Na/K-ATPase signaling mediates miR-29b-3p regulation and cardiac fibrosis formation in mice with chronic kidney disease

PLoS One. 2018 May 18;13(5):e0197688. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197688. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The Na/K-ATPase is an important membrane ion transporter and a signaling receptor that is essential for maintaining normal cell function. The current study examined the role of Na/K-ATPase signaling in regulating miR-29b-3p, an anti-fibrotic microRNA, in a mouse chronic kidney disease (CKD) model (5/6th partial nephrectomy or PNx). The results showed that CKD induced significant reduction of miR-29b-3p expression in the heart tissue by activation of Src and NFκB signaling in these animals. To demonstrate the role of Na/K-ATPase signaling, we also performed the PNx surgery on Na/K-ATPase α1 heterozygous (α1+/-) mice, which expresses ~40% less Na/K-ATPase α1 compared to their wild type littermates (WT) and exhibits deficiency in Na/K-ATPase signaling. We found that CKD did not significantly change the miR-29b-3p expression in heart tissue from the α1+/- animals. We also found that CKD failed to activate Src and NFκB signaling in these animals. Using isolated cardiac fibroblasts from α1+/- mice and their WT littermates, we showed that ouabain, a specific Na/K-ATPase ligand, induces decreased miR-29b-3p expression in fibroblasts isolated from WT mice, but had no effect in cells from α1+/- mice. Inhibition of NFκB by Bay11-7082 prevented ouabain-induced miR-29b-3p reduction in WT fibroblasts. To further confirm the in vivo effect of Na/K-ATPase signaling in regulation of miR-29b-3p and cardiac fibrosis in CKD animals, we used pNaKtide, a Src inhibiting peptide derived from the sequence of Na/K-ATPase, to block the activation of Na/K-ATPase signaling. The result showed that pNaKtide injection significantly increased miR-29b-3p expression and mitigated the CKD-induced cardiac fibrosis in these animals. These results clearly demonstrated that Na/K-ATPase signaling is an important mediator in CKD that regulates miR-29b-3p expression and cardiac fibrosis, which provides a novel target for regulation of miR-29b-3p in CKD. We also demonstrate that antagonizing Na/K-ATPase signaling by pNaKtide can reduce organ fibrosis through the stimulation of tissue miR-29b-3p expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Down-Regulation
  • Fibrosis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Ouabain / pharmacology
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / genetics*
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / genetics
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / metabolism*
  • Sulfones / pharmacology

Substances

  • 3-(4-methylphenylsulfonyl)-2-propenenitrile
  • MIRN29 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • Nitriles
  • Sulfones
  • Ouabain
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase