Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Published Ahead of Print
    • Current Issue
    • JASN Podcasts
    • Article Collections
    • Archives
    • ASN Meeting Abstracts
    • Saved Searches
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Resources
  • Editorial Team
  • Editorial Fellowship
    • Editorial Fellowship Team
    • Editorial Fellowship Application Process
  • More
    • About JASN
    • Advertising
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Impact Factor
    • Reprints
    • Subscriptions
  • ASN Kidney News
  • Other
    • CJASN
    • Kidney360
    • Kidney News Online
    • American Society of Nephrology

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • Log out
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Society of Nephrology
  • Other
    • CJASN
    • Kidney360
    • Kidney News Online
    • American Society of Nephrology
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • Log out
  • My Cart
Advertisement
American Society of Nephrology

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Published Ahead of Print
    • Current Issue
    • JASN Podcasts
    • Article Collections
    • Archives
    • ASN Meeting Abstracts
    • Saved Searches
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Resources
  • Editorial Team
  • Editorial Fellowship
    • Editorial Fellowship Team
    • Editorial Fellowship Application Process
  • More
    • About JASN
    • Advertising
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Impact Factor
    • Reprints
    • Subscriptions
  • ASN Kidney News
  • Follow JASN on Twitter
  • Visit ASN on Facebook
  • Follow JASN on RSS
  • Community Forum
BASIC RESEARCH
You have accessRestricted Access

Role of Altered Renal Lipid Metabolism in the Development of Renal Injury Induced by a High-Fat Diet

Shinji Kume, Takashi Uzu, Shin-ichi Araki, Toshiro Sugimoto, Keiji Isshiki, Masami Chin-Kanasaki, Masayoshi Sakaguchi, Naoto Kubota, Yasuo Terauchi, Takashi Kadowaki, Masakazu Haneda, Atsunori Kashiwagi and Daisuke Koya
JASN October 2007, 18 (10) 2715-2723; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2007010089
Shinji Kume
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Takashi Uzu
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Shin-ichi Araki
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Toshiro Sugimoto
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Keiji Isshiki
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Masami Chin-Kanasaki
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Masayoshi Sakaguchi
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Naoto Kubota
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Yasuo Terauchi
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Takashi Kadowaki
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Masakazu Haneda
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Atsunori Kashiwagi
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Daisuke Koya
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data Supps
  • Info & Metrics
  • View PDF
Loading

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease, and the renal injury in patients with metabolic syndrome may be a result of altered renal lipid metabolism. We fed wild-type or insulin-sensitive heterozygous peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ–deficient (PPARγ+/−) mice a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. In wild-type mice, this diet induced core features of metabolic syndrome, subsequent renal lipid accumulation, and renal injury including glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, and albuminuria. Renal lipogenesis accelerated, determined by increased renal mRNA expression of the lipogenic enzymes fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and by increased ACC activity. In addition, renal lipolysis was suppressed, determined by reduced mRNA expression of the lipolytic enzyme carnitine palmitoyl acyl-CoA transferase 1 and by reduced activity of AMP-activated protein kinase. In PPARγ+/− mice, renal injury, systemic metabolic abnormalities, renal accumulation of lipids, and the changes in renal lipid metabolism were attenuated. Thus, a high-fat diet leads to an altered balance between renal lipogenesis and lipolysis, subsequent renal accumulation of lipid, and renal injury. We suggest that renal lipid metabolism could serve as a new therapeutic target to prevent chronic kidney disease in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by concurrent existence of obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension, is increasingly common because of increased prevalence of obesity. This syndrome is a growing health problem because of the associated increased risk for cardiovascular disease and premature death.1,2 Furthermore, a recent report suggested that individuals with metabolic syndrome are also at increased risk for developing chronic kidney diseases (CKD).3

Several pathomechanisms underlying the development of renal injury in metabolic syndrome have been proposed.4–8 Among them, renal lipid accumulation, lipotoxicity, has been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of renal injury in metabolic syndrome, although the precise mechanism of renal lipid accumulation has not been fully elucidated.9–12 Excess energy intake, including high-fat diet (HFD), contributes to the development of metabolic syndrome. HFD also causes renal lipid accumulation and renal injury.13 Therefore, elucidation of precise mechanisms that are responsible for renal lipid accumulation under an HFD could suggest the possible mechanisms underlying the development of renal injury in metabolic syndrome and thus enhance the design of novel therapeutic strategies against this renal injury.

Various intracellular molecules regulate local lipid metabolism in several tissues, such as skeletal muscle and liver.14–17 Under an altered systemic glucose and lipid metabolism, the imbalance between lipogenesis and lipolysis in such tissues contributes to the local lipid accumulation and subsequent pathophysiologic changes.16,18,19 However, in the kidney, the role of local lipid metabolism in lipid accumulation and subsequent renal injury in metabolic syndrome has not been fully determined.

