Endoplasmic reticulum stress and proteasome pathway involvement in human podocyte injury with a truncated COL4A3 mutation.

Background: Collagen type IV (COL4)-related nephropathy includes a variety of kidney diseases that occur with or without extra-renal manifestations caused by COL4A3-5 mutations. Previous studies revealed several novel mutations, including three COL4A3 missense mutations (G619R, G801R, and C1616Y) and the COL4A3 chr:228172489delA c.4317delA p.

PPAR-gamma agonists inhibit TGF-beta1-induced chemokine expression in human tubular epithelial cells.

Aim: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) has a wide range of biological functions, including anti-inflammation. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of PPAR-gamma on transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1)-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2).

Methods: HK-2 cells were pretreated with 15d-PGJ2 or troglitazone (TGL) and then treated with TGF-beta1.