#2396 The potential of human-derived macrophages to study autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)
Authors: Schellekens Pieter , Bammens Bert , Mekahli Djalila , Meyts Isabelle , Vennekens Rudi 
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

Macrophages are the most prevalent immune cell type in the renal parenchyma in ADPKD. Depletion of macrophages in animal models has shown a dramatic attenuation in cystic burden, suggesting a disease promoting effect of this cell type. So far, studies investigating interaction between epithelial cells and immune cells in the field of ADPKD were performed with mice-derived myeloid cells. We present a new model using human-derived immune cells and tubular epithelial cells for the study of ADPKD.

Method

We established a technique to isolate CD14+ monocytes from the peripheral blood of young ADPKD patients and healthy controls. Methodology was optimized to create monocyte-derived macrophagesin vitro. Mature macrophages were checked for surface marker expression (CD14, CD11b, CD206, CD163, HLA-DR, D80, and CD86) & cytokine-release after stimulation with LPS, IL-4 and LPS + Nigericin. Co-cultures were performed using human-derived monocytes in combination with double immortalized cystic cells (ciCC) or healthy-kidney derived cell lines (HKT). Differentiation and polarization of macrophages was checked using flowcytometry.

Results

We observed low expression of PKD1 and PKD2 transcripts in primary, human-derived monocytes of ADPKD patients and controls. The expression of PKD1 and PKD2 increased after differentiation into macrophages.

There were no clear differences between ADPKD and control-derived macrophages in the differentiation capacity, cell survival nor surface marker expression before and after differentiation. After stimulation with LPS & LPS + Nigericin ADPKD-derived macrophages showed significantly lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (MIP-1α, IP-10, IL-23 and TNFα) as compared to controls. There was no difference in anti-inflammatory cytokine release.

Healthy primary monocytes cultured in direct contact with conditionally immortalized cystic cells (ciCC) had a very good survival and showed differentiation into macrophages with high expression of M2-markers (CD163 and CD206) and the activation marker (HLA-DR). A similar differentiation pattern was seen when monocytes were cultured in the (cell-free) conditioned medium of the ciCC harvested after 72 h, pointing to a soluble factor produced by the cystic cells that induces monocyte differentiation and macrophage polarization. In accordance, unbiased multiplex cytokine analysis (Target 48-panel) of supernatants of ciCC, showed higher levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF/CSF-1), TNF-α, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and MMP-1 as compared to those of HKT.

Primary monocytes cultured with the conditioned medium harvested after 72 h from ciCCs (n=4) showed better overall survival than those cultured with medium from and HKT (n=4). In addition, a tendency towards higher expression of the classical M2-markers (CD163, CD206) and the activation marker (HLA-DR) in ciCCs versus HKT was seen.

Conclusion

There is wealth of data supporting the indispensable role of myeloid cells in disease progression of ADPKD. We established a unique in vitro fully human co-culture model for ADPKD. Cystic cells produce pro-proliferative and pro-angiogenic factors, thus actively shaping their microenvironment and creating the ideal circumstances for infiltrating monocytes/macrophages to proliferate and to destruct the kidney. This mechanism is very similar to what is seen in the cancer microenvironment. Further experiments will help to elucidate the complex interplay between different cell-types in the microenvironment in ADPKD kidneys.