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Do pericytes represent the cellular switch between kidney health and disease?
Author(s) -
PeppiattWildman Claire M
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.897.1
Subject(s) - pericyte , crosstalk , kidney , disease , mural cell , medicine , neuroscience , ischemia , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , endothelial stem cell , vascular smooth muscle , biochemistry , physics , optics , smooth muscle , in vitro
Pericytes are pluripotent cells with numerous functional roles. We focus on the role of pericytes in kidney (patho)physiology and describe data identifying pericytes as being pivotal in both settings. Using the live kidney slice model [1], we have demonstrated i) that pericytes respond to various endogenous vasoactive mediators to regulate vasa recta diameter and thus medullary blood flow (MBF) [1], ii) neuro‐vascular coupling between pericytes and sympathetic nerves and iii) hypotonicity‐induced regulation of vessel diameter by pericytes, which is indicative of pericyte‐mediated tubulovascular crosstalk [1]. Collectively these represent novel mechanisms by which pericytes match MBF with the high metabolic demand of the tissue. Additionally, we describe a critical role for pericytes in drug‐induced nephrotoxicity that is established for various commonly prescribed drugs. We demonstrate pericyte‐mediated vasoconstriction in response to immunosuppressant antibiotics and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, which may cause exacerbated local ischemia responsible for the acute kidney injury observed clinically. Our data, in combination with studies highlighting a key role for pericytes in renal diseases, suggests pericytes are the cellular switch underpinning the onset/progression of renal disease.