Clinical studies showed that renal expression and serum levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) are increased in renal diseases characterized by progressive fibrosis, a pathologic process in which TGF-β1 mediates most of the key events leading to tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the pathogenic role of high NGF levels has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that in tubular renal cells, HK-2, NGF transcriptionally up-regulated TGF-β1 expression and secretion and enhanced cell motility by activating EMT markers via its receptors, TrkA and p75NTR. Interestingly, we observed that TGF-β1-SMAD pathway activation and the up-regulation of EMT markers NGF-induced were both prevented when knockdown of TGF-β1 gene occurred and that the pretreatment with an antibody anti-NGF reversed the nuclear translocation of pSMAD3/SMAD4 complex. Collectively, our results demonstrated that NGF promotes renal fibrosis via TGF-β1-signaling activation, suggesting that in kidney diseases high NGF serum levels could contribute to worsen renal fibrosis.

Nerve growth factor exposure promotes tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition via TGF- β 1 signaling activation

Vizza D.;Perri A.;Lofaro D.;
2015-01-01

Abstract

Clinical studies showed that renal expression and serum levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) are increased in renal diseases characterized by progressive fibrosis, a pathologic process in which TGF-β1 mediates most of the key events leading to tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the pathogenic role of high NGF levels has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that in tubular renal cells, HK-2, NGF transcriptionally up-regulated TGF-β1 expression and secretion and enhanced cell motility by activating EMT markers via its receptors, TrkA and p75NTR. Interestingly, we observed that TGF-β1-SMAD pathway activation and the up-regulation of EMT markers NGF-induced were both prevented when knockdown of TGF-β1 gene occurred and that the pretreatment with an antibody anti-NGF reversed the nuclear translocation of pSMAD3/SMAD4 complex. Collectively, our results demonstrated that NGF promotes renal fibrosis via TGF-β1-signaling activation, suggesting that in kidney diseases high NGF serum levels could contribute to worsen renal fibrosis.
2015
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition
nerve growth factor
renal fibrosis
TGF-β1
tubular renal cells
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11770/307035
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 14
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact