calpain and Diabetic-Nephropathies

Autophagy protects podocytes from injury in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Restoring glomerular autophagy is a promising approach to limit DKD. This study demonstrates a novel regulatory mechanism of autophagy that blocks this critical protection of the glomerular filtration barrier. We demonstrated that TRPC6 induced in podocytes in mouse models of diabetes mediates calpain activation, thereby impairing podocyte autophagy, causing injury and accelerating DKD. Furthermore, this study provides proof of principle for druggable targets for DKD because restoration of podocyte autophagy by calpain inhibitors effectively limits glomerular destruction.. Diabetic kidney disease is associated with impaired podocyte autophagy and subsequent podocyte injury. The regulation of podocyte autophagy is unique because it minimally uses the mTOR and AMPK pathways. Thus, the molecular mechanisms underlying the impaired autophagy in podocytes in diabetic kidney disease remain largely elusive.. This study investigated how the calcium channel TRPC6 and the cysteine protease calpains deleteriously affect podocyte autophagy in diabetic kidney disease in mice. We demonstrated that TRPC6 knockdown in podocytes increased the autophagic flux because of decreased cysteine protease calpain activity. Diabetic kidney disease was induced in vivo using streptozotocin with unilateral nephrectomy and the BTBR ob/ob mouse models.. Diabetes increased TRPC6 expression in podocytes in vivo with decreased podocyte autophagic flux. Transgenic overexpression of the endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin, as well as pharmacologic inhibition of calpain activity, normalized podocyte autophagic flux, reduced nephrin loss, and prevented the development of albuminuria in diabetic mice. In kidney biopsies from patients with diabetes, we further confirmed that TRPC6 overexpression in podocytes correlates with decreased calpastatin expression, autophagy blockade, and podocyte injury.. Overall, we discovered a new mechanism that connects TRPC6 and calpain activity to impaired podocyte autophagy, increased podocyte injury, and development of proteinuria in the context of diabetic kidney disease. Therefore, targeting TRPC6 and/or calpain to restore podocyte autophagy might be a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic kidney disease.

Topics: Animals; Autophagy; Calpain; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetic Nephropathies; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Mice; Podocytes; TRPC Cation Channels; TRPC6 Cation Channel

Evidence for reduced expression of cyclin G associated kinase (GAK) in glomeruli of patients with chronic kidney disease was observed in the Nephroseq human database, and GAK was found to be associated with the decline in kidney function. To examine the role of GAK, a protein that functions to uncoat clathrin during endocytosis, we generated podocyte-specific Gak-knockout mice (Gak-KO), which developed progressive proteinuria and kidney failure with global glomerulosclerosis. We isolated glomeruli from the mice carrying the mutation to perform messenger RNA profiling and unearthed evidence for dysregulated podocyte calpain protease activity as an important contributor to progressive podocyte damage. Treatment with calpain inhibitor III specifically inhibited calpain-1/-2 activities, mitigated the degree of proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis, and led to a striking increase in survival in the Gak-KO mice. Podocyte-specific deletion of Capns1, essential for calpain-1 and calpain-2 activities, also improved proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis in Gak-KO mice. Increased podocyte calpain activity-mediated proteolysis of IκBα resulted in increased NF-κB p65-induced expression of growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible 45 beta in the Gak-KO mice. Our results suggest that loss of podocyte-associated Gak induces glomerular injury secondary to calcium dysregulation and aberrant calpain activation, which when inhibited, can provide a protective role.

Topics: Animals; Calpain; Diabetic Nephropathies; Female; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Podocytes; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic

Expression of klotho, the renoprotective anti-aging gene, is decreased in diabetic model kidneys. We hypothesized that klotho protein attenuates renal hypertrophy and glomerular injury in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy.. Klotho transgenic (KLTG) mice were crossed with spontaneously diabetic Ins2Akita (AKITA) mice. Glomerular morphology, macrophage infiltration, urinary albumin excretion and urinary 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy guanosine excretion were examined. In vitro, human glomerular endothelial cells were stimulated with high glucose with or without recombinant klotho, and calpain activity and proinflammatory cytokine expressions were measured.. We found that klotho protein overexpression attenuates renal hypertrophy and glomerular injury in this mouse model of diabetic nephropathy. Klotho overexpression attenuated renal hypertrophy, albuminuria, glomerular mesangial expansion, and endothelial glycocalyx loss in the AKITA mice. AKITA mice exhibit high levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy guanosine excretion. In the presence of klotho overexpression, this effect was reversed. In addition, the glomerular macrophage infiltration characteristic of AKITA mice was attenuated in KLTG-AKITA mice. In human glomerular endothelial cells, high glucose induced calpain activity. This effect was suppressed by expression of recombinant klotho, which also suppressed the induction of proinflammatory cytokines.. Our data suggest klotho protein protects against diabetic nephropathy through multiple pathways.