The purpose of this study was to clarify further the role of renal lipid metabolism in the development of renal injury in metabolic syndrome. We first examined how HFD could affect renal lipid metabolism. We especially focused on the balance between lipogenesis and lipolysis in the kidney per se. Furthermore, we investigated how favorable systemic metabolic conditions under an HFD can affect renal lipid metabolism and renal injury by using heterozygous peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ–deficient (PPAR-γ+/−) mice, which were previously reported to be protected against HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance.

RESULTS

Systemic Metabolic Abnormalities

The characteristics of the four groups at 16 wk of experimental period are presented in Table 1. PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD were significantly heavier than PPAR-γ+/+ mice on a low-fat diet (LFD). These obese mice showed significantly high plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, TNF-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels, compared with their counterparts on an LFD. Plasma adiponectin levels in PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD were significantly lower than in PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD. Moreover, PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD showed hyperinsulinemia during 4 wk of HFD (Figure 1A) and hyperglycemia during 8 wk of HFD (Figure 1B). In contrast, PPAR-γ+/− mice were significantly protected against obesity, insulin resistance, and the altered adipokine secretions during the 16-wk HFD, although no differences in food intake were observed between PPAR-γ+/+ and PPAR-γ+/− mice (Table 1, Figure 1, A and B). Glucose intolerance (determined by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test) and insulin resistance (determined by intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test) at 16 wk of HFD in PPAR-γ+/+ mice were attenuated in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Figure 1, C and D). PPAR-γ+/+ mice showed features of metabolic syndrome from the early stage of HFD, whereas these alterations under an HFD were attenuated in insulin-sensitive PPAR-γ+/− mice, as previously reported.20,21

Figure 1.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 1.

(A) Plasma insulin levels during 16-wk experimental period in each group of mice. Data are means ± SEM for five to 11 mice in each group. (B) Fasting blood glucose during 16-wk experimental period in each group of mice. Data are means ± SEM for 11 mice in each group. (C) Glucose tolerance test at the 16-wk experimental period in each group of mice. Data are means ± SEM for seven mice in each group. (D) Insulin tolerance test at the 16-wk experimental period in each group of mice. Data are means ± SEM for seven mice in each group. *P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD; †P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD.

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 1.

Characteristics of the four groups of mice at the end of the 16-wk experimental perioda

Renal Injuries

We confirmed the significant downregulation of mRNA expression of PPAR-γ in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/− mice on both diets, compared with PPAR-γ+/+ mice (Table 2). Under an HFD, PPAR-γ+/+ mice exhibited a significant rise in urinary albumin excretion at 16 wk, although no significant differences were observed among the four groups at 4 and 8 wk (Figure 2). The increase in urinary albumin excretion at 16 wk was significantly inhibited in PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD (Figure 2). Examination of renal histopathologic changes with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) in four groups revealed that HFD induced mesangial expansion in PPAR-γ+/+ mice (Figure 3, B and M). The expression of fibronectin was significantly increased in both the glomeruli and interstitium of PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD (Figure 3, F and N, and J and O). In contrast, these HFD-induced glomerular and interstitial lesions were significantly attenuated in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Figure 3, D and M, H and N, and L and O). In both PPARγ+/+ and PPARγ+/− on an LFD, glomerular and interstitial lesions were not observed (Figure 3, A, C, E, G, I, and K). Furthermore, under an HFD, the mRNA expression levels of fibronectin, type IV collagen, plasminogen activator-1, and MCP-1 were significantly increased in the renal cortex of PPAR-γ+/+ mice, and these changes were significantly attenuated in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Table 2).

Figure 2.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 2.

Twenty-four-hour urinary albumin excretion during the 16-wk experimental period in each group of mice. Data are means ± SEM for six to 11 mice in each group. *P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD; †P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD.

Figure 3.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 3.

(A through D) Representative photomicrographs of PAS-stained kidney sections from mice in each group. (E through H) Representative photomicrographs of glomeruli of kidney sections immunostained for fibronectin. (I through L) Representative photomicrographs of interstitium of kidney sections immunostained for fibronectin. (M) Quantitative analysis of mesangial area from 20 glomeruli per mouse. Data are means ± SEM for 11 mice in each group. (N) Quantitative analysis of fibronectin score from 20 glomeruli per mouse. Data are means ± SEM for 11 mice in each group. (O) Quantitative analysis of fibronectin score from 20 random fields per mouse. Data are means ± SEM for 11 mice in each group. *P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD; †P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD. Magnifications: ×400 in A through H; ×200 in I through L.

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 2.

