Syndecan-1 deficiency aggravates anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis

Rops AL, Gotte M, Baselmans MH, van den Hoven MJ, Steenbergen EJ, Lensen JF, Wijnhoven TJ, Cevikbas F, van den Heuvel LP, van Kuppevelt TH, Berden JH, van der Vlag J

Abstract

During the heterologous phase of experimental anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) nephritis, leukocyte influx peaks within hours, whereas albuminuria occurs within 1 day. In the subsequent autologous phase, endogenous anti-GBM IgG develops and albuminuria persists. Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans like syndecan-1 play multiple roles during inflammation and we evaluate its role in experimental anti-GBM disease using syndecan-1 knockout (sdc-1(-/-)) mice. During the heterologous phase, glomerular leukocyte/macrophage influx was significantly higher in the sdc-1(-/-) mice and this was associated with higher glomerular endothelial expression of specific HS domains. In the autologous phase, glomerular influx of CD4+/CD8+ T cells was higher in the sdc-1(-/-) mice and these mice had persistently higher albuminuria and serum creatinine levels than wild-type mice. This resulted in a more sever glomerular injury and increased expression of extracellular matrix proteins. The sdc-1(-/-) mice developed higher plasma levels and glomerular deposits of total mouse Ig and IgG1 anti-rabbit IgG, whereas the levels of mouse IgG2a anti-rabbit IgG were lower. Furthermore, decreased Th1 and higher Th2 renal cytokine/chemokine expression were found in the sdc-1(-/-) mice. Our studies show that syndecan-1 deficiency exacerbates anti-GBM nephritis shifting the Th1/Th2 balance towards a Th2 response.

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