. Like the H3.3 replacement variants of vertebrates, hv2, an H3 variant in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila, is synthesized and deposited in nuclei of nongrowing cells. Although hv2 is clearly an H3.3-like replacement variant by its expression, sequence analysis indicates that it evolved independently of the H3.3 variants of multicellular eukaryotes. This suggested that it is the constitutive synthesis, not the particular protein sequence, of these variants that is important in the function of H3 replacement variants. Here, we demonstrate that the gene (HHT3) encoding hv2 or either gene (HHT1 or HHT2) encoding the abundant major H3 can be completely knocked out in Tetrahymena. Surprisingly, when cells lacking hv2 are starved, a major histone H3 mRNA transcribed by the HHT2 gene, which is synthesized little, if at all, in wild-type nongrowing cells, is easily detectable. Both HHT2 and HHT3 knockout strains show no obvious defect during vegetative growth. In addition, a mutant with the double knockout of HHT1 and HHT3 is viable while the HHT2 HHT3 double-knockout mutant is not. These results argue strongly that cells require a constitutively expressed H3 gene but that the particular sequence being expressed is not critical.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenia M. Yazlovitskaya ◽  
Erin Plosa ◽  
Fabian Bock ◽  
Olga M. Viquez ◽  
Glenda Mernaugh ◽  
...  

The main laminin (LM)-binding integrins α3β1, α6β1 and α6β4 are co-expressed in the developing kidney collecting duct (CD) system. We previously showed that deleting the integrin α3 or α6 subunit in the ureteric bud (UB), which gives rise to the kidney collecting system, caused either a mild or no branching morphogenesis phenotype, respectively. To determine whether these two integrin subunits co-operate in kidney CD development, we deleted α3 and α6 in the developing UB. The collecting system of the double knockout phenocopied the α3 integrin conditional knockout. However, with age the mice developed severe inflammation and fibrosis around the CDs resulting in kidney failure. Integrin α3α6 null CD epithelial cells showed increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and displayed mesenchymal characterisitcs causing loss of barrier function. These features resulted from increased NF-κB activity, which regulated the Snail/Slug transcription factors and their downstream targets. These data suggest that LM-binding integrins play a key role in the maintenance of kidney tubule epithelial cell polarity and decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by regulating NF-κB-dependent signaling.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (28) ◽  
pp. eaba7232
Author(s):  
Nange Jin ◽  
Zhijing Zhang ◽  
Joyce Keung ◽  
Sean B. Youn ◽  
Munenori Ishibashi ◽  
...  

Mouse photoreceptors are electrically coupled via gap junctions, but the relative importance of rod/rod, cone/cone, or rod/cone coupling is unknown. Furthermore, while connexin36 (Cx36) is expressed by cones, the identity of the rod connexin has been controversial. We report that FACS-sorted rods and cones both express Cx36 but no other connexins. We created rod- and cone-specific Cx36 knockout mice to dissect the photoreceptor network. In the wild type, Cx36 plaques at rod/cone contacts accounted for more than 95% of photoreceptor labeling and paired recordings showed the transjunctional conductance between rods and cones was ~300 pS. When Cx36 was eliminated on one side of the gap junction, in either conditional knockout, Cx36 labeling and rod/cone coupling were almost abolished. We could not detect direct rod/rod coupling, and cone/cone coupling was minor. Rod/cone coupling is so prevalent that indirect rod/cone/rod coupling via the network may account for previous reports of rod coupling.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 1555-1568
Author(s):  
Chunyan Hu ◽  
Jayalakshmi Lakshmipathi ◽  
Deborah Stuart ◽  
Janos Peti-Peterdi ◽  
Georgina Gyarmati ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe physiologic role of renomedullary interstitial cells, which are uniquely and abundantly found in the renal inner medulla, is largely unknown. Endothelin A receptors regulate multiple aspects of renomedullary interstitial cell function in vitro.MethodsTo assess the effect of targeting renomedullary interstitial cell endothelin A receptors in vivo, we generated a mouse knockout model with inducible disruption of renomedullary interstitial cell endothelin A receptors at 3 months of age.ResultsBP and renal function were similar between endothelin A receptor knockout and control mice during normal and reduced sodium or water intake. In contrast, on a high-salt diet, compared with control mice, the knockout mice had reduced BP; increased urinary sodium, potassium, water, and endothelin-1 excretion; increased urinary nitrite/nitrate excretion associated with increased noncollecting duct nitric oxide synthase-1 expression; increased PGE2 excretion associated with increased collecting duct cyclooxygenase-1 expression; and reduced inner medullary epithelial sodium channel expression. Water-loaded endothelin A receptor knockout mice, compared with control mice, had markedly enhanced urine volume and reduced urine osmolality associated with increased urinary endothelin-1 and PGE2 excretion, increased cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression, and decreased inner medullary aquaporin-2 protein content. No evidence of endothelin-1–induced renomedullary interstitial cell contraction was observed.ConclusionsDisruption of renomedullary interstitial cell endothelin A receptors reduces BP and increases salt and water excretion associated with enhanced production of intrinsic renal natriuretic and diuretic factors. These studies indicate that renomedullary interstitial cells can modulate BP and renal function under physiologic conditions.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (12) ◽  
pp. 2789-2798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinwei Du ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
Xiangzi Han ◽  
Cindy Cheng ◽  
...  

