Background: Elucidation of molecular mechanisms controlling vascular calcification is critical for chronic kidney disease patients. Results: High phosphate induced Klf4 expression in SMCs. Klf4 knockdown attenuated high phosphate-induced SMC phenotypic switching into osteogenic cells. Conclusion: Results suggest that Klf4 contributes to high phosphate-induced conversion of SMCs into osteogenic cells. Significance: Control of Klf4 might be a novel therapeutic target for vascular calcification.

Trafficking of water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2) to the apical membrane and its vasopressin and protein kinase A (PKA)–dependent regulation in renal collecting ducts is critical for body water homeostasis. We previously identified an AQP2 binding protein complex including actin and tropomyosin-5b (TM5b). We show that dynamic interactions between AQP2 and the actin cytoskeleton are critical for initiating AQP2 apical targeting. Specific binding of AQP2 to G-actin in reconstituted liposomes is negatively regulated by PKA phosphorylation. Dual color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy reveals local AQP2 interaction with G-actin in live epithelial cells at single-molecule resolution. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling and AQP2 phosphorylation release AQP2 from G-actin. In turn, AQP2 phosphorylation increases its affinity to TM5b, resulting in reduction of TM5b bound to F-actin, subsequently inducing F-actin destabilization. RNA interference–mediated knockdown and overexpression of TM5b confirm its inhibitory role in apical trafficking of AQP2. These findings indicate a novel mechanism of channel protein trafficking, in which the channel protein itself critically regulates local actin reorganization to initiate its movement.

BackgroundVascular proliferative diseases such as atherosclerosis are inflammatory disorders involving multiple cell types including macrophages, lymphocytes, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Although activation of the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) pathway in vessels has been shown to be critical for the progression of vascular diseases, the cell‐autonomous role of NF‐κB within SMCs has not been fully understood.Methods and ResultsWe generated SMC‐selective truncated IκB expressing (SM22α‐Cre/IκBΔN) mice, in which NF‐κB was inhibited selectively in SMCs, and analyzed their phenotype following carotid injury. Results showed that neointima formation was markedly reduced in SM22α‐Cre/IκBΔN mice after injury. Although vascular injury induced downregulation of expression of SMC differentiation markers and myocardin, a potent activator of SMC differentiation markers, repression of these markers and myocardin was attenuated in SM22α‐Cre/IκBΔN mice. Consistent with these findings, NF‐κB activation by interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) decreased expression of SMC differentiation markers as well as myocardin in cultured SMCs. Inhibition of NF‐κB signaling by BAY 11‐7082 attenuated repressive effects of IL‐1β. Of interest, Krüppel‐like factor 4 (Klf4), a transcription factor critical for regulating SMC differentiation and proliferation, was also involved in IL‐1β‐mediated myocardin repression. Promoter analyses and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that NF‐κB repressed myocardin by binding to the myocardin promoter region in concert with Klf4.ConclusionsThese results provide novel evidence that activation of the NF‐κB pathway cell‐autonomously mediates SMC phenotypic switching and contributes to neointima formation following vascular injury.

BackgroundKrüppel‐like factor 4 (Klf4) is involved in a variety of cellular functions by activating or repressing the transcription of multiple genes. Results of previous studies showed that tamoxifen‐inducible global deletion of the Klf4 gene in mice accelerated neointimal formation following vascular injury, in part via enhanced proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Because Klf4 is also expressed in non‐SMCs including endothelial cells (ECs), we determined if Tie2 promoter‐dependent deletion of Klf4 in ECs and hematopoietic cells affected injury‐induced neointimal formation.Methods and ResultsKlf4 conditional knockout (cKO) mice were generated by breeding Tie2‐Cre mice and Klf4 floxed mice, and their phenotype was analyzed after carotid ligation injury. Results showed that injury‐induced repression of SMC differentiation markers was unaffected by Tie2 promoter‐dependent Klf4 deletion. However, of interest, neointimal formation was significantly enhanced in Klf4‐cKO mice 21 days following carotid injury. Moreover, Klf4‐cKO mice exhibited an augmented proliferation rate, enhanced accumulation of macrophages and T lymphocytes, and elevated expression of cell adhesion molecules including vascular cell adhesion molecule–1 (Vcam1) and E‐selectin in injured arteries. Mechanistic analyses in cultured ECs revealed that Klf4 inhibited tumor necrosis factor‐α–induced expression of Vcam1 through blocking the binding of nuclear factor‐κB to the Vcam1 promoter.ConclusionsThese results provide evidence that Klf4 in non‐SMCs such as ECs regulates neointimal formation by repressing arterial inflammation following vascular injury.

Aims: Klotho interacts with various membrane proteins, such as receptors for transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), to alter their function. Renal expression of klotho is diminished in diabetes. The present study examined whether exogenous klotho protein supplementation ameliorates kidney injury and renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in db/db mice. Methods: We investigated the effects of klotho supplementation on diabetic kidney injury and RAS. Recombinant human klotho protein (10 μg/kg/d) was administered to db/db mice daily. Results: Klotho protein supplementation reduced kidney weight, systolic blood pressure, albuminuria, glomerular filtration rate, and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α excretion without affecting body weight. Although klotho supplementation did not alter glycated albumin, it reduced renal angiotensin II levels associated with reduced renal expression of angiotensinogen. Klotho supplementation improved renal expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and endogenous renal expression of klotho. Klotho supplementation reduced the levels of hypoxia-inducible factor, phosphorylated Akt, and phosphorylated mTOR and decreased the renal expression of TGF-β, tumour necrosis factor (TNF), and fibronectin. Conclusions: These data indicate that klotho supplementation reduces blood pressure and albuminuria along with ameliorating renal RAS activation in db/db mice. Furthermore, these results suggest that klotho inhibits IGF signalling, induces SOD expression to reduce oxidative stress, and suppresses Akt-mTOR signalling to inhibit abnormal kidney growth. Collectively, the results suggest that klotho inhibits TGF-β and TNF signalling, resulting in a decline in renal fibrosis.