Levels of mRNA expression in the renal cortex at the end of 16-wk experimental perioda

Renal Lipid Accumulation

Increased renal triglyceride content was observed in PPAR-γ+/+ mice at 8 and 16 wk of HFD, although no significant increase was observed at 4 wk of HFD (Figure 4A). Furthermore, HFD-induced increases in renal triglyceride content at 8 and 16 wk of HFD were significantly reduced in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Figure 4A). During the experimental period, no significant differences in renal cholesterol content were observed among the four groups (Figure 4B). Oil-Red O staining of kidney sections in the four groups revealed that HFD caused marked neutral lipid accumulations in both the glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesion (Figure 5, B and F). These accumulations were markedly decreased in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Figure 5, D and H). In both PPARγ+/+ and PPARγ+/− on an LFD, these renal neutral lipid accumulations were not observed (Figure 5, A, C, E, and G).

Figure 4.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 4.

Triglyceride (A) and cholesterol (B) contents in the kidneys of mice in each group. Data are means ± SEM for five to 11 mice in each group. *P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD; †P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD.

Figure 5.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 5.

(A through H) Representative photomicrographs of Oil-Red O–stained kidney sections in each group of mice. Magnifications: ×200 in A through D; ×400 in E through H.

Renal Lipid Metabolism

Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is a transcriptional factor that regulates the transcriptional activity of the enzymes that are involved in lipogenesis, fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC).17,22 In the kidneys from all four groups, we measured the mRNA expressions of SREBP-1c, FAS, and ACC at 4 and 16 wk. The mRNA expression levels of these molecules were increased in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD at both time points (Tables 2 and 3). However, these changes were not observed in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Tables 2 and 3). Furthermore, under an HFD, ACC protein content was increased in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/+ mice at 16 wk but not in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Figure 6, A and B).

Figure 6.
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 6.

(A) Representative immunoblots of phospho-AMPKα(Thr172), AMPKα, phospho-ACC(Ser79), and ACC in the protein extractions from renal cortex of mice in each group. β-Actin was loaded as an internal control. (B) Quantitative analysis of ACC protein expression. (C) Quantitative analysis of phospho-AMPKα(Thr172). (D) Quantitative analysis of phospho-ACC(Ser79). Data are means ± SEM for five to eight mice in each group. *P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an LFD; †P < 0.05 versus PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD.

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 3.

Levels of mRNA expression in the renal cortex at 4 wka

We next measured the mRNA expression levels of the molecules that are involved in lipolysis. At both 4 and 16 wk, we did not observe any differences in mRNA expression levels of PPAR-α, acyl-CoA oxidase, (ACO), and acyl-COA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in the kidneys among the four groups (Tables 2 and 3). However, at both 4 and 16 wk of HFD, a significant decrease in mRNA expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1) in the kidney of PPAR-γ+/+ mice was observed, although this was not found in PPAR-γ+/− mice (Tables 2 and 3).

The 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylates and inactivates ACC, resulting in a decrease in intracellular level of malonyl-CoA, thereby relieving inhibition of CPT-1 activity and accelerating lipolysis.23 Phosphorylation of both AMPKα(Thr172) (Figure 6, A and C) and ACC(Ser79) (Figure 6, A and D) were significantly decreased in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD at 16 wk. In contrast, these HFD-induced decreases in phosphorylation of AMPKα(Thr172) (Figure 6, A and C) and ACC(Ser79) (Figure 6, A and D) were not observed in the PPAR-γ+/− mice.

DISCUSSION

Here, we show that HFD induces the alteration of renal lipid metabolism by an imbalance between lipogenesis and lipolysis in the kidney per se, as well as systemic metabolic abnormalities and subsequent renal lipid accumulation and renal injury. Furthermore, these renal involvements under an HFD are ameliorated in insulin-sensitive PPAR-γ+/− mice.

Recently, HFD was reported to induce renal injury, although the exact mechanisms have not been fully clarified.13,24 Several reports have suggested that renal lipid accumulation, lipotoxicity, is associated with the development of such renal injury.13 It is interesting that our results show that HFD induces systemic metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance during 4 wk of HFD and subsequent renal lipid accumulation during 8 wk of HFD and finally renal injury at 16 wk of HFD. Furthermore, these HFD-induced renal involvements are ameliorated in insulin-sensitive PPAR-γ+/− mice. These results suggest that lipotoxicity in the kidney could be one of the important mechanisms for the development of renal injury associated with metabolic syndrome.

To date, the precise mechanisms for renal lipid accumulation have not been fully determined. However, there is growing evidence that the increased renal lipogenesis plays a role in the pathogenesis of renal injury.11,13,25,26 Therefore, we investigated whether HFD increases renal mRNA expression levels of SREBP-1c, FAS, and ACC, which are involved in lipogenesis. Similar to previous reports,11,13,25,26 mRNA expression levels of these molecules were increased in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/+ mice during 4 wk of HFD, whereas these were not observed in the kidneys of insulin-sensitive PPAR-γ+/− mice. Therefore, we can show that the increase in renal lipogenesis is observed from the early stage of HFD, before neutral lipid accumulation in the kidney. These observations provide further evidence that the accelerated renal lipogenesis contributes to the development of renal lipid accumulation under insulin resistance.

In addition to renal lipogenesis, we examined the effects of HFD on renal lipolysis to determine its role in the development of renal lipid accumulation. Our results showed that mRNA expression levels of CPT-1, which is one of the key enzymes involved in lipolysis, were significantly decreased during the 4 wk of HFD but not in PPAR-γ+/− mice. These results suggest that renal lipolysis decreases under insulin resistance, which may contribute to renal lipid accumulation. PPAR-α also regulates lipolysis in various tissues.27 However, we failed to find significant differences of renal mRNA expression levels of PPAR-α among the four groups. Furthermore, we could not observe differences of renal mRNA expression of ACO and MCAD, which are transcriptional target molecules of PPAR-α. These results suggest that HFD might not affect mRNA expression of PPAR-α or activity of PPAR-α in this mouse model of metabolic syndrome.

In this study, we found decreased renal mRNA expression levels of CPT-1, although those of ACO, MCAD, and PPAR-α were not changed, in PPAR-γ+/+ mice on an HFD. We therefore focused on the activity of the AMPK pathway to explore this discrepancy, because this pathway is a key regulator of intracellular lipid metabolism in other tissues23 and because activated AMPK inactivates ACC, resulting in a decrease in malonyl-CoA, with subsequent release of inhibition of CPT-1 expression levels and acceleration of lipolysis.23 Under an HFD, phosphorylation of AMPKα(Thr172) and ACC(Ser79) was significantly decreased in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/+ mice but not in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/− mice. These results suggest that decreased AMPKα activity in the kidney under an HFD could increase the activity of ACC and intracellular malonyl-CoA content, resulting in the decreases in renal mRNA expression of CPT-1. These results could provide new evidence that a decrease in lipolysis via inhibiting the AMPK–CPT-1 pathway but not PPAR-α could contribute to renal lipid accumulation under an HFD. Furthermore, these results suggest that posttranslational activation of ACC by inhibiting AMPK activity under an HFD might contribute to the acceleration of renal lipogenesis, as well as increased renal expression of ACC.

In this study, we show that the improvements of systemic metabolic abnormalities result in the attenuation of HFD-induced renal lipid accumulation and renal injury with the improvement of renal lipid metabolism in PPAR-γ+/− mice. We previously reported that moderate reduction of PPAR-γ activity could decrease local lipid accumulation in the liver and skeletal muscle in PPAR-γ+/− mice.20 These results raise the question of whether the reduction of PPAR-γ activity could directly affect the improvement of renal lipid metabolism in the kidneys of PPAR-γ+/− mice on an HFD. Liver-specific PPAR-γ disruption could attenuate steatohepatitis with the reduction of lipid accumulation in leptin-deficient mice.28 Also, deletion of PPAR-γ in adipose tissues of mice protects against HFD-induced adipocyte hypertrophy, which inhibits obesity and insulin resistance.29 These reports suggest that a reduction of PPAR-γ activity may inhibit various diseases that are associated with local lipid accumulation in various peripheral tissues, including kidney. However, our study does not provide enough evidence to clarify whether PPAR-γ deficiency in the kidney directly regulates renal lipid metabolism, as well as other peripheral tissues.28,29 Further studies are required to determine the direct effects of PPAR-γ activity on renal lipid metabolism.

Several investigators have reported that PPAR-γ agonists can protect against the various types of renal injury through their anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects.30–32 In contrast, our results showed that systemic reduction of PPAR-γ expression could improve HFD-induced renal injury. We therefore suggest that both PPAR-γ agonists and PPAR-γ insufficiency in the absence of ligands can protect against renal injury that is associated with glucose and lipid metabolism abnormalities, at least in part, through the attenuation of both systemic and renal lipid metabolism. Furthermore, several reports show that PPAR-γ recruits other transcriptional co-repressor complexes in the absence of ligand and that these co-repressors are capable of downregulating PPAR-γ–mediated transcriptional activity.33,34 This might be another mechanism through which both ligand binding to PPAR-γ and ligand-free PPAR-γ deficiency could promote renal protection.

Here, we present evidence that HFD causes renal lipid accumulation and renal injury with increased renal lipogenesis and decreased renal lipolysis, whereas these abnormalities are attenuated in insulin-sensitive PPAR-γ+/− mice. These results suggest that the improvement of an imbalance between renal lipogenesis and lipolysis results in a reduction of renal lipid accumulation and subsequent attenuation of renal injury under insulin resistance. Therefore, we propose that attenuation of renal lipid metabolism could serve as a new therapeutic strategy to prevent the development of CKD in metabolic syndrome.

