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Inhibiting centrosome clustering reduces cystogenesis and improves kidney function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
Tao Cheng, Aruljothi Mariappan, Ewa Langner, Kyuhwan Shim, Jay Gopalakrishnan, Moe R. Mahjoub
Tao Cheng, Aruljothi Mariappan, Ewa Langner, Kyuhwan Shim, Jay Gopalakrishnan, Moe R. Mahjoub
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Research Article Cell biology Nephrology

Inhibiting centrosome clustering reduces cystogenesis and improves kidney function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

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Abstract

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a monogenic disorder accounting for approximately 5% of patients with renal failure, yet therapeutics for the treatment of ADPKD remain limited. ADPKD tissues display abnormalities in the biogenesis of the centrosome, a defect that can cause genome instability, aberrant ciliary signaling, and secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. Cystic cells form excess centrosomes via a process termed centrosome amplification (CA), which causes abnormal multipolar spindle configurations, mitotic catastrophe, and reduced cell viability. However, cells with CA can suppress multipolarity via “centrosome clustering,” a key mechanism by which cells circumvent apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate that inhibiting centrosome clustering can counteract the proliferation of renal cystic cells with high incidences of CA. Using ADPKD human cells and mouse models, we show that preventing centrosome clustering with 2 inhibitors, CCB02 and PJ34, blocks cyst initiation and growth in vitro and in vivo. Inhibiting centrosome clustering activates a p53-mediated surveillance mechanism leading to apoptosis, reduced cyst expansion, decreased interstitial fibrosis, and improved kidney function. Transcriptional analysis of kidneys from treated mice identified pro-inflammatory signaling pathways implicated in CA-mediated cystogenesis and fibrosis. Our results demonstrate that centrosome clustering is a cyst-selective target for the improvement of renal morphology and function in ADPKD.

Authors

Tao Cheng, Aruljothi Mariappan, Ewa Langner, Kyuhwan Shim, Jay Gopalakrishnan, Moe R. Mahjoub

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Figure 3

Inhibition of centrosome clustering in ADPKD cells promotes multipolar spindle formation and activates the SAC.

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Inhibition of centrosome clustering in ADPKD cells promotes multipolar s...
(A) Immunofluorescence staining of interphase wild-type (HK-2) and PKD1-null (WT9-12) cells for centrioles (Cep152), centrosomes (γ-tubulin), microtubules (α-tubulin), and DNA (DAPI). Scale bar = 2 μm. Scale bar = 2 μm for all insets. (B) Percentage of cells with amplified centrosomes. n = 293 (HK-2) and 374 (WT9-12) cells. (C) Distribution of the number of excess centrosomes per cell. n = 301 (HK-2) and 322 (WT9-12) cells. (D) Immunofluorescence staining of mitotic wild-type (HK-2) and PKD1-null (WT9-12) cells for centrioles (Cep152), centrosomes (γ-tubulin), microtubules (α-tubulin), and DNA (DAPI). Scale bar = 2 μm. Scale bar = 2 μm for all insets. (E) Top graph shows the percentage of wild-type cells that form bipolar (cells containing normal centrosome number) or multipolar (cells with > 2 centrosomes) spindles. Bottom graph shows the percentage of PKD1-null cells with CA that formed pseudo-bipolar (clustered centrosomes) versus multipolar (declustered centrosomes). For HK-2 cells: n = 207 (control), 674 (CCB02), 174 (PJ34), 101 (AZ82); for WT9-12 cells: n = 393 (control), 449 (CCB02), 205 (PJ34), 189 (AZ82). (F) Immunofluorescence staining of mitotic wild-type and PKD1-null cells for centrosomes (γ-tubulin), microtubules (α-tubulin), Bub1, and DNA (DAPI). Grayscale images provide improved contrast of the Bub1 staining. Scale bar = 2 μm. (G) Percentage of cells showing Bub1 accumulation in mitosis. For HK-2 cells: n = 167 (DMSO), 133 (CCB02); for WT9-12 cells: n = 180 (DMSO), 278 (CCB02). Results are from 2 experiments. (H) Immunoblot of wild-type and PKD1-null cells treated with vehicle or CCB02. (I) Percentage of wild-type and PKD1-null cells containing normal centrosome number following treatment with CCB02. n = 371 (HK-2) and 264 (WT9-12) cells. For all experiments, cells were incubated with each inhibitor for 24 hours. Results are from 3 experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 (2-way ANOVA).

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