Long-term gene therapy with thrombospondin 2 inhibits TGF-β activation, inflammation and angiogenesis in chronic allograft nephropathy

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 23;8(12):e83846. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083846. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

We recently identified Thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) as a regulator of matrix remodelling and inflammation in experimental kidney disease by using TSP-2 null mice and successfully proved TSP-2 overexpression as a therapeutic concept in a short term glomerulonephritis model in the rat. In this current study, we investigated if long-term TSP-2 overexpression is also capable to ameliorate the progression of chronic kidney disease in the setting of the chronic allograft nephropathy F344-Lewis model in the rat. Two weeks after renal transplantation, two rat thigh muscles were transfected once only with either a TSP-2 overexpressing plasmid (n = 8) or a luciferase-expressing plasmid as control (n = 8). Rats were monitored for renal function, histological changes and gene expression in the graft for up to 30 weeks after transplantation. Unexpectedly, only in the TSP-2 treated group 2 rats died before the end of the experiment and renal function tended to be worsened in the TSP-2 group compared to the luciferase-treated controls. In addition, glomerular sclerosis and tubular interstitial injury as well as cortical fibronectin deposition was significantly increased in the TSP-2 treated kidneys despite reduced TGF-β activation and marked anti-inflammatory (macrophages, T-cells and B-cells) effects in this group. Long-term TSP-2 therapy impaired repair of renal endothelium, as demonstrated by significant higher glomerular and peritubular endothelial rarefaction and reduced endothelial cell proliferation in the transplanted kidneys from TSP-2 treated rats compared to controls. This TSP-2 effect was associated with decreased levels of renal VEGF but not VEGF1 receptor. In conclusion, despite its anti-inflammatory and TGF-β activation blocking effects, TSP-2 gene therapy did not ameliorate but rather worsened experimental chronic allograft nephropathy most likely via its anti-angiogenic properties on the renal microvasculature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allografts*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Inflammation / therapy
  • Kidney Diseases / genetics
  • Kidney Diseases / metabolism
  • Kidney Diseases / therapy*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / therapy*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Rats
  • Thrombospondins / genetics*
  • Time Factors
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin / genetics

Substances

  • Thrombospondins
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Ubiquitin
  • thrombospondin 2

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 423, TP B6) and the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research project A12. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.