CONCISE METHODS

Animal Models

PPAR-γ+/− mice were generated as described previously.21 Six-week-old mice were housed in box cages, maintained on a 12-h light/12-h dark cycle, and fed an LFD (10% of kilocalories from fat) or HFD (45% of kilocalories from fat) obtained from Research Diets (New Brunswick, NJ) for 16 wk. At the end of 16-wk period, body weight, BP, and blood glucose were measured. BP of conscious mice was measured at a steady state with a programmable tail-cuff sphygmomanometer (BP98-A; Softron, Tokyo, Japan). Mice were placed in metabolic balance cages for 24-h urine collection to measure albumin concentration. Mice were anesthetized and perfused as described previously.11 The right kidney was embedded in paraffin for PAS staining and immunohistochemistry or was frozen for Oil-Red O staining. Total RNA and protein were extracted from the remaining renal cortex of the left kidney. The Research Center for Animal Life Science of Shiga University of Medical Science approved all experiments.

Antibodies

Anti–phospho-acetyl CoA carboxylase(Ser79) was obtained from Upstate Cell Signaling (Lake Placid, NY). Anti–phospho-AMPKα(Thr172), anti-AMPKα(23A3), and anti-ACC were from Cell Signaling Technology (Beverly, MA).

Blood and Urine Analysis

Cholesterol or triglycerides were measured using the cholesterol CII kit or L type TG H kit (Wako Chemicals, Richmond, VA). Plasma insulin was determined using an ELISA (Exocell, Philadelphia, PA). Plasma leptin, MCP-1, and TNF-α were assayed with the immunoassay kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN). Plasma adiponectin was determined with a mouse-specific ELISA kit (Linco Research, St. Charles, MO). Urinary albumin excretion was measured with a mouse-specific sandwich ELISA system (Albuwell; Exocell) and was expressed as total amount excreted in 24 h.

Protein Extraction and Western Blot Analysis

The renal cortex was homogenized in an ice-cold lysis buffer containing 150 mmol/L NaCl, 50 mmol/L Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 0.1% SDS, 1% Nonidet P-40, and protease inhibitor cocktail (Boehringer Mannheim, Lewes, UK). These samples were resolved by 10% SDS-PAGE and transferred to polyvinylidene fluoride membranes (Immobilon, Bedford, MA). The membranes were incubated with the appropriate antibodies, washed, and incubated with horseradish peroxidase–coupled secondary antibodies (Amersham, Buckinghamshire, UK). The blots were visualized by using an enhanced chemiluminescence detection system (Perkin Elmer Life Science, Boston, MA).

RNA Extraction and Quantitative Real-Time PCR

Total RNA was isolated from the renal cortex based on the TRIzol protocol (Invitrogen Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA). cDNA was synthesized using reverse transcript reagents (Takara, Otsu, Japan). iQSYBR Green Supermix (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA) was used for real-time PCR (ABI Prism TM 7500 Sequence Detection System; Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems). The levels of mRNA expression of these molecules were quantified using standard curve method. Standard curves were constructed using serially diluted standard template. Ct value was used to compute the levels of mRNA expression from the standard curve. Analytical data were adjusted with the levels of mRNA expression of β-actin as an internal control. Primers used are described in Table 4.

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 4.

Primer sequences for real-time PCR

Lipid Extraction and Analysis

Total lipid was extracted from the renal cortex by the method of Bligh and Dyer.35 Triglyceride and cholesterol contents were determined as described previously.

Morphologic Analysis

Fixed kidneys were embedded in paraffin, sectioned (3-μm thick), and then stained with PAS reagent as described previously.36 From each mouse, 20 glomeruli cut at their vascular poles were used for morphometric analysis. The extent of the mesangial matrix (defined as mesangial area) was determined by assessment of the PAS-positive and nucleus-free area in the mesangium using a computer-assisted color image analyzer (LUZEX F; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan). Immunohistochemical staining was performed with fibronectin-specific polyclonal anti-mouse antibody (A852/R5H; Biogenesis, Poole, UK). For evaluation of immunostaining for fibronectin, the percentages of area stained for fibronectin were graded as follows: 0, staining absent to 5%; 1, 5 to 25%; 2, 25 to 50%; 3, 50 to 75%; and 4, >75%.36 An investigator who was masked to sample identity performed the image analysis. Frozen sections were used for Oil-Red O staining, as previously reported.11

Glucose Tolerance Test and Insulin Tolerance Test

For glucose tolerance tests, mice were fasted overnight for 14 h followed by intraperitoneal glucose injection (1 g/kg body wt). Blood glucose was measured using tail blood collected at 0, 15, 30, 60, and 120 min after the injection.37 For insulin tolerance tests, mice were administered an injection of human regular insulin (Novolin R; Novo Nordisk, Clayton, NC) at 0.75 U/kg body wt intraperitoneally after a 6-h fast, and blood glucose was measured at 0, 15, 30, and 60 min.37

Statistical Analyses

Results are expressed as means ± SEM. ANOVA with subsequent Scheffe test was used to determine the significance of differences in multiple comparisons. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

DISCLOSURES

None.

