Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process by which differentiated epithelial cells undergo a phenotypic conversion that gives rise to the matrix-producing fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, is increasingly recognized as an integral part of tissue fibrogenesis after injury. However, the degree to which renal tubular epithelial EMT contributes to kidney fibrosis remains a matter of intense debate and is likely to be context-dependent. Renal tubular EMT is an adaptive response of epithelial cells to a hostile or changing microenvironment and is regulated by many factors. Several intrace-llular signal transduction pathways such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin signaling are essential in controlling the process of renal tubular epithelial EMT which are potential targets of antifibrotic therapy presently. This review highlights the current understanding of renal tubular epithelial EMT and its underlying mechanisms to stimulate further discussion on its role in the pathogenesis of renal interstitial fibrosis.
Kim MK, Maeng YI, Sung WJ, et al. The differential expression of TGF-β1, ILK and wnt signaling inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition in human renal fibrogenesis: an immunohistochemical study[J]. Int J Clin Exp Pathol,2013,6(9):1747-1758.
[2]
Liu Y. New insights into epithelial-mesenchymal transition in kidney fibrosis[J]. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2010,21(2):212-222.
[3]
López-Hernández FJ, López-Novoa JM. Role of TGF-β in chronic kidney disease: an integration of tubular, glomerular and vascular effects[J]. Cell Tissue Res,2012,347(1): 141-154.
[4]
Habib SL. Alterations in tubular epithelial cells in diabetic nephropathy[J]. J Nephrol,2013,26(5):865-869.
[5]
He J, Xu Y, Koya D, et al. Role of the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in renal fibrosis of chronic kidney disease[J]. Clin Exp Nephrol,2013,17(4):488-497.
[6]
Lee JH, Kim JH, Kim JS, et al. AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits TGF-β-, angiotensin II-, aldosterone-, high glucose-, and albumin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2013,304(6):F686-F697.
[7]
Morishita Y, Watanabe M, Nakazawa E, et al. The interaction of LFA-1 on mononuclear cells and ICAM-1 on tubular epithelial cells accelerates TGF-β1-induced renal epithelial-mesenchymal transition[J]. PLoS One,2011,6(8):e23267.
Zhou X, Fukuda N, Matsuda H, et al. Complement 3 activates the renal renin-angiotensin system by induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of the nephrotubulus in mice[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2013,305(7):F957- F967.
Zhou M, Ma H, Lin H, et al. Induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in proximal tubular epithelial cells on microfluidic devices[J]. Biomaterials,2014,35(5):1390-1401.
[12]
Kanlaya R, Sintiprungrat K, Thongboonkerd V. Secreted products of macrophages exposed to calcium oxalate crystals induce epithelial mesenchymal transition of renal tubular cells via RhoA-dependent TGF-β1 pathway[J]. Cell Biochem Biophys,2013,67(3):1207-1215.
[13]
Ryu ES, Kim MJ, Shin HS, et al. Uric acid-induced phenotypic transition of renal tubular cells as a novel mechanism of chronic kidney disease[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2013,304(5):F471- F480.
[14]
Huang S, Liu F, Niu Q, et al. GLIPR-2 overexpression in HK-2 cells promotes cell EMT and migration through ERK1/2 activation[J]. PLoS One,2013,8(3):e58574.
[15]
Aresu L, Benali S, Garbisa S, et al. Matrix metalloproteinases and their role in the renal epithelial mesenchymal transition[J]. Histol Histopathol,2011,26(3):307-313.
[16]
Li X, Yamagata K, Nishita M, et al. Activation of Wnt5a-Ror2 signaling associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of tubular epithelial cells during renal fibrosis[J]. Genes Cells,2013,18(7):608-619.
[17]
Tan TK, Zheng G, Hsu TT, et al. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 of tubular and macrophage origin contributes to the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis via macrophage recruitment through osteopontin cleavage[J]. Lab Invest,2013,93(4):434-449.
[18]
Du X, Shimizu A, Masuda Y, et al. Involvement of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in the development of renal interstitial fibrosis in mouse obstructive nephropathy[J]. Lab Invest,2012,92(8):1149-1160.
[19]
Sugiura H, Yoshida T, Shiohira S, et al. Reduced Klotho expression level in kidney aggravates renal interstitial fibrosis[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2012,302(10): F1252-F1264.
[20]
Doi S, Zou Y, Togao O, et al. Klotho inhibits transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) signaling and suppresses renal fibrosis and cancer metastasis in mice[J]. J Biol Chem, 2011,286 (10):8655-8665.
[21]
Hong JP, Li XM, Li MX, et al. VEGF suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition by inhibiting the expression of Smad3 and miR192, a Smad3-dependent microRNA[J]. Int J Mol Med,2013,31(6):1436-1442.
