Profibrotic effects of angiotensin II and transforming growth factor beta on feline kidney epithelial cells

Abstract

TGF-β1 significantly induced expression of the EMT marker gene α-SMA, profibrotic mediator <i>CTGF</i>, and fibrogenic proteins <i>COL1</i>, <i>TNC</i> and <i>TSP-1</i> in CRFK cells. The effect of TGF-β1 on myofibroblast formation was also observed by the stretched appearance of the CRFK cells. As CRFK cells expressed almost no AT₁ receptors, this cell line proved not suitable for testing the efficacy of drugs that interact with the AT₁ receptor. As AT-II stimulates the effects of TGF-β1 in mammals, the results of this study suggest an indirect profibrotic effect of AT-II besides the demonstrated profibrotic effect of TGF-β1 and thus the development of feline renal fibrosis. Modulation of EMT or proliferation of myofibroblasts could serve as a diagnostic tool and a novel therapeutic target to inhibit renal fibrogenesis, and could possibly serve in the therapy of feline renal fibrosis.