Mechanical strain- and high glucose-induced alterations in mesangial cell collagen metabolism: Role of TGF-β

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-1998

Publication Title

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN

Abstract

Cultured mesangial cells (MC) exposed to cyclic mechanical strain or high glucose levels increase their secretion of transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF-β1) and collagen, suggesting possible mechanisms for the development of diabetic renal sclerosis resulting from intraglomerular hypertension and/or hyperglycemia. This study examines whether glucose interacts with mechanical strain to influence collagen metabolism and whether this change is mediated by TGF-β. Accordingly, rat MC were grown on flexible-bottom plates in 8 or 35 mM glucose media, subjected to 2 to 5 d of cyclic stretching, and assayed for TGF-β1 mRNA, TGF-β1 secretion, and the incorporation of 14C-proline into free or protein-associated hydroxyproline to assess the dynamics of collagen metabolism. Stretching or high glucose exposure increased TGF-β1 secretion twofold and TGF-β1 mRNA levels by 30 and 45%, respectively. However, the combination of these stimuli increased secretion greater than fivefold without further elevating mRNA. In 8 mM glucose medium, stretching significantly increased MC collagen synthesis and breakdown, but did not alter accumulation, whereas those stretched in 35 mM glucose markedly increased collagen accumulation. TGF-β neutralization significantly reduced baseline collagen synthesis, breakdown, and accumulation in low glucose, but had no significant effect on the changes induced by stretch. In contrast, the same treatment of MC in high glucose medium greatly reduced stretch-induced synthesis and breakdown of collagen and totally abolished the increase in collagen accumulation. These results indicate that TGF-β plays a positive regulatory role in MC collagen synthesis, breakdown, and accumulation. However, in low glucose there is no stretch-induced collagen accumulation, and the effect of TGF-β is limited to basal collagen turnover. In high glucose media, TGF-β is a critical mediator of stretch-induced collagen synthesis and catabolism, and, most importantly, its net accumulation. These data have important implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetic glomerulosclerosis.

PubMed ID

9596080

Volume

9

Issue

5

First Page

827

Last Page

836

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