Ginseng total saponin modulates the changes of α-actinin-4 in podocytes induced by diabetic conditions

Abstract

BackgroundThe actin cytoskeleton in podocytes is essential for the maintenance of its normal structure and function. Its disruption is a feature of podocyte foot-process effacement and is associated with proteinuria. α-Actinin-4 in podocytes serves as a linker protein binding the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton.MethodsTo investigate the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the pathological changes of podocyte α-actinin-4 induced by diabetic conditions, we cultured mouse podocytes under normal glucose (5mM) or high glucose (HG, 30mM) conditions, with or without the addition of advanced glycosylation end products (AGE), and treated with GTS.ResultsIn confocal imaging, α-actinin-4 colocalized with the ends of F-actin fibers in cytoplasm, but diabetic conditions disrupted F-actin fibers and concentrated α-actinin-4 molecules at the peripheral cytoplasm. GTS upregulated α-actinin protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and suppressed the receptor for AGE levels in western blotting. Diabetic conditions, including HG, AGE, and both together, decreased cellular α-actinin-4 protein levels at 24 h and 48 h. Such quantitative and qualitative changes of α-actinin-4 protein induced by diabetic conditions were mitigated by GTS.ConclusionThese findings imply that both HG and AGE have an influence on the distribution and amount of α-actinin-4 in podocytes that can be recovered by GTS.

Montelukast improves the changes of cytoskeletal and adaptor proteins of human podocytes by interleukin-13

“…Although the precise mechanisms of these deleterious effects have not been fully understood, derangement of the various SD and actin cytoskeleton molecules has been proposed as the common pathway leading to foot process effacement in podocytes [6,13]. In the present study, we newly demonstrated that IL-13 had a substantial impact on the redistribution and rearrangement of ZO-1, synaptopodin, α-actinin, previous and current studies [5,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Recently, β-catenin has been shown to be involved in many pathological processes in podocytes [27].…”

Drying characteristics and quality of red ginseng using far-infrared rays

“…Subsequently, the extracted saponin solution was dried at 50°C, before being mixed with 10 mL of methanol. Finally the saponin content was analyzed using HPLC (2690, Waters, USA) [14] , [15] .…”

Kidney-derived c-kit+ progenitor/stem cells contribute to podocyte recovery in a model of acute proteinuria

“…Likewise, podocyte cytoskeletal disarrangement can be attributed to intracellular α-Actinin-4 redistribution due to injury. In diabetes, for example, high glucose and advanced glycosylation end products (AGE) induced the inner cytoplasmic re-localization of α-Actinin-4 and disrupted actin fibers 41 .…”