Association of PAX2 with Cell Apoptosis in Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction Rats

Abstract

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is the final common pathway for chronic kidney disease. Cell apoptosis is a critical detrimental event that leads to renal fibrosis. Paired box 2 (PAX2) plays a major role in the development of the kidney. This study was performed to investigate whether PAX2 was associated with cell apoptosis in the progression of RIF in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. Eighty Wistar male rats were divided into two groups randomly: sham operation group (SHO) and model group subjected to UUO (GU), n = 40, respectively. The model was established by left ureteral ligation. Renal tissues were collected 14 and 28 days after surgery. Protein expressions of PAX2, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen-IV (Col-IV), fibronectin (FN), and caspase-3 were detected using immunohistochemical analysis; mRNA expression of PAX2 in renal tissue was detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; and RIF index and cell apoptosis index in renal interstitium were also calculated. When compared with those in the SHO group, expressions of PAX2 (protein and mRNA) were markedly increased in the GU group (each p < 0.01). Protein expressions of TGF-β1, α-SMA, Col-IV, FN, and caspase-3 and RIF index and cell apoptosis index in the GU group were remarkably increased when compared with those in the SHO group (each p < 0.01). The protein expression of PAX2 was positively correlated with the protein expressions of TGF-β1, α-SMA, Col-IV, FN, and caspase-3 and with RIF index and cell apoptosis index (all p < 0.01). The apoptotic cell in our observation was mainly derived from renal tubular epithelial cells. In conclusion, the increased expression of PAX2 is associated with cell apoptosis in the progression of RIF in UUO rats, suggesting that PAX2 is a potentially therapeutic target for prevention of RIF.

The significance of Pax2 expression in the ureter epithelium of children with vesicoureteric reflux

“…We found a large number of apoptotic ureteral epithelial cells in the VUR group, and no apoptotic ureteral epithelial cells were found in the control group. Pax2 expression was correlated with ureteral epithelial cell apoptosis in the VUR group, consistent with the results found in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats by Zhou et al [35]. During the transformation of mesenchymal cells to epithelial cells, signs of apoptosis such as karyopycnosis and karyorrhexis can be found around the newly formed epithelial cells [27].…”

Association of Retinoic Acid Receptors with Extracellular Matrix Accumulation in Rats with Renal Interstitial Fibrosis Disease

“…In this study, we found that the expressions of TGF-βl, Col-IV and FN in the renal interstitium of the GU group were increased compared to those in the renal interstitium of the SHO group. The results in this study were similar with those in our previous report [21]. It indicated that the RIF model in our study was established successfully.…”

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Treatment Is Associated with Prohibitin Expression in Renal Interstitial Fibrosis Rats

“…The average threshold cycle (Ct, the cycles of template amplification to the threshold) was worked out as the value of each sample. The data of fold of changes was analyzed using 2 −ΔΔCt [38,39]. For example, the ΔΔCt of prohibitin mRNA expression in UUO group in 14-day was as follow: ΔΔCt prohibitin,14-day,UUO group = (Ct prohibitin, 14-day, UUO group − Ct β-actin, 14-day, UUO group ) − (Ct prohibitin, 14-day, SHO group − Ct β-actin, 14-day, SHO group ), and the fold of changes of prohibitin mRNA expression in the UUO group in 14-days was 2 −ΔΔCt prohibitin, 14-day, UUO group .…”