Acknowledgments

We are highly appreciative of Makiko Sera for excellent technical assistance.

Footnotes

  • Published online ahead of print. Publication date available at www.jasn.org.

  • © 2007 American Society of Nephrology

REFERENCES

  1. ↵
    Lakka HM, Laaksonen DE, Lakka TA, Niskanen LK, Kumpusalo E, Tuomilehto J, Salonen JT: The metabolic syndrome and total and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged men. JAMA 288 : 2709 –2716, 2002
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  2. ↵
    Isomaa B, Almgren P, Tuomi T, Forsen B, Lahti K, Nissen M, Taskinen MR, Groop L: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care 24 : 683 –689, 2001
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  3. ↵
    Chen J, Muntner P, Hamm LL, Jones DW, Batuman V, Fonseca V, Whelton PK, He J: The metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease in US adults. Ann Intern Med 140 : 167 –174, 2004
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  4. ↵
    Praga M: Obesity: A neglected culprit in renal disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 17 : 1157 –1159, 2002
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  5. Abrass CK: Overview: Obesity—What does it have to do with kidney disease? J Am Soc Nephrol 15 : 2768 –2772, 2004
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  6. Bagby SP: Obesity-initiated metabolic syndrome and the kidney: A recipe for chronic kidney disease? J Am Soc Nephrol 15 : 2775 –2791, 2004
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  7. Wisse BE: The inflammatory syndrome: The role of adipose tissue cytokines in metabolic disorders linked to obesity. J Am Soc Nephrol 15 : 2792 –2800, 2004
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  8. ↵
    El-Atat FA, Stas SN, McFarlane SI, Sowers JR: The relationship between hyperinsulinemia, hypertension and progressive renal disease. J Am Soc Nephrol 15 : 2816 –2827, 2004
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  9. ↵
    Gin H, Rigalleau V, Aparicio M: Lipids, protein intake, and diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes Metab 26[Suppl 4] : 45 –53, 2000
    OpenUrl
  10. Bonnet F, Cooper ME: Potential influence of lipids in diabetic nephropathy: Insights from experimental data and clinical studies. Diabetes Metab 26 : 254 –264, 2000
    OpenUrlPubMed
  11. ↵
    Sun L, Halaihel N, Zhang W, Rogers T, Levi M: Role of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 in regulation of renal lipid metabolism and glomerulosclerosis in diabetes mellitus. J Biol Chem 277 : 18919 –18927, 2002
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  12. ↵
    Spencer MW, Muhlfeld AS, Segerer S, Hudkins KL, Kirk E, LeBoeuf RC, Alpers CE: Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia act synergistically to induce renal disease in LDL receptor-deficient BALB mice. Am J Nephrol 24 : 20 –31, 2004
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  13. ↵
    Jiang T, Wang Z, Proctor G, Moskowitz S, Liebman SE, Rogers T, Lucia MS, Li J, Levi M: Diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice causes increased renal lipid accumulation and glomerulosclerosis via a sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c-dependent pathway. J Biol Chem 280 : 32317 –32325, 2005
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  14. ↵
    Jump DB, Botolin D, Wang Y, Xu J, Christian B, Demeure O: Fatty acid regulation of hepatic gene transcription. J Nutr 135 : 2503 –2506, 2005
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  15. Jeukendrup AE: Regulation of fat metabolism in skeletal muscle. Ann N Y Acad Sci 967 : 217 –235, 2002
    OpenUrlPubMed
  16. ↵
    Reddy JK, Rao MS: Lipid metabolism and liver inflammation. II. Fatty liver disease and fatty acid oxidation. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 290 : G852 –G858, 2006
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  17. ↵
    Horton JD, Goldstein JL, Brown MS: SREBPs: Activators of the complete program of cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis in the liver. J Clin Invest 109 : 1125 –1131, 2002
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  18. ↵
    Kelley DE, Simoneau JA: Impaired free fatty acid utilization by skeletal muscle in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest 94 : 2349 –2356, 1994
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  19. ↵
    Pan DA, Lillioja S, Kriketos AD, Milner MR, Baur LA, Bogardus C, Jenkins AB, Storlien LH: Skeletal muscle triglyceride levels are inversely related to insulin action. Diabetes 46 : 983 –988, 1997
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  20. ↵
    Yamauchi T, Kamon J, Waki H, Murakami K, Motojima K, Komeda K, Ide T, Kubota N, Terauchi Y, Tobe K, Miki H, Tsuchida A, Akanuma Y, Nagai R, Kimura S, Kadowaki T: The mechanisms by which both heterozygous peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) deficiency and PPARgamma agonist improve insulin resistance. J Biol Chem 276 : 41245 –41254, 2001
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  21. ↵
    Kubota N, Terauchi Y, Miki H, Tamemoto H, Yamauchi T, Komeda K, Satoh S, Nakano R, Ishii C, Sugiyama T, Eto K, Tsubamoto Y, Okuno A, Murakami K, Sekihara H, Hasegawa G, Naito M, Toyoshima Y, Tanaka S, Shiota K, Kitamura T, Fujita T, Ezaki O, Aizawa S, Kadowaki T, et al.: PPAR gamma mediates high-fat diet-induced adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin resistance. Mol Cell 4 : 597 –609, 1999