[22]
Xiong M, Gong J, Liu Y, et al. Loss of vitamin D receptor in chronic kidney disease: a potential mechanism linking inflammation to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2012,303(7):F1107- F1115.
[23]
Chen B, Ma X, Liu S, et al. Inhibition of lung cancer cells growth, motility and induction of apoptosis by Klotho, a novel secreted Wnt antagonist, in a dose-dependent manner[J]. Cancer Biol Ther,2012,13(12):1221-1228.
[24]
Zhou L, Li Y, Zhou D, et al. Loss of Klotho contributes to kidney injury by derepression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling[J]. J Am Soc Nephrol,2013,24(5):771-785.
[25]
Satoh M, Nagasu H, Morita Y, et al. Klotho protects against mouse renal fibrosis by inhibiting Wnt signaling[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2012,303(12):F1641-F1651.
[26]
He W, Kang YS, Dai C, et al. Blockade of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by paricalcitol ameliorates proteinuria and kidney injury[J]. J Am Soc Nephrol,2011,22(1):90-103.
[27]
Lau WL, Leaf EM, Hu MC,et al. Vitamin D receptor agonists increase klotho and osteopontin while decreasing aortic calcification in mice with chronic kidney disease fed a high phosphate diet[J]. Kidney Int,2012,82(12):1261-1270.
[28]
Hsieh PF, Liu SF, Lee TC, et al. The role of IL-7 in renal proximal tubule epithelial cells fibrosis[J]. Mol Immunol,2012,50(1-2):74-82.
[29]
Du R, Sun W, Xia L, et al. Hypoxia-induced down-regulation of microRNA-34a promotes EMT by targeting the Notch signaling pathway in tubular epithelial cells[J]. PLoS One,2012,7(2):e30771.
[30]
Matsuno Y, Coelho AL, Jarai G, et al. Notch signaling mediates TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the induction of Snai1[J]. Int J Biochem Cell Biol,2012,44(5):776-789.
[31]
Lu X, Chen Z, Liang H, et al. Thyroid hormone inhibits TGFβ1-induced renal tubular epithe-lial to mesenchymal transition by increasing miR34a expression[J]. Cell Signal,2013,25(10):1949-1954.
[32]
Xiong M, Jiang L, Zhou Y, et al. The miR-200 family regulates TGF-β1-induced renal tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition through Smad pathway by targeting ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2012,302(3):F369- F379.
[33]
Tang O, Chen XM, Shen S, et al. MiRNA-200b represses transforming growth factor-β1-induced EMT and fibronectin expression in kidney proximal tubular cells[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2013,304(10):F1266- F1273.[34]Bae E, Kim SJ, Hong S, et al. Smad3 linker phosphorylation attenuates Smad3 transcriptional activity and TGF-β1/Smad3-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in renal epithelial cells[J]. Biochem Biophys Res Commun,2012,427(3):593-599.
[35]
Djamali A, Reese S, Hafez O, et al. Nox2 is a mediator of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity[J]. Am J Transplant,2012,12(8):1997-2007.
[36]
Ohnuki K, Umezono T, Abe M, et al. Expression of transcription factor Snai1 and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in progressive nephropathy[J]. J Nephrol,2012,25(2):233-239.
[37]
Lv ZM, Wang Q, Wan Q, et al. The role of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in high glucose-induced epithe-lial-mesenchymal transition of cultured human renal tubular epithelial cells[J]. PLoS One,2011,6(7):e22806.
[38]
Veerasamy M, Phanish M, Dockrell ME. Smad mediated regulation of inhibitor of DNA binding 2 and its role in phenotypic maintenance of human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells[J]. PLoS One,2013,8(1):e51842.
[39]
Fintha A, Gasparics , Fang L, et al. Characterization and role of SCAI during renal fibrosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition[J]. Am J Pathol,2013,182(2):388-400.
[40]
Rodrigues-Diez R, Lavoz C, Carvajal G, et al. Gremlin is a downstream profibrotic mediator of transforming growth factor-beta in cultured renal cells[J]. Nephron Exp Nephrol, 2012,122(1-2):62-74.
[41]
Thornton TM, Pedraza-Alva G, Deng B, et al. Phosphorylation by p38 MAPK as an alternative pathway for GSK3β inactivation[J]. Science,2008,320(5876):667-670.
[42]
Lee YJ, Han HJ. Troglitazone ameliorates high glucose-induced EMT and dysfunction of SGLTs through PI3K/Akt, GSK-3β, Snail1, and β-catenin in renal proximal tubule cells[J]. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol,2010,298(5):F1263-F1275.
[43]
Zhou T, He X, Cheng R, et al. Implication of dysregulation of the canonical wingless-type MMTV integration site (WNT) pathway in diabetic nephropathy[J]. Diabetologia, 2012,55(1):255-266.