Proximal tubule-specific overexpression of netrin-1 suppresses acute kidney injury-induced interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis through suppression of IL-6/STAT3 signaling.

Acute kidney injury-induced organ fibrosis is recognized as a major risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease, which remains one of the leading causes of death in the developed world. However, knowledge on molecules that may suppress the fibrogenic response after injury is lacking. In ischemic models of acute kidney injury, we demonstrate a new function of netrin-1 in regulating interstitial fibrosis. Acute injury was promptly followed by a rise in serum creatinine in both wild-type and netrin-1 transgenic animals. However, the wild-type showed a slow recovery of kidney function compared with netrin-1 transgenic animals and reached baseline by 3 wk. Histological examination showed increased infiltration of interstitial macrophages, extensive fibrosis, reduction of capillary density, and glomerulosclerosis. Collagen IV and α-smooth muscle actin expression was absent in sham-operated kidneys; however, their expression was significantly increased at 2 wk and peaked at 3 wk after reperfusion. These changes were reduced in the transgenic mouse kidney, which overexpresses netrin-1 in proximal tubular epithelial cells. Fibrosis was associated with increased expression of IL-6 and extensive and chronic activation of STAT3. Administration of IL-6 exacerbated fibrosis in vivo in wild-type, but not in netrin-1 transgenic mice kidney and increased collagen I expression and STAT3 activation in vitro in renal epithelial cells subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation, which was suppressed by netrin-1. Our data suggest that proximal tubular epithelial cells may play a prominent role in interstitial fibrosis and that netrin-1 could be a useful therapeutic agent for treating kidney fibrosis.