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  22. ↵
    Rawson RB: The SREBP pathway: Insights from Insigs and insects. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 4 : 631 –640, 2003
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  23. ↵
    Long YC, Zierath JR: AMP-activated protein kinase signaling in metabolic regulation. J Clin Invest 116 : 1776 –1783, 2006
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  24. ↵
    Wei P, Lane PH, Lane JT, Padanilam BJ, Sansom SC: Glomerular structural and functional changes in a high-fat diet mouse model of early-stage type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia 47 : 1541 –1549, 2004
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  25. ↵
    Wang Z, Jiang T, Li J, Proctor G, McManaman JL, Lucia S, Chua S, Levi M: Regulation of renal lipid metabolism, lipid accumulation, and glomerulosclerosis in FVBdb/db mice with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 54 : 2328 –2335, 2005
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  26. ↵
    Jiang T, Liebman SE, Lucia MS, Li J, Levi M: Role of altered renal lipid metabolism and the sterol regulatory element binding proteins in the pathogenesis of age-related renal disease. Kidney Int 68 : 2608 –2620, 2005
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  27. ↵
    Lefebvre P, Chinetti G, Fruchart JC, Staels B: Sorting out the roles of PPAR alpha in energy metabolism and vascular homeostasis. J Clin Invest 116 : 571 –580, 2006
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  28. ↵
    Matsusue K, Haluzik M, Lambert G, Yim SH, Gavrilova O, Ward JM, Brewer B Jr, Reitman ML, Gonzalez FJ: Liver-specific disruption of PPARgamma in leptin-deficient mice improves fatty liver but aggravates diabetic phenotypes. J Clin Invest 111 : 737 –747, 2003
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  29. ↵
    Jones JR, Barrick C, Kim KA, Lindner J, Blondeau B, Fujimoto Y, Shiota M, Kesterson RA, Kahn BB, Magnuson MA: Deletion of PPARgamma in adipose tissues of mice protects against high fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102 : 6207 –6212, 2005
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  30. ↵
    Isshiki K, Haneda M, Koya D, Maeda S, Sugimoto T, Kikkawa R: Thiazolidinedione compounds ameliorate glomerular dysfunction independent of their insulin-sensitizing action in diabetic rats. Diabetes 49 : 1022 –1032, 2000
    OpenUrlAbstract
  31. Guo B, Koya D, Isono M, Sugimoto T, Kashiwagi A, Haneda M: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligands inhibit TGF-beta 1-induced fibronectin expression in glomerular mesangial cells. Diabetes 53 : 200 –208, 2004
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  32. ↵
    Sarafidis PA, Bakris GL: Protection of the kidney by thiazolidinediones: An assessment from bench to bedside. Kidney Int 70 : 1223 –1233, 2006
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  33. ↵
    Yu C, Markan K, Temple KA, Deplewski D, Brady MJ, Cohen RN: The nuclear receptor corepressors NCoR and SMRT decrease peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma transcriptional activity and repress 3T3–L1 adipogenesis. J Biol Chem 280 : 13600 –13605, 2005
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  34. ↵
    Cohen RN: Nuclear receptor corepressors and PPARgamma. Nucl Recept Signal 4 : e003 , 2006
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  35. ↵
    Bligh EG, Dyer WJ: A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Physiol 37 : 911 –917, 1959
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  36. ↵
    Koya D, Haneda M, Nakagawa H, Isshiki K, Sato H, Maeda S, Sugimoto T, Yasuda H, Kashiwagi A, Ways DK, King GL, Kikkawa R: Amelioration of accelerated diabetic mesangial expansion by treatment with a PKC beta inhibitor in diabetic db/db mice, a rodent model for type 2 diabetes. FASEB J 14 : 439 –447, 2000
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  37. ↵
    Chin M, Isono M, Isshiki K, Araki S, Sugimoto T, Guo B, Sato H, Haneda M, Kashiwagi A, Koya D: Estrogen and raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, ameliorate renal damage in db/db mice. Am J Pathol 166 : 1629 –1636, 2005
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: 18 (10)
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Vol. 18, Issue 10
October 2007
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
View Selected Citations (0)
Print
Download PDF
Sign up for Alerts
Email Article
Thank you for your help in sharing the high-quality science in JASN.
Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Role of Altered Renal Lipid Metabolism in the Development of Renal Injury Induced by a High-Fat Diet
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Society of Nephrology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Society of Nephrology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Role of Altered Renal Lipid Metabolism in the Development of Renal Injury Induced by a High-Fat Diet
Shinji Kume, Takashi Uzu, Shin-ichi Araki, Toshiro Sugimoto, Keiji Isshiki, Masami Chin-Kanasaki, Masayoshi Sakaguchi, Naoto Kubota, Yasuo Terauchi, Takashi Kadowaki, Masakazu Haneda, Atsunori Kashiwagi, Daisuke Koya
JASN Oct 2007, 18 (10) 2715-2723; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2007010089

