Effect of Homeobox A13 transfection on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and bone morphogenetic protein-7 expression in kidney tubular epithelial cells / 中国当代儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the transfection of Homeobox A13 (HOXA13) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) induced by albumin-overload in human kidney tubular epithelial cells (HKCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cultured HKCs were treated with 20 mg/mL human serum albumin (HSA) for 48 hours. Protein expression of cytokeratin (CK), vimentin and HOXA13 in the HKCs was assessed by Western blot. Protein expression of CK, vimentin, and BMP-7 was also detected in HKCs transfected with lipofectamine contained HOXA13 DNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HSA induced EMT in HKCs, presented by decreased CK expression (P<0.01) and increased vimentin expression (P<0.01). The up-regulated expression of HOXA13 transfected by lipofectamine inhibited the level of EMT induced by HSA in HKCs (P<0.05). The decreased rate of BMP-7 protein expression induced by HSA was inhibited by over-expressed HOXA13 in HKCs (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Transfection of HOXA13 in HKCs could inhibit the degree of EMT induced by albumin-overload, possibly by increasing BMP-7 expression.</p>