环杷明对马兜铃酸诱导的肾上皮细胞表型转化及Hedgehog通路的影响

目的:探讨环杷明干预Hedgehog(HH)信号对马兜铃酸(AA)致肾小管上皮细胞表型转化和基质累积的影响。方法:根据干预措施将体外培养的大鼠肾小管上皮细胞NRK-52E分为溶剂对照组、AA损伤组(分别用终浓度为1、5和10 mg/L的AA处理细胞)和环杷明干预组(10 mg/L AA基础上加入1、5和10μmol/L环杷明)。细胞培养24 h后,用real-time PCR检测HH信号关键分子Ptch1和Smo、表型转化相关分子α-SMA和E-cadherin、ZO-1、BMP-7和基质成分I型和III型胶原mRNA的表达;ELISA法检测Shh和TGF-β1的含量;细胞免疫荧光染色检测Ptch1、Smo、E-cadherin、α-SMA和III型胶原蛋白表达。结果:AA不仅增加了TGF-β1、α-SMA和III型胶原的表达,降低了E-cadherin和ZO-1的表达,而且诱导了Shh和Smo mRNA表达的升高和Ptch1 mRNA表达的下降,提示AA促进小管上皮细胞表型转化和胶原累积,同时也激活了HH信号通路。环杷明干预AA作用后,Smo mRNA或蛋白表达下调,Ptch1 mRNA表达升高,这说明环杷明抑制了AA诱导的HH信号通路的活化。此外,环杷明也降低TGF-β1、α-SMA、I型和III型胶原的表达,提高BMP-7、ZO-1和E-cadherin的表达,这提示环杷明抑制了AA所致的上皮细胞的表型转化和基质累积。结论:环杷明可抑制AA所致的肾小管上皮细胞表型转化和基质累积,可能是通过靶向抑制HH信号的活化来实现的。

Effect of cyclopamine on aristolochic acid-induced phenotypic transforma-tion and Hedgehog pathway in renal epithelial cells

AIM: To investigate the effect of cyclopamine on Hedgehog (HH) signaling, phenotypic transformation and matrix accumulation induced by aristolochic acid (AA) in renal tubular epithelial cell NRK-52E. METHODS: NRK-52E cells were randomly divided into control group (treated with solvent only), AA group (treated with AA at concentrations of 1, 5, 10 mg/L) and cyclopamine group (treated with AA at concentration of 10 mg/L plus cyclopamine at concentrations of 1, 5, 10 μmol/L). After cultured for 24 h, the mRNA expression of Ptch1, Smo, α-SMA, E-cadherin, ZO-1, BMP-7, type I collagen and type III collagen was quantified by real-time PCR. The protein levels of Shh and TGF-β1 were detected by ELISA. Immunofluorescence staining was used to evaluate the expression of Ptch1, Smo, α-SMA, E-cadherin and type III collagen in the NRK-52E cells. RESULTS: AA increased the expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA and type III collagen, decreased the expression of E-cadherin and ZO-1 protein, and down-regulated the expression of Ptch1, Shh and Smo mRNA in the NRK-52E cells, indicating that AA activated HH signaling, and phenotypic transformation and matrix accumulation occurred in AA-treated NRK-52E cells. Treatment with cyclopamine inhibited HH signaling by decreasing Smo expression and increasing Ptch1 expression. Moreover, cyclopamine also down-regulated the expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA, type I collagen and III collagen, and up-regulated the expression of BMP-7, ZO-1 and E-cadherin. CONCLUSION: AA induces phenotypic transformation and matrix accumulation in renal tubular epithelial cells, which can be inhibited by cyclopamine treatment. The possible mechanism is that cyclopamine suppresses the activation of HH signaling, resulting in the reduction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and matrix deposition.