Susceptibility to kidney fibrosis in mice is associated with early growth response-2 protein and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 expression

Patients with chronic kidney disease and experimental animal models of kidney fibrosis manifest diverse progression rates. Genetic susceptibility may contribute to this diversity, but the causes remain largely unknown. We have previously described kidney fibrosis with a mild or severe phenotype in mice expressing transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) under the control of a mouse albumin promoter (Alb/TGF-β1), on a mixed genetic background with CBAxC57Bl6 mice. Here, we aimed to examine how genetic background may influence kidney fibrosis in TGF-β1 transgenic mice, and in the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and subtotal nephrectomy (SNX) mouse models. Congenic C57Bl6(B6)-TGFβ and CBAxB6-TGFβ (F1) transgenic mice were generated and survival, proteinuria, kidney histology, transcriptome and protein expressions were analyzed. We investigated the kidneys of B6 and CBA mice subjected to UUO and SNX, and the effects of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) neutralization on the fibrotic process. CBAxB6-TGFβ mice developed severe kidney fibrosis and premature death, while B6-TGF-β mice had mild fibrosis and prolonged survival. Kidney early growth response factor-2 (EGR2) and TIMP-1 expression were induced only in CBAxB6-TGFβ mice. Similar strain-dependent early changes in EGR2 and TIMP-1 of mice subjected to UUO or SNX were observed. TIMP-1 neutralization in vivo hindered fibrosis both in transgenic mice and the SNX model. EGR2 over-expression in cultured HEK293 cells induced TIMP-1 while EGR2 silencing hindered TGF-β induced TIMP-1 production in HK-2 cells and ureteral obstructed kidneys. Finally, EGR2 and TIMP1 was increased in human kidneys manifesting focal segmental glomerulosclerosis suggesting a correlation between animal studies and patient clinical settings. Thus, our observations demonstrate a strong relationship between genetic background and the progression of kidney fibrosis, which might involve early altered EGR2 and TIMP-1 response, but the relationship to patient genetics remains to be explored.