Troglitazone Induces Extracellular Matrix and Cytoskeleton Remodeling in Mouse Collecting Duct Cells

Abstract EN

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ) has been shown to have a protective role in the nephron through its ability to inhibit a transforming growth factor- (TGF-β) mediated fibrotic response.

In contrast, PPARγ was also shown to induce a mesenchymal transformation in epithelial intestinal cells.

A fibrotic response in the collecting duct has only recently been established; however, the entire collecting duct has not been fully examined.

Inner medullary collecting duct cells (IMCD-K2) and mouse cortical collecting duct cells (M1), representing the cortical and medullary collecting duct, were exposed to 5–10 μM troglitazone for 24 hours.

Troglitazone resulted in an elongated morphology, 60% decreases in E-cadherin and β-catenin, a 35% decrease in α-catenin, and a 1.5-fold increase in fibronectin.

These effects were not reversed with PPARγ antagonists or affected with PPARγ overexpression.

Our results indicate that troglitazone induced a mesenchymal-like transformation in M1 and IMCD-K2 epithelial cells independently of PPARγ.