doi:10.1369/jhc.4A6596.2005
Volume 53 (11): 1345-1353, 2005 Copyright ©The Histochemical Society, Inc.
Localization of
Division of Nephrology (NPJV,MAHB,JvdV,JHMB) and Department of Pathology (HD), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and Department of Physiology and Biophysics (KPC), Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa Correspondence to: J.H.M. Berden MD, PhD, Division of Nephrology (545), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E-mail: j.berden{at}nier.umcn.nl
-DYSTROGLYCAN (DG) is a negatively charged membrane-associated glycoprotein that links the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Previously, we described that -DG covers the whole podocyte cell membrane in the rat. However, our finding was challenged by the description of a strictly basolateral localization in human kidney biopsies, using a different antibody against -DG. Therefore, we studied the exact localization of glomerular -DG by using these two antibodies in both species. The studies were performed by using monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) IIH6 and VIA4.1 in immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy on both rat and human kidney sections, as well as on cultured mouse podocytes. The apical localization of -DG on podocytes was more dominant than the basolateral localization. The basolateral staining with MoAb VIA4.1 was more pronounced than that of MoAb IIH6. With both MoAbs, the staining in rat kidneys was more prominent, in comparison to human kidneys. We conclude that -DG is expressed at both the basolateral and apical sides of the podocyte. This localization suggests that -DG plays a dual role in the maintenance of the unique architecture of podocytes by its binding to the glomerular basement membrane, and in the maintenance of the integrity of the filtration slit, respectively. (J Histochem Cytochem 53:13451353, 2005)
Key Words: dystroglycan podocyte agrin laminin glomerulus kidney podocalyxin renal
DYSTROGLYCAN (DG) was originally described as a component of the dystrophinglycoprotein complex in skeletal muscle that links the actin cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix (Ervasti et al. 1990 -DG subunit, which is connected to the transmembrane ß-DG subunit. Recently, we reported the expression of -DG by rat podocytes (Raats et al. 2000
The localization of
DG is encoded by a single gene, DAG1, and cleaved into
Podocytes have a unique architecture, in which pedicles spread from the cell body, covering the capillary loop by the formation of foot processes. These foot processes interdigitate and form filtration slits. This shape can be maintained by the negative charge of sialic acids, which has been shown to cover the apical membrane (Faraggiana et al. 1982
As outlined above, there is still discussion about the exact localization of
Immunofluorescence and Confocal Microscopy Kidneys were harvested from adolescent female Wistar rats under isoflurane anesthesia, and immediately snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored until use. Human kidney sections were derived from donor kidneys unsuitable for organ transplantation and were stored at 80C, or from specimens of the nontumorous part of the kidney obtained by (partial) nephrectomy from patients with renal cell carcinomas, snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. Two-micron-thick kidney sections were prepared and stored at 80C until use. These sections were first air-dried, and subsequently fixed in ice-cold acetone (Merck; Darmstadt, Germany) for 10 min, unless stated otherwise. Subsequently, the sections were air-dried and incubated for 60 min at room temperature (RT) with mouse MoAb VIA4.1 (mouse IgG1, 20 µg/ml), MoAb IIH6 (mouse IgM, 6 µg/ml) in immunofluorescence (IF) buffer [1% BSA (Sigma; St Louis, MO), 0.1% sodium azide (Merck) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)]. Both antibodies were raised against rabbit muscle membranes and directed against carbohydrate epitopes of -DG (Ohlendieck et al. 1991 -DG with VIA4.1 and IIH6, respectively. Normal rat serum (diluted 1:25) was added when probing rat kidney sections. After rinsing, sections were postfixed in 1% paraformaldehyde (Merck) in IF buffer and embedded in Vectashield (Vector Laboratories Inc.; Burlingame, Canada). The sections were analyzed by a Leica TCS NT confocal system (Leica Lasertechnik GmbH; Heidelberg, Germany).
