Journal
CURRENT OPINION IN NEPHROLOGY AND HYPERTENSION
Volume 18, Issue 1, Pages 3-8Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/MNH.0b013e32831a4713
Keywords
endothelium; nephrin; podocytes; preeclampsia; renal injury
Categories
Funding
- National Research Council
- Ministero Universita e Ricerca Scientifica e Technologica (MURST)
- European Community
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Purpose of review Nephrin, the main structural protein of the slit diaphragm, is expressed on the surface of glomerular podocytes and is critical in maintaining permselectivity and preventing proteinuria. This review focuses on the fate of nephrin in the context of endothelial injury and gives an update on the recent progress in understanding the pathomechanisms that lead to proteinuria. Recent findings The following conditions of endothelial injury were found to induce loss of nephrin. (1) Preeclampsia, in which the associated proteinuria is induced by the soluble variant of vascular endothelial growth factor, which stimulates production of endothelin 1 (ET1) in endothelial cells. ET1 in turn triggers nephrin shedding from podocytes. (2) Hypertension, in which increased levels of angiotensin 11 induce podocyte apoptosis and reduce nephrin expression, leading to proteinuria in rats. (3) Diabetes and high fat diet, which lead to a significant increase in inflammatory molecules and cytokines, including MCP-1, which induces changes in podocyte cytoskeleton and nephrin loss. Summary Recent results showed that damage to endothelial cells may alter endothelial-podocyte interaction and induces nephrin loss, a main cause of proteinuria.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available