Invariant Natural Killer T Cell Agonist Modulates Experimental Focal and Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

• Autor(a) principal: Pereira, Rafael L. [UNIFESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Reis, Vanessa O. [UNIFESP], Semedo, Patricia [UNIFESP], Buscariollo, Bruna N. [UNIFESP], Donizetti-Oliveira, Cassiano [UNIFESP], Cenedeze, Marcos Antonio [UNIFESP], Soares, Maria Fernanda Sanches [UNIFESP], Pacheco-Silva, Alvaro [UNIFESP], Savage, Paul B., Câmara, Niels Olsen Saraiva [UNIFESP], Keller, Alexandre C. [UNIFESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0032454; http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/34710

A growing body of evidence demonstrates a correlation between Th2 cytokines and the development of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis ( FSGS). Therefore, we hypothesized that GSL-1, a monoglycosylceramide from Sphingomonas ssp. with pro-Th1 activity on invariant Natural Killer T ( iNKT) lymphocytes, could counterbalance the Th2 profile and modulate glomerulosclerosis. Using an adriamycin( ADM)-based model of FSGS, we found that BALB/c mice presented albuminuria and glomerular degeneration in association with a Th2-like pro-fibrogenic profile; these mice also expressed a combination of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-17, TNF-alpha, and chemokines, such as RANTES and eotaxin. in addition, we observed a decrease in the mRNA levels of GD3 synthase, the enzyme responsible for GD3 metabolism, a glycolipid associated with podocyte physiology. GSL-1 treatment inhibited ADM-induced renal dysfunction and preserved kidney architecture, a phenomenon associated with the induction of a Th1-like response, increased levels of GD3 synthase transcripts and inhibition of pro-fibrotic transcripts and inflammatory cytokines. TGF-beta analysis revealed increased levels of circulating protein and tissue transcripts in both ADM- and GSL-1-treated mice, suggesting that TGF-beta could be associated with both FSGS pathology and iNKT-mediated immunosuppression; therefore, we analyzed the kidney expression of phosphorylated SMAD2/3 and SMAD7 proteins, molecules associated with the deleterious and protective effects of TGF-beta, respectively. We found high levels of phosphoSMAD2/3 in ADM mice in contrast to the GSL-1 treated group in which SMAD7 expression increased. These data suggest that GSL-1 treatment modulates the downstream signaling of TGF-beta through a renoprotective pathway. Finally, GSL-1 treatment at day 4, a period when proteinuria was already established, was still able to improve renal function, preserve renal structure and inhibit fibrogenic transcripts. in conclusion, our work demonstrates that the iNKT agonist GSL-1 modulates the pathogenesis of ADM-induced glomerulosclerosis and may provide an alternative approach to disease management.