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Request Permissions
Share
Role of Altered Renal Lipid Metabolism in the Development of Renal Injury Induced by a High-Fat Diet
Shinji Kume, Takashi Uzu, Shin-ichi Araki, Toshiro Sugimoto, Keiji Isshiki, Masami Chin-Kanasaki, Masayoshi Sakaguchi, Naoto Kubota, Yasuo Terauchi, Takashi Kadowaki, Masakazu Haneda, Atsunori Kashiwagi, Daisuke Koya
JASN Oct 2007, 18 (10) 2715-2723; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2007010089
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • CONCISE METHODS
    • DISCLOSURES
    • Acknowledgments
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data Supps
  • Info & Metrics
  • View PDF

More in this TOC Section

  • The Rhesus Macaque Serves As a Model for Human Lateral Branch Nephrogenesis
  • Data-driven Derivation and Validation of Novel Phenotypes for Acute Kidney Transplant Rejection using Semi-supervised Clustering
  • Pre-emptive Short-term Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Treatment in a Mouse Model of Diabetic Nephropathy
Show more Basic Research

Cited By...

  • Protein O-GlcNAcylation Is Essential for the Maintenance of Renal Energy Homeostasis and Function via Lipolysis during Fasting and Diabetes
  • AMP-activated protein kinase activation ameliorates eicosanoid dysregulation in high-fat-induced kidney disease in mice
  • Podocyte-Specific Loss of Kru&#x0308;ppel-Like Factor 6 Increases Mitochondrial Injury in Diabetic Kidney Disease
  • Clusterin deficiency induces lipid accumulation and tissue damage in kidney
  • Impairment of PPAR{alpha} and the Fatty Acid Oxidation Pathway Aggravates Renal Fibrosis during Aging
  • Pharmacologic Approaches to Improve Mitochondrial Function in AKI and CKD
  • Inflammatory stress promotes the development of obesity-related chronic kidney disease via CD36 in mice
  • Metformin Improves Metabolic Memory in High Fat Diet (HFD)-induced Renal Dysfunction
  • Impaired Podocyte Autophagy Exacerbates Proteinuria in Diabetic Nephropathy
  • Farnesoid X Receptor Protects against Kidney Injury in Uninephrectomized Obese Mice
  • Pex11a Deficiency Is Associated With a Reduced Abundance of Functional Peroxisomes and Aggravated Renal Interstitial Lesions
  • Obesity-Mediated Autophagy Insufficiency Exacerbates Proteinuria-induced Tubulointerstitial Lesions
  • Accelerated renal disease is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome in a glucolipotoxic mouse model
  • High-fat-diet-induced obesity causes an inflammatory and tumor-promoting microenvironment in the rat kidney
  • AMPK Mediates the Initiation of Kidney Disease Induced by a High-Fat Diet
  • Lipotoxicity in Diabetic Nephropathy: The Potential Role of Fatty Acid Oxidation
  • Diabetic Nephropathy Is Accelerated by Farnesoid X Receptor Deficiency and Inhibited by Farnesoid X Receptor Activation in a Type 1 Diabetes Model
  • Xanthine Oxidoreductase Depletion Induces Renal Interstitial Fibrosis Through Aberrant Lipid and Purine Accumulation in Renal Tubules
  • Google Scholar

Similar Articles

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Articles

  • Current Issue
  • Early Access
  • Subject Collections
  • Article Archive
  • ASN Annual Meeting Abstracts

Information for Authors

  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Author Resources
  • Editorial Fellowship Program
  • ASN Journal Policies
  • Reuse/Reprint Policy

About

  • JASN
  • ASN
  • ASN Journals
  • ASN Kidney News

Journal Information

  • About JASN
  • JASN Email Alerts
  • JASN Key Impact Information
  • JASN Podcasts
  • JASN RSS Feeds
  • Editorial Board

More Information

  • Advertise
  • ASN Podcasts
  • ASN Publications
  • Become an ASN Member
  • Feedback
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Password/Email Address Changes
  • Subscribe to ASN Journals

© 2021 American Society of Nephrology

Print ISSN - 1046-6673 Online ISSN - 1533-3450

Powered by HighWire