scholarly journals Ergosterol Ameliorates Diabetic Nephropathy by Attenuating Mesangial Cell Proliferation and Extracellular Matrix Deposition via the TGF-β1/Smad2 Signaling Pathway

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhonghua Dong ◽  
Yueyue Sun ◽  
Guangwei Wei ◽  
Siying Li ◽  
Zhongxi Zhao

(1) Background: Diabetic nephropathy, a microvascular complication of diabetes, is one of the principal causes of end-stage renal disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of ergosterol on diabetic nephropathy. (2) Methods: Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced C57BL/6 diabetic mice were treated with ergosterol (10, 20, 40 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks by oral gavage. The in vitro study employed rat mesangial cells exposed to 30 mM glucose for 48 h in the presence of 10 or 20 μM ergosterol. (3) Results: Ergosterol treatment improved body weights, ameliorated the majority of biochemical and renal functional parameters and histopathological changes, and reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in diabetic mice. In vitro, ergosterol suppressed proliferation, reduced the levels of ECM proteins, and increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in high glucose-induced mesangial cells; Furthermore, ergosterol markedly improved transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression, enhanced phosphorylation levels of drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic 2 (Smad2), and regulated the downstream factors in vivo and in vitro. (4) Conclusions: Ergosterol alleviated mesangial cell proliferation and the subsequent ECM deposition by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad2 signaling pathway.

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7003
Author(s):  
Jung Joo Yoon ◽  
Hyeon Kyoung Lee ◽  
Hye Yoom Kim ◽  
Byung Hyuk Han ◽  
Ho Sub Lee ◽  
...  

Abnormal and excessive growth of mesangial cells is important in the pathophysiologic processes of diabetes-associated interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, leading to diabetic nephropathy, which eventually turns into end-stage renal disease. Sauchinone, a biologically-active lignan isolated from aerial parts of Saururus chinensis, has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities effects on various cell types. However, there are no studies reporting the effects of sauchinone on diabetic nephropathy. The present study aims to investigate the role of sauchinone in mesangial cell proliferation and fibrosis induced by angiotensin II, as well as the underlying mechanisms of these processes. Human renal mesangial cells were induced by angiotensin II (AngII, 10 μM) in the presence or absence of sauchinone (0.1–1 μM) and incubated for 48 h. In this study, we found that AngII induced mesangial cell proliferation, while treatment with sauchinone inhibited the cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with sauchinone induced down-regulation of cyclins/CDKs and up-regulation of CDK inhibitor, p21, and p27kip1 expression. In addition, AngII-enhanced expression of fibrosis biomarkers such as fibronectin, collagen IV, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), which was markedly attenuated by sauchinone. Sauchinone also decreased AngII-induced TGF-β1 and Smad-2, Smad-3, and Smad-4 expression. This study further revealed that sauchinone ameliorated AngII-induced mesangial inflammation through disturbing activation of inflammatory factors, and NLRP3 inflammasome, which is composed of the NLRP3 protein, procaspase-1, and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC). Moreover, pretreatment of sauchinone inhibited NF-κB translocation and ROS production in AngII-exposed mesangial cells. These data suggest that sauchinone has a protective effect on renal proliferation, fibrosis and inflammation. Therefore, sauchinone might be a potential pharmacological agent in prevention of AngII-induced renal damage leading to diabetic nephropathy.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youichi Sugenoya ◽  
Ashio Yoshimura ◽  
Hisako Yamamura ◽  
Kiyoko Inui ◽  
Hiroyuki Morita ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT. The basic or h1 calponin gene, which encodes an actin-binding protein involved in the regulation of smooth-muscle shortening velocity, is known to be a smooth-muscle differentiation-specific gene. It was found that basic calponin was expressed by cultured mesangial cells and localized along the actin filaments. Among the growth factors involved in the mesangial cell pathophysiology, including platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor–β1 (TGF-β1), TNF-α potently downregulates basic calponin expression in both the mRNA and protein levels, whereas TGF-β1 upregulates the calponin expression. PDGF-BB also reduced its mRNA expression. The half-life of basic calponin mRNA was determined to be similar between TNF-α–treated and –untreated mesangial cells, whereas cell transfection assays that used a luciferase reporter gene construct containing the functional basic calponin promoter showed that TNF-α and PDGF-BB reduced the transcriptional activity. Because stimulation with TNF-α and PDGF-BB was associated with mesangial cell proliferation, basic calponin may play a role in the suppression of mesangial cell proliferation. Treatment with anti–glomerular basement membrane antibody in calponin knockout mice induced more severe nephritis than in wild type mice, as judged from an increase in the urinary protein excretion, glomerular cellularity, and number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen–positive cells in glomerulus. These results suggest that basic calponin expression may serve as one of the intrinsic regulators of glomerular nephritis. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms for regulation of the basic calponin expression in mesangial cells may improve the understanding of the molecular basis and pathogenesis of the glomerular response to injury.


