Autophagy protects podocytes from sublytic complement induced injury.

Podocyte injury induced by sublytic complement attack is the main feature of membranous nephropathy (MN). This study aimed at investigating the impact of sublytic complement attack-related autophagy on podocyte injury in vitro. Here, we show that sublytic complement attack enhances MPC5 podocyte autophagy in vitro. Inhibition of autophagy by treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA) significantly increased sublytic complement attack-induced changes in the injury-related morphology, stress fiber, and podocyte apoptosis, but decreased the survival and adhesion of MPC5 podocytes. In contrast, promotion of autophagy by treatment with rapamycin mitigated sublytic complement attack-induced changes in the injury-related morphology, stress fiber, and podocyte apoptosis, but increased the survival and adhesion of MPC5 podocytes. These data suggest that autophagy may protect podocytes from sublytic complement attack-induced injury in vitro.