{"title":"Inhibition of SGLT2 protects podocytes in diabetic kidney disease by rebalancing mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes.","authors":"Xuehong Li, Qiong Li, Xinying Jiang, Shicong Song, Wei Zou, Qinglan Yang, Sirui Liu, Shuangqin Chen, Cheng Wang","doi":"10.1186/s12964-024-01914-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have changed the therapeutic landscape for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients, but their underlying mechanisms are complicated and not fully understood. Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAMs), the dynamic contact sites between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), serve as intracellular platforms important for regulating cellular fate and function. This study explored the roles and mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors in regulating MAMs formation in diabetic podocytes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We assessed MAMs formation in podocytes from DKD patients' renal biopsy samples and induced an increase in MAMs formation in cultured human podocytes by transfecting OMM-ER linker plasmid to investigate the effects of MAMs imbalance on podocyte injury. Empagliflozin-treated diabetic mice and podocyte-specific SGLT2 knockout diabetic mice (diabetic states were induced by streptozotocin and a high-fat diet), empagliflozin-treated podocytes, SGLT2-downregulated podocytes, and SGLT2-overexpressing podocytes were used to investigate the effects and mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors on MAMs formation in diabetic podocytes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MAMs were increased in podocytes and were associated with renal dysfunction in DKD patients. Increased MAMs aggravated HG-induced podocyte injury. The expression of SGLT2 was increased in diabetic podocytes. In addition, empagliflozin-treatment and podocyte-specific SGLT2 knockout attenuated MAMs formation and podocyte injury in diabetic mice. Empagliflozin treatment and SGLT2 knockdown decreased podocyte MAMs formation by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, while SGLT2 overexpression had the opposite effect.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Inhibition of SGLT2 attenuates MAMs imbalance in diabetic podocytes by activating the AMPK pathway. This study expands our knowledge of the roles of SGLT2 inhibitors in improving DKD podocyte injury and provides new insights into DKD treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":55268,"journal":{"name":"Cell Communication and Signaling","volume":"22 1","pages":"534"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11542362/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cell Communication and Signaling","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-024-01914-1","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CELL BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have changed the therapeutic landscape for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients, but their underlying mechanisms are complicated and not fully understood. Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAMs), the dynamic contact sites between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), serve as intracellular platforms important for regulating cellular fate and function. This study explored the roles and mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors in regulating MAMs formation in diabetic podocytes.
Methods: We assessed MAMs formation in podocytes from DKD patients' renal biopsy samples and induced an increase in MAMs formation in cultured human podocytes by transfecting OMM-ER linker plasmid to investigate the effects of MAMs imbalance on podocyte injury. Empagliflozin-treated diabetic mice and podocyte-specific SGLT2 knockout diabetic mice (diabetic states were induced by streptozotocin and a high-fat diet), empagliflozin-treated podocytes, SGLT2-downregulated podocytes, and SGLT2-overexpressing podocytes were used to investigate the effects and mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors on MAMs formation in diabetic podocytes.
Results: MAMs were increased in podocytes and were associated with renal dysfunction in DKD patients. Increased MAMs aggravated HG-induced podocyte injury. The expression of SGLT2 was increased in diabetic podocytes. In addition, empagliflozin-treatment and podocyte-specific SGLT2 knockout attenuated MAMs formation and podocyte injury in diabetic mice. Empagliflozin treatment and SGLT2 knockdown decreased podocyte MAMs formation by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, while SGLT2 overexpression had the opposite effect.
Conclusions: Inhibition of SGLT2 attenuates MAMs imbalance in diabetic podocytes by activating the AMPK pathway. This study expands our knowledge of the roles of SGLT2 inhibitors in improving DKD podocyte injury and provides new insights into DKD treatment.
期刊介绍：
Cell Communication and Signaling (CCS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal that focuses on cellular signaling pathways in both normal and pathological conditions. It publishes original research, reviews, and commentaries, welcoming studies that utilize molecular, morphological, biochemical, structural, and cell biology approaches. CCS also encourages interdisciplinary work and innovative models, including in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, to facilitate investigations of cell signaling pathways, networks, and behavior.
Starting from January 2019, CCS is proud to announce its affiliation with the International Cell Death Society. The journal now encourages submissions covering all aspects of cell death, including apoptotic and non-apoptotic mechanisms, cell death in model systems, autophagy, clearance of dying cells, and the immunological and pathological consequences of dying cells in the tissue microenvironment.
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