Abstract Cited2 is a transcriptional modulator involved in various biologic processes including fetal liver hematopoiesis. In the present study, the function of Cited2 in adult hematopoiesis was investigated in conditional knockout mice. Deletion of Cited2 using Mx1-Cre resulted in increased hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) apoptosis, loss of quiescence, and increased cycling, leading to a severely impaired reconstitution capacity as assessed by 5-fluorouracil treatment and long-term transplantation. Transcriptional profiling revealed that multiple HSC quiescence- and hypoxia-related genes such as Egr1, p57, and Hes1 were affected in Cited2-deficient HSCs. Because Cited2 is a negative regulator of HIF-1, which is essential for maintaining HSC quiescence, and because we demonstrated previously that decreased HIF-1α gene dosage partially rescues both cardiac and lens defects caused by Cited2 deficiency, we generated Cited2 and HIF-1α double-knockout mice. Additional deletion of HIF-1α in Cited2-knockout BM partially rescued impaired HSC quiescence and reconstitution capacity. At the transcriptional level, deletion of HIF-1α restored expression of p57 and Hes1 but not Egr1 to normal levels. Our results suggest that Cited2 regulates HSC quiescence through both HIF-1–dependent and HIF-1–independent pathways.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanbo Wu ◽  
Changlong An ◽  
Xiaogao Jin ◽  
Zhaoyong Hu ◽  
Yanlin Wang

AbstractCirculating cells have a pathogenic role in the development of hypertensive nephropathy. However, how these cells infiltrate into the kidney are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of CXCR6 in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)/salt-induced inflammation and fibrosis of the kidney. Following uninephrectomy, wild-type and CXCR6 knockout mice were treated with DOCA/salt for 3 weeks. Blood pressure was similar between wild-type and CXCR6 knockout mice at baseline and after treatment with DOCA/salt. Wild-type mice develop significant kidney injury, proteinuria, and kidney fibrosis after three weeks of DOCA/salt treatment. CXCR6 deficiency ameliorated kidney injury, proteinuria, and kidney fibrosis following treatment with DOCA/salt. Moreover, CXCR6 deficiency inhibited accumulation of bone marrow–derived fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in the kidney following treatment with DOCA/salt. Furthermore, CXCR6 deficiency markedly reduced the number of macrophages and T cells in the kidney after DOCA/salt treatment. In summary, our results identify a critical role of CXCR6 in the development of inflammation and fibrosis of the kidney in salt-sensitive hypertension.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (2) ◽  
pp. G143-G150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willemijntje A. Hoogerwerf ◽  
Vahakn B. Shahinian ◽  
Germaine Cornélissen ◽  
Franz Halberg ◽  
Jonathon Bostwick ◽  
...  

Human bowel movements usually occur during the day and seldom during the night, suggesting a role for a biological clock in the regulation of colonic motility. Research has unveiled molecular and physiological mechanisms for biological clock function in the brain; less is known about peripheral rhythmicity. This study aimed to determine whether clock genes such as period 1 ( per1) and period2 ( per2) modulate rhythmic changes in colonic motility. Organ bath studies, intracolonic pressure measurements, and stool studies were used to examine measures of colonic motility in wild-type and per1per2 double-knockout mice. To further examine the mechanism underlying rhythmic changes in circular muscle contractility, additional studies were completed in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) knockout mice. Intracolonic pressure changes and stool output in vivo, and colonic circular muscle contractility ex vivo, are rhythmic with greatest activity at the start of night in nocturnal wild-type mice. In contrast, rhythmicity in these measures was absent in per1per2 double-knockout mice. Rhythmicity was also abolished in colonic circular muscle contractility of wild-type mice in the presence of Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and in nNOS knockout mice. These findings suggest that rhythms in colonic motility are regulated by both clock genes and a nNOS-mediated inhibitory process and suggest a connection between these two mechanisms.


2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (6) ◽  
pp. F1195-F1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eisei Sohara ◽  
Tatemitsu Rai ◽  
Jun-ichi Miyazaki ◽  
A. S. Verkman ◽  
Sei Sasaki ◽  
...  

The aquaporin-7 (AQP7) water channel is known as a member of the aquaglyceroporins, which facilitate the transport of glycerol as well as water. Although AQP7 is abundantly expressed on the apical membrane of the proximal straight tubules in the kidney, the physiological role of AQP7 is still unknown. To investigate this, we generated AQP7 knockout mice. The water permeability of the proximal tubule brush-border membrane measured by the stopped-flow method was slightly but significantly reduced in the AQP7 knockout mice compared with that of wild-type mice (AQP7, 18.0 ± 0.4 × 10−3 cm/s vs. wild-type, 20.0 ± 0.3 × 10−3 cm/s). Although AQP7 solo-knockout mice did not exhibit a urinary concentrating defect, AQP1/AQP7 double-knockout mice had a reduction in urinary concentrating ability compared with AQP1 solo-knockout mice, suggesting that the amount of water reabsorbed through AQP7 in the proximal straight tubules is physiologically substantial. On the other hand, AQP7 knockout mice showed marked glyceroluria (AQP7, 1.7 ± 0.34 mg/ml vs. wild-type, 0.005 ± 0.002 mg/ml). This identified a novel glycerol reabsorption pathway in the proximal straight tubules. In two mouse models of proximal straight tubule injury, the cisplatin-induced acute renal failure (ARF) model and the ischemic ARF model, an increase in urine glycerol was observed (pretreatment, 0.007 ± 0.005 mg/ml; cisplatin, 0.063 ± 0.043 mg/ml; ischemia, 0.076 ± 0.02 mg/ml), suggesting that urine glycerol could be used as a new biomarker for detecting proximal straight tubule injury.


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