ppargc1a controls nephron segmentation during zebrafish embryonic kidney ontogeny

Nephron segmentation involves a concert of genetic and molecular signals that are not fully understood. Through a chemical screen, we discovered that alteration of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling disrupts nephron segmentation in the zebrafish embryonic kidney (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib61">Poureetezadi et al., 2016</xref>). Here, we show that the PPAR co-activator ppargc1a directs renal progenitor fate. ppargc1a mutants form a small distal late (DL) segment and an expanded proximal straight tubule (PST) segment. ppargc1a promotes DL fate by regulating the transcription factor tbx2b, and restricts expression of the transcription factor sim1a to inhibit PST fate. Interestingly, sim1a restricts ppargc1a expression to promote the PST, and PST development is fully restored in ppargc1a/sim1a-deficient embryos, suggesting Ppargc1a and Sim1a counterbalance each other in an antagonistic fashion to delineate the PST segment boundary during nephrogenesis. Taken together, our data reveal new roles for Ppargc1a during development, which have implications for understanding renal birth defects.

Defective water and glycerol transport in the proximal tubules of AQP7 knockout mice

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.

Maturation of rat proximal tubule chloride permeability

We have previously shown that neonate rabbit tubules have a lower chloride permeability but comparable mannitol permeability compared with adult proximal tubules. The surprising finding of lower chloride permeability in neonate proximals compared with adults impacts net chloride transport in this segment, which reabsorbs 60% of the filtered chloride in adults. However, this maturational difference in chloride permeability may not be applicable to other species. The present in vitro microperfusion study directly examined the chloride and mannitol permeability using in vitro perfused rat proximal tubules during postnatal maturation. Whereas there was no maturational change in mannitol permeability, chloride permeability was 6.3 ± 1.3 × 10−5 cm/s in neonate rat proximal convoluted tubule and 16.1 ± 2.3 × 10−5 cm/s in adult rat proximal convoluted tubule ( P < 0.01). There was also a maturational increase in chloride permeability in the rat proximal straight tubule (5.1 ± 0.6 × 10−5 cm/s vs. 9.3 ± 0.6 × 10−5 cm/s, P < 0.01). There was no maturational change in bicarbonate-to-chloride permeabilities ( PHCO3/ PCl) in the rat proximal straight tubules (PST) and proximal convoluted tubules (PCT) or in the sodium-to-chloride permeability ( PNa/ PCl) in the proximal straight tubule; however, there was a significant maturational decrease in proximal convoluted tubule PNa/ PCl with postnatal development (1.31 ± 0.12 in neonates vs. 0.75 ± 0.06 in adults, P < 0.001). There was no difference in the transepithelial resistance measured by current injection and cable analysis in the PCT, but there was a maturational decrease in the PST (7.2 ± 0.8 vs. 4.6 ± 0.1 Ω·cm2, P < 0.05). These studies demonstrate there are maturational changes in the rat paracellular pathway that impact net NaCl transport during development.

Developmental changes in rabbit proximal straight tubule paracellular permeability

The early proximal tubule preferentially reabsorbs organic solutes and bicarbonate over chloride ions, resulting in a luminal fluid with a higher chloride concentration than that in blood. From this late proximal tubular fluid, one-half of NaCl reabsorption by the adult proximal tubule is active and transcellular and one-half is passive and paracellular. The purpose of the present in vitro microperfusion study was to determine the characteristics of passive chloride transport and permeability properties of the adult and neonatal proximal straight tubules (PST). In tubules perfused with a late proximal tubular fluid, net passive chloride flux was 131.7 ± 37.7 pmol · mm−1 · min−1in adult tubules and −17.1 ± 23.3 pmol · mm−1 · min−1 in neonatal proximal tubules ( P < 0.01). Chloride permeability was 10.94 ± 5.21 × 10−5 cm/s in adult proximal tubules and −1.26 ± 1.84 × 10−5 cm/s in neonatal proximal tubules ( P< 0.05). Thus neonatal PST have a chloride permeability not different from zero and have no net passive chloride transport. Bicarbonate permeability is also less in neonates than adults in this segment (−0.07 ± 0.03 × 10−5 vs. 0.93 ± 0.27 × 10−5 cm/s, P < 0.01). Neonatal PST have higher sodium-to chloride and bicarbonate-to-chloride permeability ratios than adult PST. However, mannitol and sucrose permeabilities were not different in adult proximal tubules and neonatal PST. Transepithelial resistance was measured using current injection and cable analysis. The resistance was 6.7 ± 0.7 Ω · cm2 in adult tubules and 11.3 ± 1.4 Ω · cm2 in neonatal PST ( P < 0.01). In conclusion, there are significant maturational changes in the characteristics of the PST paracellular pathway affecting transport in this nephron segment.

Effects of 20-HETE and 19(S)-HETE on rabbit proximal straight tubule volume transport

The kidney has the highest abundance of cytochrome P-450 of all extrahepatic organs. Within the kidney, the highest concentration of cytochrome P-450 is found in the proximal tubule. Whether 20- or 19( S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE), the major P-450 metabolites of arachidonic acid in the proximal tubule, affect transport in this segment has not been previously investigated. We examined the direct effects of 20- and 19( S)-HETE on volume absorption ( J v) in the rabbit proximal straight tubule (PST). Production of 20-HETE by rabbit PST was demonstrated by incubating microdissected tubules with [3H]arachidonic acid and separating the lipid extract by HPLC. There was significant conversion of [3H]arachidonic acid to 20-HETE in control tubules that was inhibited by 10− 5 M N-methylsulfonyl-12,12-dibromododec-11-enamide (DDMS). Addition of exogenous 20-HETE had no effect on PST volume transport. However, inhibition of endogenous production of 20-HETE using DDMS stimulated transport. In the presence of DDMS, 20-HETE inhibited PST J v. 19( S)-HETE in the bathing solution stimulated PST J v alone and in the presence of DDMS. Thus ω- and ω-1-hydroxylase products of arachidonic acid have direct effects on PST transport. Endogenous production of 20-HETE may play a role in tonic suppression of transport and may therefore be an endogenous regulator of transport in the proximal tubule.

Maturation of proximal straight tubule NaCl transport: role of thyroid hormone

We have recently demonstrated that the rates of both active and passive proximal straight tubule (PST) NaCl transport in neonatal rabbits were less than in adults. In this segment NaCl entry across the apical membrane is via parallel Na+/H+ and Cl−/OH− exchangers, which increases in activity with maturation. The present in vitro microperfusion study examined whether thyroid hormone plays a role in the maturational increase in PST NaCl transport. Neonatal and adult PST were perfused with a high-chloride-low bicarbonate solution without organic solutes, simulating late proximal tubule fluid. Thyroid hormone-treated neonates had a higher rate of PST total and passive NaCl transport. In 8-wk-old animals that were hypothyroid since birth, the maturational increase in total and passive NaCl transport was prevented. Thyroid treatment for 4 days in hypothyroid 8-wk-old rabbits increased the rate of both total and passive NaCl transport. The maturational increases in both Na+/H+ and Cl−/OH− exchange activities were blunted in 8-wk-old hypothyroid animals and increased to control levels with thyroid treatment. This study demonstrates that thyroid hormone is a factor responsible for the maturational increase in both active and passive PST NaCl transport.