Author(s):  
Xun Fang ◽  
Jun Hu ◽  
Hongyan Zhou

Abstract Aims Our study aimed to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA ANRIL (lnc-ANRIL) knock-down in regulating cell activities, inflammation and downstream signaling pathways in mouse mesangial cellular diabetic nephropathy (DN) model. Methods The mouse mesangial cells (SV40-MES13 cells) were treated with high-glucose (HG) to construct cellular DN model. Lnc-ANRIL knock-down plasmid and control knock-down plasmid were transfected into HG-treated SV40-MES13 cells as Sh-ANRIL group and Sh-NC group respectively. Results Lnc-ANRIL expression was significantly higher in HG-treated SV40-MES13 cells compared with normal glucose-treated SV40-MES13 cells and osmotic control-treated SV40-MES13 cells. Lnc-ANRIL knock-down suppressed cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in HG-treated SV40-MES13 cells. As for fibrosis, lnc-ANRIL knock-down reduced fibronectin and collagen I expressions in HG-treated SV40-MES13 cells. Besides, the expressions of supernatant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-18 were reduced in Sh-ANRIL group compared with Sh-NC group. Furthermore, Wnt3, β-catenin, p-MEK1 and p-ERK1 expressions were suppressed in Sh-ANRIL group compared with Sh-NC group, which suggested that lnc-ANRIL knock-down inhibited Wnt/β-catenin and MEK/ERK pathways in HG-treated SV40-MES13 cells. Conclusions Lnc-ANRIL knock-down suppresses mouse mesangial cell proliferation, fibrosis, inflammation, Wnt/β-catenin and MEK/ERK pathways in DN.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Lv ◽  
Can Wu ◽  
Yue-hong Zhou ◽  
Ying Shao ◽  
Guan Wang ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to investigate whether alpha lipoic acid (LA) regulates high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production via mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 signaling. The effect of LA on high glucose-induced cell proliferation, fibronectin (FN), and collagen type I (collagen-I) expression and its mechanisms were examined in cultured rat mesangial cells by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, ELISA assay, and western blot, respectively. LA at a relatively low concentration (0.25 mmol/L) acted as a growth factor in rat mesangial cells, promoted entry of cell cycle into S phase, extracellular matrix formation, and phosphorylated AKT, mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1. These effects disappeared when AKT expression was downregulated with PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002. Conversely, LA at a higher concentration (1.0 mmol/L) inhibited high glucose-induced rat mesangial cell proliferation, entry of cell cycle into S phase, and extracellular matrix exertion, as well as phosphorylation of mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1 but enhanced the activity of AMPK. However, these effects disappeared when AMPK activity was inhibited with CaMKK inhibitor STO-609. These results suggest that LA dose-dependently regulates mesangial cell proliferation and matrix protein secretion by mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 signaling pathway under high glucose conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 2228-2242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linting Wei ◽  
Jiarong Mao ◽  
Jiamei Lu ◽  
Jie Gao ◽  
Dan Zhu ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation (ECM) deposition play an important role in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis. TRPC and PPAR-γ can regulate cell proliferation. Angiotensin II (AngII) can induce mesangial cell proliferation and affect TRPC expression. However, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to investigate the role of TRPC and the effect of rosiglitazone (RSG) in the proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells (HBZY-1) that were stimulated by AngII and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Immunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR were performed to examine the expression levels of TRPCs in HBZY-1. Gene expression levels of TRPC, PPAR-γ, RGS4 (regulators of G protein signaling), the GPCR/Gαq/PLCβ4/TRPC signaling pathway and major downstream molecules (PCNA, SKP2, P21 and P27) were detected by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Additionally, changes in intracellular Ca2+ levels were determined through Fluo-4 Ca2+ imaging, and the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: Our results found that TRPC1 and 6 were at higher expression levels in HBZY-1 cells. Following AngII stimulation, there were increased levels of TRPC1 and 6, Ca2+ entry, PCNA and SKP2, decreased expression levels of P21 and P27 and a reduced G0/G1 percentage. Silencing TRPC1 and 6 by siRNAs led to decrease in Ca2+ influx, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation. Notably, PPAR-γ activation by RSG upregulated RGS4 expression, which can interact with the Gαq family to inhibit the Gαq-mediated signaling cascade. The results were similar to silencing TRPC1 and 6 by siRNAs. Conclusion: All these results indicate that RSG could inhibit HBZY-1 cell proliferation via the Gαq/PLCβ4/TRPC signaling pathway.


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