A KDM6A-KLF10 reinforcing feedback mechanism aggravates diabetic podocyte dysfunction (2019)
Figure 5

Figure 5. KLF10 is a downstream effector of KDM6A and is capable of directly binding to nephrin gene promoter.

A Screening of the potential KDM6A-regulated transcriptional factors involved in repression of nephrin expression. After transduction with a control lentiviral vector or a lentiviral vector expressing KDM6A into primary podocytes for 48 hours, intracellular RNAs were isolated and used for RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. The transcript expression patterns of 86 selected transcriptional factors from three independent RNA-Seq experiments are presented in a heat map. Notably, among these 86 selected genes, KLF10 is the most upregulated gene.

B Validation of increased KDM6A and KLF10 expression in primary podocytes that were infected with an empty lentiviral vector or KDM6A-expressing lentiviral vector for 48 hours. *P < 0.05 versus the empty vector control (Wilcoxon two-sample test; n = 3).

C Increased expression of KDM6A and KLF10 in primary podocytes cultured in high glucose for 48 hours. *P < 0.05 versus normal controls (Wilcoxon two-sample test; n = 3).

D Effect of KLF10 knockdown on high glucose-mediated reduction of nephrin in primary podocytes. As noted, knockdown of KLF10 prevented downregulation of nephrin and upregulation of KDM6A in high glucose-treated podocytes. *P < 0.05 versus normal controls, #P < 0.05 versus control siRNA with HG incubation (Parametric ANOVA and a Bonferroni post hoc test; n = 3).

E Immunofluorescence analysis of KLF10 and nephrin in renal sections of normal, diabetic, and GSK-J4-treated diabetic mice. Scale bars, 20 μm. *P < 0.05 versus the normal control group, #P < 0.05 versus the untreated diabetic group (Parametric ANOVA and a Bonferroni post hoc test; n = 3).

F Immunofluorescence images of KLF10 and nephrin in renal sections of wild-type or KDM6A-KO mice with or without STZ treatment. Scale bars, 20 μm. *P < 0.05 versus the untreated wild-type group, #P < 0.05 versus the STZ-treated wild-type group (Parametric ANOVA and a Bonferroni post hoc test; n = 3).

G Western blot analysis of KDM6A, KFL10 and nephrin expression in primary podocytes isolated from normal, diabetic, and GSK-J4-treated diabetic mice. *P < 0.05 versus normal controls, #P < 0.05 versus the untreated diabetic group (Parametric ANOVA and a Bonferroni post hoc test; n = 3).

H Western blot analysis of KDM6A, KLF10 and nephrin expression in primary podocytes isolated from wild-type or KDM6A-KO mice with or without STZ treatment. *P < 0.05 versus the untreated wild-type group, #P < 0.05 versus the STZ-treated wild-type group (Parametric ANOVA and a Bonferroni post hoc test; n = 3).

I ChIP analysis of KLF10, acetyl-Histone H4 (H4-Ac), Dnmt1 and Dnmt3 binding to nephrin gene promoter. ChIP assays were carried out using cross-linked chromatin from primary podocytes that were cultured in normal or high glucose conditions. *P < 0.05, significant difference versus the normal control group (Wilcoxon two-sample test; n = 3).

J Modulation of podocyte-specific marker expression in primary podocytes by KLF10 overexpression. Ectopic overexpression of KLF10 in primary podocytes significantly repressed various podocyte-specific markers, but conversely increased KDM6A expression. *P < 0.05 versus the empty vector control (Wilcoxon two-sample test; n = 3).

Data information: Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. See the exact P values for comparison tests in Appendix Table S5.