Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Mingchuan Yu, Di Wang, Da Zhong, Weichang Xie, Jun Luo
Summary: This study found that exogenous adropin encapsulated in ROS-responsive nanocapsules can improve renal function, lipid metabolism, and oxidative stress levels in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients. The study also found that enhancing mitochondrial function can be achieved by activating neuronatin to improve lipid metabolism and inhibit translocator protein activity.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Toshiharu Onodera, May-Yun Wang, Joseph M. Rutkowski, Stanislaw Deja, Shiuhwei Chen, Michael S. Balzer, Dae-Seok Kim, Xuenan Sun, Yu A. An, Bianca C. Field, Charlotte Lee, Ei-ichi Matsuo, Monika Mizerska, Ina Sanjana, Naoto Fujiwara, Christine M. Kusminski, Ruth Gordillo, Laurent Gautron, Denise K. Marciano, Ming Chang Hu, Shawn C. Burgess, Katalin Susztak, Orson W. Moe, Philipp E. Scherer
Summary: Recent study reveals that renal adiponectin induces gluconeogenesis through enhanced local fatty acid oxidation, while the absence of adiponectin in the kidney enhances glucose tolerance and leads to lipid accumulation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dong Yang, Yu Fan, Mingrui Xiong, Yuchen Chen, Yihao Zhou, Xikai Liu, Yangmian Yuan, Qing Wang, Yu Zhang, Robert B. Petersen, Hua Su, Junqiu Yue, Chun Zhang, Hong Chen, Kun Huang, Ling Zheng
Summary: Surgery-induced renal ischemia and reperfusion injury (I/R) and nephrotoxic drugs like cisplatin can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI), for which there is no effective therapy. Our study found that the histone methyltransferase G9a, encoded by the Ehmt2 gene, is upregulated in AKI patients and mouse kidneys. Inhibiting G9a reduces lipid accumulation and improves AKI outcomes. Further investigation revealed that G9a suppresses the lipolytic enzyme Ces1 and competes with farnesoid X receptor (FXR) for binding to the Ces1 promoter regions. Ces1 downregulation is consistently observed in AKI patients' kidneys. Inhibiting Ces1 increases lipid accumulation, worsens renal I/R injury, and negates the beneficial effects observed in mice with G9a knockout. Furthermore, lipid-lowering atorvastatin and an FXR agonist alleviate AKI by activating Ces1 and reducing renal lipid accumulation. Overall, our study uncovers a G9a/FXR-Ces1 axis that affects AKI outcomes by regulating renal lipid accumulation.
Article
Microbiology
Jie Ma, Miao Zhou, Zehe Song, Yuankun Deng, Siting Xia, Yunxia Li, Xingguo Huang, Dingfu Xiao, Yulong Yin, Jie Yin
Summary: This study reveals the association between gut fungi and obesity development. Specific fungal species, Ascomycota_sp. and Microascaceae_sp., were found to be reduced in obese mice and negatively correlated with fat content. Oral supplementation with fungi can prevent and treat diet-induced obesity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junhui Hu, Ping Tan, Moe Ishihara, Nicholas A. Bayley, Shiruyeh Schokrpur, Jeremy G. Reynoso, Yangjun Zhang, Raymond J. Lim, Camelia Dumitras, Lu Yang, Steven M. Dubinett, Parmjit S. Jat, Jacques Van Snick, Jiaoti Huang, Arnold I. Chin, Robert M. Prins, Thomas G. Graeber, Hua Xu, Lily Wu
Summary: Loss of function of the VHL tumor suppressor gene is a characteristic of ccRCC. Heterogeneity in the loss of this gene is important but often overlooked. By studying intratumoral VHL heterogeneity, the researchers found that VHL gene-deleted cells exhibited increased motility but decreased proliferation and tumorigenicity compared to VHL-expressing cells. Combined tumors with both VHL+ and VHL-KO cells showed rampant lung metastases, driven by the crosstalk between these heterogeneous cell populations. Targeting the soluble protein POSTN, secreted by VHL- cells, could effectively suppress lung metastases. This work suggests a new strategy to disrupt the metastatic crosstalk within tumors and halt the progression of ccRCC.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chi-Ting Su, Daniel H. W. See, Jenq-Wen Huang
Summary: Kidney disease is a growing global burden, and the use of miRNAs and RNA therapy, which can be rapidly absorbed by kidneys, shows potential as an effective treatment option for renal diseases.
