Abstract
Background/Aims: Renal interstitial fibrosis is a final common pathway of all chronic, progressive kidney diseases. Peritubular capillary rarefaction is strongly correlated with fibrosis. The adherens junction protein vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) is thought to play a critical role in vascular integrity. We hypothesized that VE-cadherin modulates the renal microcirculation during fibrogenesis and ultimately affects renal fibrosis. Methods: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) was used as a renal fibrosis model in VE-cadherin heterozygote (VE+/-) and wild-type (WT) mice, and the kidneys were harvested at days 3, 7, and 14. Peritubular capillary changes and fibrogenesis were investigated. Results: VE+/-mice had lower levels of VE-cadherin protein than WT mice at 3 and 7, but not 14 days after UUO. Vascular permeability was significantly greater in VE+/-mice 7 days after UUO, while peritubular capillary density was not significantly different in VE+/-and WT mice. Interstitial myofibroblast numbers and collagen I and III mRNA levels were significantly higher in VE+/-mice, consistent with a stronger early fibrogenic response. Expression of the pericyte marker neuron-glial antigen 2 was upregulated after UUO, but was not greater in VE+/-mice compared to the WT mice. Conclusion: Our data suggest that VE-cadherin controls vascular permeability and limits fibrogenesis after UUO.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | e20-e31 |
Journal | Nephron - Experimental Nephrology |
Volume | 120 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2012 |
Keywords
- Renal fibrosis
- Renal microcirculation
- Unilateral ureteral obstruction
- Vascular endothelial cadherin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Genetics
- Nephrology