Topics: 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; Albuminuria; Animals; Biomarkers; Calpain; Cells, Cultured; Deoxyguanosine; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Nephropathies; Disease Models, Animal; Genotype; Glucose; Glucuronidase; Humans; Hypertrophy; Inflammation Mediators; Kidney Glomerulus; Klotho Proteins; Macrophages; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Phenotype; Transfection

Whereas most calpains are cytosolic proteases, calpain 10 is resident in mitochondria and is important in mitochondrial homeostasis. Because calpain 10 has been implicated in type 2 diabetes, we studied its possible role in diabetes-induced renal dysfunction. We treated renal proximal tubular cells with high glucose (17 mmol/l) and found decreased mitochondrial calpain 10 mRNA and protein at 96 h compared with cells incubated with 0 or 5 mmol/l glucose or 17 mmol/l D-mannitol. High glucose increased mitochondrial calpain 10 substrates (NDUFB8 and ATP synthase β), decreased basal and uncoupled respiration, and initiated cell apoptosis as indicated by cleaved caspase 3 and nuclear condensation. Renal calpain 10 protein and mRNA were specifically decreased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with kidney dysfunction, and in diabetic ob/ob mice. In agreement with our in vitro data, the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats had elevated calpain 10 substrates and cleaved caspase 3. Finally, specific siRNA-induced knockdown of calpain 10 in the proximal tubules of control rats resulted in decreased renal function as evidenced by increased serum creatinine, and increased caspase 3 cleavage compared with rats receiving scrambled siRNA. Thus, the glucose-induced loss of calpain 10 in vivo results in renal cell apoptosis and organ failure through accumulation of mitochondrial calpain 10 substrates and mitochondrial dysfunction. Whether this is a major cause of the decreased renal function in diabetic nephropathy will require further studies.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Calpain; Caspase 3; Cells, Cultured; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Nephropathies; Down-Regulation; Female; Glucose; Kidney Tubules, Proximal; Male; Mice; Mice, Obese; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases; Rabbits; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Small Interfering; Streptozocin

Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays a pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) exert a renoprotective effect and attenuate the progression of diabetic nephropathy. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms in the kidney remain to be elucidated. The present study was undertaken to focus on the effect of local angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade on the inflammatory reaction during the early stages of diabetic nephropathy.. Local ARB treatment significantly reduced urinary protein excretion and serum blood urea nitrogen levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. In addition, this treatment attenuated monocyte/macrophage infiltration into the glomeruli and the enhanced glomerular expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase at both the mRNA and protein levels. Immunohistochemical study revealed activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, as shown by an increase in the expression of the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB and its translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in both tubular epithelial and glomerular cells of the diabetic kidney. Local ARB treatment induced an apparent reduction in p65 nuclear localization and intensity of staining. To search for a common and fundamental candidate that influences endothelial cell function and vascular inflammation, we examined glomerular calpain activity in diabetic rats with or without ARB treatment. Glomerular expression of 145/150-kDa spectrin breakdown products, a specific product of calpain activation, was dramatically increased in diabetic animals while the protein expression reverted to a normal level after ARB treatment.. Our findings provide a conceptual basis for the development of therapeutic strategies aiming at local inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system to prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Topics: Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; Animals; Calpain; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetic Nephropathies; Inflammation; Kidney Glomerulus; Male; NF-kappa B; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Renin-Angiotensin System; Streptozocin; Tetrazoles; Transcription Factor RelA; Valine; Valsartan

The association of the gene encoding calpain 10 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported. In this study we aimed to evaluate the association of SNP-19,-44, and -63 polymorphisms of calpain 10 with type 2 diabetes and diabetic-related conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy in a Turkish population. The study group included 202 patients (133 female and 69 male) with T2DM, while the control group included 80 nondiabetic people (44 female and 36 male). Genotyping was done by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Calpain 10 SNP-44 TC genotype was found to be significantly frequent in type 2 diabetic patients with respect to the control group (p < 0.01). Body mass index (BMI) was found to be significantly high in TC genotype with type 2 diabetic patients (p < 0.05). SNP-44 T allele frequency was found to be lower in type 2 diabetic patients compared with the controls (p < 0.01). We conclude that the calpain 10 SNP-44 gene polymorphism may be accepted as a risk factor in the development of T2DM and elevated BMI in type 2 diabetic patients in a Turkish population.

Topics: Alleles; Calpain; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Nephropathies; Diabetic Neuropathies; Diabetic Retinopathy; Female; Gene Frequency; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Genetic; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Risk Factors; Turkey

Microalbuminuria in Type I diabetes involves a cell membrane abnormality and is associated with a large increase in cardiovascular risk. The hypothesis that the membrane abnormality alters granule exocytosis in neutrophils, which could contribute to the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, was investigated. PMA-stimulated expression of CD11b and CD69 on neutrophils from normal controls (NC), long-term uncomplicated Type I diabetic control patients (DC) and diabetic nephropathy patients (DN) was determined by fluorescence activated cell scanning. Neutrophils from DN were faster than neutrophils from either NC or DC to exocytose primary granules with CD69 following initial expression of the adhesion molecule CD11b. However, a larger proportion of neutrophils from DN failed to withdraw CD11b from the cell membrane after 90 min incubation. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide (BIM), showed that a larger proportion of neutrophils from DN, compared with DC or NC, exocytosed primary granules independent of PKC. The calpain inhibitor, E64d, showed that a larger proportion of neutrophils from both groups of diabetic patients, compared with NC, exocytosed primary granules independent of calpain. Cytoskeletal disruption with cytochalasin D had an effect on CD11b and CD69 exocytosis similar to that of BIM and E64d. The pathways controlling granule exocytosis in neutrophils from diabetic patients are abnormal. A change characteristic of DN causes rapid exocytosis of primary granules, and also causes the adhesion molecule CD11b to persist on an increased proportion of neutrophils. This will make an important contribution to increased vascular damage in these patients.

Topics: Adult; Calpain; Case-Control Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetic Nephropathies; Down-Regulation; Exocytosis; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Macrophage-1 Antigen; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Normal Distribution; Protein Kinase C; Statistics, Nonparametric