Article
Cell Biology
Eoin D. O'Sullivan, Katie J. Mylonas, Cuiyan Xin, David P. Baird, Cyril Carvalho, Marie-Helena Docherty, Ross Campbell, Kylie P. Matchett, Scott H. Waddell, Alexander D. Walker, Kevin M. Gallagher, Siyang Jia, Steve Leung, Alexander Laird, Julia Wilflingseder, Michaela Willi, Maximilian Reck, Sarah Finnie, Angela Pisco, Sabrina Gordon-Keylock, Alexander Medvinsky, Luke Boulter, Neil C. Henderson, Kristina Kirschner, Tamir Chandra, Bryan R. Conway, Jeremy Hughes, Laura Denby, V. Joseph Bonventre, David A. Ferenbach
Summary: Progressive fibrosis is a common feature of aging and chronic tissue injury in multiple organs, and Gli1+ cells play a crucial role in the activation of fibroblasts. This study revealed that leukocyte-derived tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promotes Gli1+ cell proliferation and fibrosis in the kidney and heart through induction and release of Indian Hedgehog (IHH). The results also demonstrated the role of inflammatory proximal tubular epithelial (iPT) cells in TNF and nuclear factor 0B (NF-0B)-induced IHH production. These findings suggest that targeting IHH may be a potential therapy for inflammation-induced fibrosis.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wan-Chin Chiang, Yu-Sheng Fang, Yuh Shen Lye, Tzu-Yu Weng, Kiruthika Ganesan, Shih-Han Huang, Lan-Yun Chang, Shih-Chieh Chou, Yun-Ru Chen
Summary: This study characterizes the effects of hyperphosphorylation on TDP-43 proteinopathies, finding that hyperphosphorylation promotes fibril formation and toxicity attributed to TDP-43 oligomers. These results contribute to a better understanding and potential therapeutic development for TDP-43-related diseases.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yuanyuan Li, Wenyan Xu, Svetlana Makova, Martina Brueckner, Zhaoxia Sun
Summary: This study reveals the critical role of renal epithelial cilia in NPHP and suggests the possibility of repurposing the histone deacetylase inhibitor VPA for NPHP treatment. Cell-type-specific knockout mouse models of the Invs gene were generated and characterized, and it was found that the absence of cilia leads to increased severity of renal cyst formation and interstitial fibrosis. The study also shows a significant interaction between cilia and Invs function in vivo, and the histone deacetylase inhibitor VPA reduces cyst burden, decreases cell proliferation, and ameliorates kidney function decline in Invs mutant mice.
Article
Cell Biology
Eoin D. O'Sullivan, Katie J. Mylonas, Cuiyan Xin, David P. Baird, Cyril Carvalho, Marie-Helena Docherty, Ross Campbell, Kylie P. Matchett, Scott H. Waddell, Alexander D. Walker, Kevin M. Gallagher, Siyang Jia, Steve Leung, Alexander Laird, Julia Wilflingseder, Michaela Willi, Maximilian Reck, Sarah Finnie, Angela Pisco, Sabrina Gordon-Keylock, Alexander Medvinsky, Luke Boulter, Neil C. Henderson, Kristina Kirschner, Tamir Chandra, Bryan R. Conway, Jeremy Hughes, Laura Denby, Joseph V. Bonventre, David A. Ferenbach
Summary: Progressive fibrosis is a common feature of aging and chronic tissue injury. Gli1(+) cells, derived from leukocytes, play a key role in activating fibroblasts in multiple organs. This study reveals that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promotes Gli1(+) cell proliferation and fibrosis through the induction of Indian Hedgehog (IHH) in renal epithelial cells.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Asier Echarri
Summary: Cells have mechanisms to sense and adapt to mechanical forces, with the nucleus being an essential part of this process. It is physically connected to the cytoskeleton and has additional structures within and outside the nucleus that contribute to its mechanosensitivity. This network of mechanosensitive structures ensures that the nucleus can respond to mechanical cues.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chao Chen, Jingmeng Chen, Yan Wang, Zuguo Liu, Yalin Wu
Summary: The study reveals that the overload of atRAL leads to photoreceptor degeneration through activating ferroptosis. Inhibiting Fe2+ or lipid peroxidation can protect photoreceptor cells from ferroptosis induced by atRAL. Ferroptosis may be an important pathway of photoreceptor cell death in dry AMD and STGD1, and should be explored as a novel target for protection.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edoardo La Porta, Ottavia Exacoustos, Francesca Lugani, Andrea Angeletti, Decimo Silvio Chiarenza, Carolina Bigatti, Sonia Spinelli, Xhuliana Kajana, Andrea Garbarino, Maurizio Bruschi, Giovanni Candiano, Gianluca Caridi, Nicoletta Mancianti, Marta Calatroni, Daniela Verzola, Pasquale Esposito, Francesca Viazzi, Enrico Verrina, Gian Marco Ghiggeri
Summary: Plastic pollution has become a major challenge for humans, with microplastics being found ubiquitously in human tissues and fluids. Limited evidence suggests potential harmful effects of microplastics on human cells, mediated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis. Studies on the impact of microplastics on kidneys are insufficient, but animal models have shown histological and functional alterations, as well as cytotoxicity, in kidney cells. Urgent further research is needed to analyze the potential correlation between kidney disease and exposure to microplastics in humans.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Monica Gomaraschi, Marta Turri, Arianna Strazzella, Marie Lhomme, Chiara Pavanello, Wilfried Le Goff, Anatol Kontush, Laura Calabresi, Alice Ossoli
Summary: Familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency is a rare genetic disease that leads to abnormal lipoprotein profile, with severe reduction in plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and the accumulation of lipoprotein X (LpX). Renal failure is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients, and the abnormalities in the lipoprotein profile may contribute to the pathogenesis of renal disease.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Munoz, Ricardo Fuentes, Beatriz Carnicero, Andrea Aguilar, Nataly Sanhueza, Sergio San-Martin, Cristian Agurto, Andrea Donoso, Leonardo E. Valdivia, Jesus M. Miguez, Lluis Tort, Sebastian Boltana
Summary: Feeding behavior in fish is influenced by multiple signals in the brain, with stress cues such as viral infection triggering responses from hypothalamic neurons to regulate energy storage and expenditure. This study provides evidence of a molecular linkage between inflammation and food intake in Salmon salar, highlighting the importance of understanding the interplay between energy homeostasis and pathogenesis in fish.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)