Expression of Acsm2, a kidney-specific gene, parallels the function and maturation of proximal tubular cells.
The acyl-CoA synthetase medium-chain family member 2 (Acsm2) gene was first identified and cloned by our group as a kidney-specific "KS" gene. However, its expression pattern and function remain to be clarified. In the present study, we found that the Acsm2 gene was expressed specifically and at a high level in normal adult kidneys. Expression of Acsm2 in kidneys followed a maturational pattern: it was low in newborn mice and increased with kidney development and maturation. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed that Acsm2 was expressed specifically in proximal tubular cells of adult kidneys. Data from the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements database revealed that the Acsm2 gene locus in the mouse has specific histone modifications related to the active transcription of the gene exclusively in kidney cells. Following acute kidney injury, partial unilateral ureteral obstruction, and chronic kidney diseases, expression of Acsm2 in the proximal tubules was significantly decreased. In human samples, the expression pattern of ACSM2A, a homolog of mouse Acsm2, was similar to that in mice, and its expression decreased with several types of renal injuries. These results indicate that the expression of Acsm2 parallels the structural and functional maturation of proximal tubular cells. Downregulation of its expression in several models of kidney disease suggests that Acms2 may serve as a novel marker of proximal tubular injury and/or dysfunction.
['Watanabe|Hirofumi|H|0000-0003-0657-5385', 'Paxton|Robert L|RL|', 'Tolerico|Matthew R|MR|', 'Nagalakshmi|Vidya K|VK|', 'Tanaka|Shinji|S|', 'Okusa|Mark D|MD|', 'Goto|Shin|S|', 'Narita|Ichiei|I|', 'Watanabe|Seiji|S|', 'Sequeira-Lοpez|Maria Luisa S|MLS|', 'Gomez|R Ariel|RA|']
D058186:Acute Kidney Injury D000818:Animals D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases D004195:Disease Models, Animal D004847:Epithelial Cells D005355:Fibrosis D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic D006801:Humans D019012:Integrin beta1 D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal D008297:Male D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL D018345:Mice, Knockout D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic D012083:Renin D015427:Reperfusion Injury
acyl-CoA synthetase acute kidney injury chronic kidney disease proximal tubules epigenetics fatty acid oxidation