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Restoration of proximal tubule flow–activated transport prevents cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease
Zhaopeng Du, Xin Tian, Ming Ma, Stefan Somlo, Alan M. Weinstein, Tong Wang
Zhaopeng Du, Xin Tian, Ming Ma, Stefan Somlo, Alan M. Weinstein, Tong Wang
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Research Article Nephrology

Restoration of proximal tubule flow–activated transport prevents cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease

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Abstract

Flow-activated Na+ and HCO3– transport in kidney proximal tubules (PT) underlies relatively constant fractional reabsorption during changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or glomerulotubular balance (GTB). In view of hypothesized connections of epithelial cilia to flow sensing, we examined flow-activated transport in 3 polycystic kidney disease–related mouse models based on inducible conditional KO of Pkd1, Pkd2, and Kif3a. PTs were harvested from mice after gene inactivation but prior to cyst formation, and flow-mediated PT transport was measured. We confirm that higher flow increased both Na+ and HCO3– absorption in control mice, and we observed that this flow effect was preserved in PTs of Pkd1–/– and Kif3a–/–mice. However, flow activation was absent in Pkd2+/– and Pkd2–/– PT. In heterozygous (Pkd2+/–) mice, a dopamine receptor 1 (DA1) antagonist (SCH23390) restored transport flow sensitivity. When given chronically, this same antagonist reduced renal cyst formation in Pkd2–/–, as evidenced by reduced kidney weight, BUN, and the cystic index, when compared with untreated mice. In contrast, SCH23390 did not prevent cyst formation in Pkd1–/– mice. These results indicate that Pkd2 is necessary for normal GTB and that restoration of flow-activated transport by DA1 antagonist can slow renal cyst formation in Pkd2–/– mice.

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Zhaopeng Du, Xin Tian, Ming Ma, Stefan Somlo, Alan M. Weinstein, Tong Wang

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Figure 4

Effect of the dopamine receptor antagonist SCH2339 on renal cysts progression in Pkd2–/– mice.

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Effect of the dopamine receptor antagonist SCH2339 on renal cysts progre...
Inhibition DA1 receptor by SCH23390 can reduce cyst formation in an adult-onset autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease model with selective inactivation of Pkd2. (A) Images of representative kidneys from adult-onset KO model (Pax8 rtTA;Teto-Cre) with the indicated genotypes at 18 weeks. (B) Aggregate data of the kidney weight/body weight ratio, cystic index, and BUN from the indicated number of mice. (C) Aggregate data of the kidney weight/body weight ratio, cystic index, and BUN from the indicated number of male mice. (D) Aggregate data of the kidney weight/body weight ratio, cystic index, and BUN from the indicated number of female mice. The color blocks in A correspond to the data in B–D. The numbers of animals (n) in each group are indicated below the histogram bars. Multiple group comparisons were performed using 1-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test; data are presented as the mean ± SEM.

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