TO007PLASMA EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES MEDIATE ENDOTHELIAL TO MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND TUBULAR SENESCENCE IN RENAL ANTIBODY MEDIATED REJECTION BY COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION
Authors: FRANZIN ROSSANA , Stasi Alessandra , Sallustio Fabio , Divella Chiara , Merlotti Guido , Quaglia Marco , Curci Claudia , Stallone Giovanni , Cantaluppi Vincenzo , Gesualdo Loreto , Castellano Giuseppe 
Published: June 2020

Background and Aims

EVs (Extracellular vesicles) are circulating microparticles able to mediate cell-to cell communication by carrying proteins, DNA, RNA or antibodies on their surface. EV are emerging as pivotal in renal Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), one of the major causes of transplant failure associated to a massive complement activation. AMR is characterized by endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and the occurrence of tubular accelerated senescence process, known as graft “Inflammaging”. However, the potential role of EVs in accelerating the renal aging and graft fibrosis after AMR is not well understood.

Method

Plasma EVs were isolated from 10 Acute AMR (AAMR), 10 Chronic AMR (CAMR) patients, 5 stable graft transplanted patients and 5 healthy volunteers. EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation at 100.000 g for 1h at 4°C, quantified by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (Nanosight, NTA EV/ml) and characterized by FACS (Attune Nxt). RPTEC and endothelial cell culture were incubated with EVs (5e+4 EVs/cells target for 24h. MTT test was performed to assess cell viability. Cellular senescence was investigated by qPCR for p21, p53, Klotho and CYP1B1 and SA-β-gal staining were performed. To assess EndMT analysis for CD31, VE-cadherin, Vimentin, Collagen I was performed by FACS. mRNA level of C3 and CFH were also measured by qPCR and C4d deposits were evaluated in endothelial cell colture by IF. Renal biopsies were then analyzed for inflammaging (p16INK4a) and EndMT markers (CD31/αSMA) by IHC and IF.

Results

The Nanosight analysis showed significant differences in the amount of-EVs count per ml of plasma in AMR patients compared to healthy subjects. EVs appeared to be significantly augmented in acute AMR, in a higher manner than chronic AMR (NTA, p=0.0154). By cytofluorimetric analysis, the endothelial markers CD31 and VE- cadherin appeared to be significantly increased compared of healthy control, indicating a predominant endothelial EV origin (p&lt;0.05). Furthermore, an increase for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD40 and CD40L lymphocyte/monocytes markers was found. In vitro, the exposure of RPTEC and endothelial cells to AMR-derived EVs did not induce the loss of cell proliferation. However, AMR-derived EVs induced senescence in RPTEC, as observed by increase in SA-β-gal positive cells, upregulation of p21, p53, CYP1B1 and downregulated KL gene expression (p&lt;0.05). EVs induced the EndMT as observed by FACS with the downregulation of CD31, VE-cadherin (CD144) and increase of Vimentin and Collagen I (p=0.025). To evaluate the contribution of EVs to local complement activation, C3 and CFH qPCR analysis were performed. EVs from AMR patients induced a significant increase in C3 gene expression with concomitant downregulation in CFH in RPTEC. EV exposition induced the classical and lectin pathway activation in endothelial culture medium, and C4d deposition. These data support the hypothesis that circulating EVs can amplify local complement activation in systemic endothelial and tubular cells during AMR, therefore leading to accelerated senescence and fibrosis as later effects. Finally, renal AMR biopsies showed significant tubular senescence as indicated by p16 expression; p16 was significantly upregulated in Chronic compared with Acute AMR biopsies (p&lt;0.05). The AMR biopsies showed positivity for EndMT, as indicated by CD31 decrease and interstitial αSMA upregulation (p&lt;0.05).

Conclusion

These results suggest a putative role for circulating AMR derived-EVs in inducing the tubular inflammaging by local complement activation and early fibrosis by EndMT. The EVs cargo characterization that is ongoing might highlight novel targets for therapeutic intervention.