Effect of heat shock protein 47 on epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation induced by transforming growth factor β1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells

Objective To detect the expression of heat shock protein 47(HSP47) in renal proximal epithelial cell lines (HK-2) and to investigate the role of HSP47 in the progress of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) induced epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) in HK-2 cells. Methods HK-2 cells were exposed to TGF-β1 (0, 2.5, 5, 10 μg/L) for different time (0, 12, 24, 48 h). The expression of HSP47 was examined by Western blotting. Then HK-2 cells were exposed to 10 μg/L TGF-β1, the expressions of vimentin, zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) were examined by Western blotting and real-time PCR. Furthermore, the expressions of p-Smad3 and Smad3 were examined by Western blotting. HK-2 cells were transfected with HSP47 siRNA and siRNA negative control before exposing to TGF-β1. Then the expressions of vimentin, ZO-1 were detected by Western blotting and real-time PCR, meanwhile Western blotting for HSP47, p-Smad3 and Smad3. Results Stimulating HK-2 with TGF-β1resulted in a significant increased expression of HSP47 in time-and concentration-dependent manner (P＜0.05). Meanwhile, TGF-β1up-regulated the protein and mRNA expression of vimentin (P＜0.05), and down-regulated the protein and mRNA expression of ZO-1 (P＜0.05), all in time-dependent manner. Stimulating HK-2 with TGF-β1 resulted in phosphorylation of Smad3, which was peaked at 30 min, slightly decreased at 1 h, and then increased again between 24 and 48 h (P＜0.05). Compared to the TGF-β1group, inhibition of HSP47 expression in HK-2 up-regulated the protein and mRNA expression of ZO-1, down-regulated the protein and mRNA expression ofvimentin (P＜0.05) and down-regulated the ratio of p-Smad3/Smad3. HSP47 siRNA negative control had no significant effect on the expressions of ZO-1, vimentin and p-Smad3/Smad3 (P＞0.05). Conclusion HSP47 can promote the EMT of renal tubular epithelial cell which is possibly via the TGF-β1-Smad3 pathway.