Cerebral ischemia induces TRPC6 via HIF1α/ZEB2 axis in the glomerular podocytes and contributes to proteinuria

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 29;9(1):17897. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52872-5.

Abstract

Podocytes are specialized cells of the glomerulus and key component of the glomerular filtration apparatus (GFA). GFA regulates the permselectivity and ultrafiltration of blood. The mechanism by which the integrity of the GFA is compromised and manifest in proteinuria during ischemic stroke remains enigmatic. We investigated the mechanism of ischemic hypoxia-induced proteinuria in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Ischemic hypoxia resulted in the accumulation of HIF1α in the podocytes that resulted in the increased expression of ZEB2 (Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2). ZEB2, in turn, induced TRPC6 (transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily C, member 6), which has increased selectivity for calcium. Elevated expression of TRPC6 elicited increased calcium influx and aberrant activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in podocytes. FAK activation resulted in the stress fibers reorganization and podocyte foot process effacement. Our study suggests overactive HIF1α/ZEB2 axis during ischemic-hypoxia raises intracellular calcium levels via TRPC6 and consequently altered podocyte structure and function thus contributes to proteinuria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / complications
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / metabolism
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / pathology*
  • Kidney Glomerulus / cytology
  • Kidney Glomerulus / metabolism
  • Kidney Glomerulus / pathology
  • Male
  • Permeability / drug effects
  • Phosphorylation
  • Podocytes / cytology
  • Podocytes / metabolism
  • Proteinuria / etiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • TRPC Cation Channels / metabolism*
  • Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • TRPC Cation Channels
  • Trpc6 protein, rat
  • Zeb2 protein, rat
  • Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Calcium