Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2010) 31: 43–50; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.174; published online 28 December 2009

Rong ZOU^2,#, Gang XU^1,#, Xiao-cheng LIU¹, Min HAN¹, Jing-jing JIANG¹, Qian HUANG¹, Yong HE¹, Ying YAO^1,*

¹Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; ²Department of Nephrology, Wuhan Integrated TCM & Western Medicine Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China

Aim: To study the probable mechanisms of the anti-glomerulosclerosis effects induced by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists in rat intraglomerular mesangial cells (MCs).     

Methods: Cells were transfected with the pTAL-PPRE-tk-Luc⁺ plasmid and then treated with different concentrations of PPARγ agonist, either troglitazone or telmisartan, for the indicated times. Promega luciferase assays were subsequently used for the detection of PPARγ activation.  Protein expression levels were assessed by Western blot, and PepTag® assays were used for the non-radioactive detection of protein kinase A (PKA) activity.  The deposition of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and p-cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein (pCREB) were analyzed by confocal laser scanning.    

Results: Both troglitazone and telmisartan remarkably inhibit the PKA activation and pCREB expression that is stimulated by TGF-β.  The PPARγ agonists also inhibited α-SMA and collagen IV protein expression by blocking PKA activation.   

Conclusion: PPARγ ligands effectively suppress the activation of MCs and the accumulation of collagen IV stimulated by TGF-β in vitro.  The renal protection provided by PPARγ agonists is partly mediated via their blockade of TGF-β/PKA signaling.

Keywords: PKA signal pathway; glomerulosclerosis; PPARγ; rat intraglomerular mesangial cells; troglitazone; telmisartan