Immunoelectron Microscopy For the pre-embedding technique, kidneys were immersion-fixed in a mixture of 10 mM periodate (Merck), 75 mM lysine (Merck), and 2% paraformaldehyde (PLP), pH 6.2, for 3 hr. After rinsing several times in PBS, the kidneys were cryoprotected by immersion in 2.3 M sucrose for 1 hr, and subsequently frozen in liquid nitrogen. Twenty-micron-thick sections were incubated with the MoAbs IIH6, VIA4.1, or isotype controls, in IF buffer for 18 hr at 4C and then washed three times for 30 min with PBS. After rinsing, the sections were incubated for 90 min with the appropriate peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody rabbit anti-mouse IgM/IgG (Dako; Glostrup, Denmark), then incubated for 90 min in IF buffer. After rinsing in PBS for three 30-min periods, the sections were preincubated for 10 min in PBS containing 0.05% diaminobenzidine (DAB; Fluka/Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) in 50 mM Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane (Sigma). Subsequently, the sections were stained for 10 min with the same medium containing 0.003% hydrogen peroxide (Merck). After washing three times in distilled water, the sections were postfixed for 30 min at room temperature in 1% OsO4 [Electronic Microscopy Sciences (EMS); Hatfield, PA], pH 7.4, dehydrated, and embedded in Epon 812 (Merck). Ultrathin sections were prepared on an ultratome (Leica; Reichert Ultracuts, Wien, Austria). Additionally, a post-embedding technique was performed. Kidneys were immersion-fixed in PLP and embedded in Lowicryl HM20 resin (EMS). Ultrathin sections were incubated via droplet method with the MoAbs IIH6 or VIA4.1, or isotype controls for 1 hr in IF buffer at RT, and washed several times in PBS. Subsequently, sections were incubated with 10 nm gold-labeled goat anti-mouse IgM or IgG (Amersham Biosciences; Little Chalfont, UK) for 1 hr in IF buffer, washed several times in PBS, then washed three times in distilled water and contrasted with 4% aqueous uranyl acetate (EMS) for 15 min. All sections were examined by a JEOL 1200 EX2 electron microscope (JEOL; Tokyo, Japan).
Cell Culture
The indirect immunofluorescence of rat glomeruli with both MoAbs revealed a granular staining in a podocyte-like manner. In human glomeruli, however, this podocyte-like staining was less pronounced and a more fine granular aspect near the GBM was observed (Figure 1, left columns).The staining patterns and intensity of -DG with MoAbs VIA4.1 and IIH6 on rat and human kidney sections were different (Table 1; Figure 1 and Figure 2, left columns). In general, the glomerular staining of -DG with both antibodies was more pronounced in rat kidney than in human kidney. Bowman's capsule was never stained. For the tubuli, the staining patterns were similar for both antibodies in both species, but the staining intensity by both antibodies was different, showing a minor staining by MoAb IIH6 near the tubular basement membrane (TBM), in contrast to a marked staining by VIA4.1.
To investigate differences in the accessibility of carbohydrate epitopes on -DG in rat and human kidney, we examined whether MoAbs VIA4.1 and IIH6 could inhibit the binding to their respective epitopes (Figure 1). MoAb VIA4.1 is a mouse IgG1, and MoAb IIH6 is a mouse IgM, which can inhibit the binding of -DG to laminin G modules (Durbeej et al. 1995
To investigate how the staining for glomerular
The analysis with immunofluorescence revealed a lesser basolateral staining of glomerular
To further localize -DG on the podocyte cell membrane, we investigated the expression on cultured mouse podocytes. Differentiated podocytes, maintained on coatings of collagen, laminin, or Matrigel, expressed -DG on both their basolateral and their apical membranes. Again, the staining by MoAb VIA4.1 (Figure 4, upper panel) was more pronounced at the basolateral membrane of the podocytes, compared with MoAb IIH6 (Figure 4, lower panel). The apical staining intensity of podocytes by the two antibodies was similar.
By using two different antibodies directed against -DG, indirect immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and IEM, with pre- and post-embedding, we demonstrated that -DG is localized both at the apical and at the basolateral side of both rat and human podocytes, although staining at the apical membrane was more prominent. The staining of -DG at the basolateral membrane of podocytes by MoAb IIH6 was less intense than was staining with VIA4.1. This could be due to the fact that the binding of this antibody at the basolateral membrane is sterically hindered by binding of -DG to laminin G modules. Alternatively, the epitope could be part of the binding site, because it has been shown that IIH6 can block the binding of -DG to laminin G modules (Durbeej et al. 1995 -DG on the basolateral side of the podocyte cell membrane can therefore be more easily visualized by MoAb VIA4.1, because this MoAb is unable to block the binding of -DG to laminin G modules. Therefore, we think that the predominant basolateral localization in human kidney biopsies as found by Regele et al. (2000) -DG antibodies are most likely directed to different epitopes, IIH6 was able to inhibit the binding of VIA4.1, while VIA4.1 did not interfere with the binding of IIH6. This may be due to the fact that MoAb IIH6 is an IgM antibody, which, with its higher molecular mass, could block the epitope of MoAb VIA4.1, to some extent, by sterical hindrance. Because MoAb VIA4.1 is an IgG antibody, this strict hindrance of the epitope of IIH6 does not occur, which implies that they do not share the same epitope. In tubuli, a more pronounced staining by MoAb VIA4.1 was observed, distinct from the TBM. More proximal to the TBM, IIH6 shows a weak staining. This difference in staining implies that either glomerular -DG has a different glycosylation compared with tubular -DG or that the epitope of MoAb IIH6 in the tubuli is blocked by one of the ligands of -DG.
Until now, the proposed function of glomerular
In conclusion, the glomerular anionic glycoprotein
The financial support of the Dutch Kidney Foundation (grant C.99.1832) is gratefully acknowledged. The MPC-5 mouse podocyte cell line was kindly provided by Dr. Peter Mundel, Division of Nephrology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
Received for publication December 10, 2004; accepted May 4, 2005
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