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BACKGROUND: The root of many kidney diseases in humans can be traced to alterations or damage to subcellular organelles. Mitochondrial fragmentation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and lysosomal inhibition, among others, ultimately contribute to kidney injury and are the target of therapeutics in development. Although recent technological advancements allow for the understanding of disease states at the cellular level, investigating changes in subcellular organelles from kidney tissue remains challenging. METHODS: Using structured illumination microscopy, we imaged mitochondria and other organelles from paraffin sections of mouse tissue and human kidney biopsy specimens. The resulting images were 3D rendered to quantify mitochondrial size, content, and morphology. Results were compared with those from transmission electron microscopy and segmentation. RESULTS: Super-resolution imaging reveals kidney tubular epithelial cell mitochondria in rodent and human kidney tissue form large, interconnected networks under basal conditions, which are fragmented with injury. This approach can be expanded to other organelles and cellular structures including autophagosomes, ER, brush border, and cell morphology. We find that, during unilateral ischemia, mitochondrial fragmentation occurs in most tubule cells, and they remain fragmented for >96 hours. Promoting mitochondrial fusion with the fusion promotor M1 preserves mitochondrial morphology and interconnectivity and protects against cisplatin-induced kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS: We provide, for the first time, a nonbiased, semiautomated approach for quantification of the 3D morphology of mitochondria in kidney tissue. Maintaining mitochondrial interconnectivity and morphology protects against kidney injury. Super-resolution imaging has the potential to both drive discovery of novel pathobiologic mechanisms in kidney tissue and broaden the diagnoses that can be made on human biopsy specimens.

The kidney tubule consists of a single layer of epithelial cells supported by the tubular basement membrane (TBM), a thin layer of specialized extracellular matrix (ECM). The mechanical properties of the ECM are important for regulating a wide range of cell functions including proliferation, differentiation and cell survival. Increased ECM stiffness plays a role in promoting multiple pathological conditions including cancer, fibrosis and heart disease. How changes in TBM mechanics regulate tubular epithelial cell behavior is not fully understood. Here we introduce a cell culture system that utilizes in vivo-derived TBM to investigate cell–matrix interactions in kidney proximal tubule cells. Basement membrane mechanics was controlled using genipin, a biocompatibility crosslinker. Genipin modification resulted in a dose-dependent increase in matrix stiffness. Crosslinking had a marginal but statistically significant impact on the diffusive molecular transport properties of the TBM, likely due to a reduction in pore size. Both native and genipin-modified TBM substrates supported tubular epithelial cell growth. Cells were able to attach and proliferate to form confluent monolayers. Tubular epithelial cells polarized and assembled organized cell–cell junctions. Genipin modification had minimal impact on cell viability and proliferation. Genipin stiffened TBM increased gene expression of pro-fibrotic cytokines and altered gene expression for N-cadherin, a proximal tubular epithelial specific cell–cell junction marker. This work introduces a new cell culture model for cell-basement membrane mechanobiology studies that utilizes in vivo-derived basement membrane. We also demonstrate that TBM stiffening affects tubular epithelial cell function through altered gene expression of cell-specific differentiation markers and induced increased expression of pro-fibrotic growth factors.

The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are important in maintaining normal physiological function, and changes in ECM mechanics drive disease. The biochemical structure of the ECM is modified with aging and in diseases such as diabetes. One mechanism of ECM modification is the non-enzymatic reaction between sugars and ECM proteins resulting in formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Some AGE reactions result in formation of molecular crosslinks within or between matrix proteins, but it is not clear how sugar-mediated biochemical modification of the ECM translates to changes in kidney ECM mechanical properties. AGE-mediated changes in ECM mechanics may have pathological consequences in diabetic kidney disease. To determine how sugars alter the mechanical properties of the kidney ECM, we employ custom methodologies to evaluate the mechanical properties of isolated tubular basement membrane (TBM) and glomerular ECM. Results show that the mechanical properties of TBM and glomerular ECM stiffness were altered by incubation in glucose and ribose. Mechanical behavior of TBM and glomerular ECM were further evaluated using mechanical models for hyperelastic materials in tension and compression. Increased ECM stiffness following sugar modification corresponded to increased crosslinking as determined by ECM fluorescence and reduced pepsin extractability of sugar modified ECM. These results show that sugar-induced modifications significantly affect the mechanical properties of kidney ECM. AGE-mediated changes in ECM mechanics may be important in progression of chronic diseases including diabetic kidney disease., Highlights • Sugars modify the mechanical properties of the kidney extracellular matrix. • Sugars increase matrix crosslinking and stiffness. • A novel method was used to measure glomerular matrix stiffness. • Non-linear mechanical models describe kidney matrix mechanics.

The glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) filters the blood to remove toxins while retaining high molecular weight proteins in the circulation. The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and podocytes, highly specialized epithelial cells, are critical components of the filtration barrier. The GBM serves as a physical barrier to passage of molecules into the filtrate. Podocytes adhere to the filtrate side of the GBM and further restrict passage of high molecular weight molecules into the filtrate. Here, a 3D cell culture model of the glomerular filtration barrier to evaluate the role of the GBM and podocytes in mediating molecular diffusion is developed. GBM is isolated from mammalian kidneys to recapitulate the composition and mechanics of the in vivo basement membrane. The GFB model exhibits molecular selectivity that is comparable to the in vivo filtration barrier. The GBM alone provides a stringent barrier to passage of albumin and Ficoll. Podocytes further restrict molecular diffusion. Damage to the GBM that is typical of diabetic kidney disease is simulated using hypochlorous acid and results in increased molecular diffusion. This system can serve as a platform to evaluate the effects of GBM damage, podocyte injury, and reciprocal effects of altered podocyte-GBM interactions on kidney microvascular permeability.

Decellularized organs have the potential to be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering organ replacements. The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) following decellularization are critical for structural integrity and for regulation of cell function upon recellularization. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in the ECM with age and their formation is accelerated by several pathological conditions including diabetes. Some AGEs span multiple amino acids to form crosslinks that may alter the mechanical properties of the ECM. The goal of this work was to evaluate how sugar-induced modifications to the ECM affect the mechanical behavior of decellularized kidney. The compressive and tensile properties of the kidney ECM were evaluated using an accelerated model of AGE formation by ribose. Results show that ribose modifications significantly alter the mechanical behavior of decellularized kidney. Increased resistance to deformation corresponds to increased ECM crosslinking, and mechanical changes can be partially mitigated by AGE inhibition. The degree of post-translational modification of the ECM is dependent on the age and health of the organ donor and may play a role in regulating the mechanical properties of decellularized organs.