Hydraulic pressure inducing renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation in vitro

• Published in: Journal of Zhejiang University. B. Science 2009-09, Vol.10 (9), p.659-667
• Main Authors: Li, Fei-yan, Xie, Xi-sheng, Fan, Jun-ming, Li, Zi, Wu, Jiang, Zheng, Rong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line; Cell Transdifferentiation; Cells; Epithelial Cells - cytology; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Hydraulic pressure; In vitro testing; Kidney Tubules - cytology; Kidney Tubules - metabolism; Myoblasts - cytology; Myoblasts - metabolism; Pressure; Proteins; Rats; 体外诱导; 时间依赖性; 细胞骨架; 肌动蛋白; 肾小管上皮细胞; 转分化; 转化生长因子
• ISSN: 1673-1581; 1862-1783
• DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B0920110

Objective： The effects of hydraulic pressure on renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation （TEMT） were investigated. Methods： We applied hydraulic pressure （50 cmH2O） to normal rat kidney tubular epithelial cells （NRK52E） for different durations. Furthermore, different pressure magnitudes were applied to cells. The morphology, cytoskeleton, and expression ofmyofibroblastic marker protein and transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） of NRK52E cells were examined. Results Disorganized actin filaments and formation of curling clusters in actin were seen in the cytoplasm of pressurized cells. We verified that de novo expression α-smooth muscle actin induced by pressure, which indicated TEMT, was dependent on both the magnitude and duration of pressure. TGF-β1 expression was significantly upregulated under certain conditions, which implies that the induction of TEMT by hydraulic pressure is related with TGF-β1. Conclusion： We illustrate for the first time that hydraulic pressure can induce TEMT in a pressure magnitude- and duration-dependent manner, and that this TEMT is accompanied by TGF-β1 secretion.