Role of nephrin in podocyte injury induced by angiotension II.

Objective: To investigate the function of nephrin in podocytes and its relation to proteinuria in kidney diseases, and to study more clearly theoretical basis for the molecular mechanism of losartan anti-proteinuria and the special beneficial effects of losartan on podocyte injury.
Methods: Experiment set up control, Ang II and losartan group. Cell morphology was observed perturbation, and using image processing software to analyze the cell body of cell morphology and size of the difference after 8 h, 24 h and 48 h. Detecting nephrin mRNA and protein expression changes by real time PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting at different time points.
Results: Podocyte cell bodies were significantly reduced after Ang II injury (p < 0.01), losartan directly reduces the rate of apoptotic podocytes induced by Ang. Apoptotic podocytes may related to the decrease of nephrin mRNA and protein expressions, losartan reduced the apoptosis and proteinuria by declining nephrin mRNA and protein expressions.
Conclusion: Ang II induced podocyte injury caused abnormal expression and distribution of nephrin in podocytes, losartan maybe maintain the stability of nephrin expression and the integrity of hole diaphragm (SD) structure and function by blocking the signal path, playing a important role in protection mechanisms of anti-proteinuria. Our findings provide some possible clues for further exploring the pharmacological targets to the proteinuria. These novel findings provide new insights into the beneficial effects of losartan on podocytes directly.