Wilms' tumor protein (—KTS) modulates renin gene transcription

Renin plays a crucial role in the control of various physiological processes such as blood pressure and body fluid homeostasis. Here, we show that a splice variant of the Wilms' tumor protein lacking three amino acids WT1(-KTS) suppresses renin gene transcription. Using bioinformatics tools, we initially predicted that a WT1-binding site exists in a regulatory region about 12 kb upstream of the renin promoter; this was confirmed by reporter gene assays and gel shift experiments in heterologous cells. Co-expression of Wt1 and renin proteins was found in rat kidney sections, mouse kidney blood vessels, and a cell line derived from the juxtaglomerular apparatus that produces renin. Knockdown of WT1 protein by siRNA significantly increased the cellular renin mRNA content, while overexpression of WT1(-KTS) reduced renin gene expression in stable and transiently transfected cells. A mutant WT1(-KTS) protein found in Wilms' tumors failed to suppress renin gene reporter activity and endogenous renin expression. Our findings show that renin gene transcription is regulated by the WT1(-KTS) protein and this may explain findings in patients with WT1 gene mutations of increased plasma renin and hypertension.