Our established interleukin-13 (IL-13) overexpression rat model of minimal change-like nephropathy provided a platform to study the molecular signalling pathways in T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokine associated minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). We hypothesized that IL-13 may act directly on podocytes, causing podocyte foot process effacement and hence proteinuria in our rat model of minimal change-like nephropathy. The present study aimed firstly to delineate the glomerular ‘gene signature’ associated with IL-13-mediated dysregulation of podocyte-related proteins, and subsequently to investigate the role of the differentially regulated genes (DEGs) in IL-13-mediated podocyte injury. Glomerular transcriptional profile of IL-13-overexpressed rats showed characteristic features of podocyte injury with 87% of podocyte-related genes being significantly down-regulated. Gene expression of Vav1 was shown to be highly up-regulated in the glomeruli of IL-13-overexpressed rats and pathway analysis of the DEGs suggested a possible novel role of Vav1 in podocyte cytoskeleton remodelling. Immunofluorescence examination demonstrated glomerular expression of Vav1 in rats which co-localized with synaptopodin, confirming podocyte expression. However, positive staining for the phosphorylated form of Vav1 (p-Vav1) was only seen in IL-13-overexpressed rats. Moreover, in vitro IL-13 stimulation of human podocytes resulted in phosphorylation of Vav1. This was associated with Rac1 activation and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, which was abrogated in Vav1 knockdown podocytes. In conclusion, we have demonstrated the role of Vav1-Rac1 pathway characterized by phosphorylation of Vav1, activation of Rac1 and the subsequent actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in IL-13-induced podocyte injury, possibly explaining the podocyte foot process effacement seen in our IL-13 overexpression rat model.
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December 2016
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IL-13 induced actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in human podocytes. Magnification, x60, scale bar, 20μm. For more information please see pp. 2317-2327. Image provided by Chan Chang Yien.
Research Article|
November 15 2016
Novel role of Vav1-Rac1 pathway in actin cytoskeleton regulation in interleukin-13-induced minimal change-like nephropathy
Chang-Yien Chan;
Chang-Yien Chan
1
*Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
†KTP-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore 119260, Singapore
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Kar-Hui Ng;
Kar-Hui Ng
1
*Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
†KTP-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore 119260, Singapore
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Jinmiao Chen;
Jinmiao Chen
‡Bioinformatics, Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore
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Jinhua Lu;
Jinhua Lu
§Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
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Caroline Guat-Lay Lee;
Caroline Guat-Lay Lee
∥Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
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Puay-Hoon Tan;
Puay-Hoon Tan
¶Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608, Singapore
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Stanley C. Jordan;
Stanley C. Jordan
**Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, U.S.A.
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Henry Yang He;
Henry Yang He
††Cancer Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260, Singapore
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Hui-Kim Yap
*Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
†KTP-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore 119260, Singapore
Correspondence: Dr Hui-Kim Yap (e-mail [email protected]).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 02 2016
Revision Received:
September 09 2016
Accepted:
October 04 2016
Accepted Manuscript online:
October 05 2016
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2016
Clin Sci (Lond) (2016) 130 (24): 2317–2327.
Article history
Received:
May 02 2016
Revision Received:
September 09 2016
Accepted:
October 04 2016
Accepted Manuscript online:
October 05 2016
Citation
Chang-Yien Chan, Kar-Hui Ng, Jinmiao Chen, Jinhua Lu, Caroline Guat-Lay Lee, Puay-Hoon Tan, Stanley C. Jordan, Henry Yang He, Hui-Kim Yap; Novel role of Vav1-Rac1 pathway in actin cytoskeleton regulation in interleukin-13-induced minimal change-like nephropathy. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 December 2016; 130 (24): 2317–2327. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20160312
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