ABSTRACT
Proteinuria, the spillage of serum proteins into the urine, is a feature of glomerulonephritides, podocyte disorders and diabetic nephropathy. However, the response of tubular epithelial cells to serum protein exposure has not been systematically characterized. Using transcriptomic profiling we studied serum-induced changes in primary human tubular epithelial cells cultured in 3D microphysiological devices. Serum proteins induced cellular proliferation, cytokine secretion and activated a coordinated stress response. We orthogonally confirmed our findings by comparing the transcriptomic and epigenomic landscapes of intact human kidney cortex and isolated tubular epithelial cells cultured in fetal bovine serum. Importantly, key transcriptomic programs in response to either type of serum exposure remained consistent, including comparisons to an established mouse model of kidney injury. This serum-induced transcriptional response was dominated by switching off of nuclear receptor-driven programs and activation of AP-1 and NF-κB signatures in the tubular epigenomic landscape. These features of active regulation were seen at canonical kidney injury genes ( HAVCR1 ) and genes associated with COVID-19 ( ACE2 , IL6 ). Our data provide a reference map for dissecting the regulatory and transcriptional response of kidney tubular epithelial cells injury induced by serum.