![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Background
Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) can reduce the efficiency of peritoneal dialysis and eventually lead to ultrafiltration failure. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) is the start of PF. Macrophages are involved in the process. This study was to investigate the effect of macrophage polarization on EMT of PMCs.
Methods
Monocyte-macrophage cells (THP-1) were treated to induce macrophage subsets (M1, M2a, M2c). The inducing was assessed by detecting protein and mRNA expression of cytokines using ELISA and RT-PCR. Subsequently, PMCs were co-cultured with M1, M2a and M2c, respectively, in Transwell chambers for 48 h and then expressions of E-cadherin and α-SMA were determined in PMCs. The PMCs that were not co-cultured with macrophages served as control PMCs. One-way ANOVA and SNK-q test were used to conduct statistics and P < .05 as significant.
Results
Detection of the cytokines, including IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TGF-β1, CCL17 and CXCL13, verified that the inducting of macrophage subtypes was successful. Compared to control, E-cadherin protein expression was significantly decreased and α-SMA protein expression increased in M1-treated PMCs (P < .05); M2a-treated PMCs had an increased gene expression of α-SMA (P < .05); E-cadherin protein and gene expression were decreased and α-SMA protein and gene expression increased significantly in M2c-treated PMCs (P < .05 or P < .01).
Conclusions
EMT of PMCs is enhanced by M2c macrophage polarization; meanwhile, M1 and M2a polarization may have the effect to some extent, but not as definite as M2c.
Disclosure statement
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Abbreviations
| (EMT) | = | Epithelial-mesenchymal transition |
| (PMCs) | = | Peritoneal mesothelial cells |
| (THP-1) | = | Monocyte-macrophage cells |
| (PD) | = | Peritoneal dialysis |
| (PF) | = | Peritoneal fibrosis |
| (α- SMA) | = | α-smooth muscle actin |
| (IFN-γ) | = | Human interferon-γ |
| (LPS) | = | Lipopolysaccharide |
| (OD) | = | Optical density |
| (ANOVA) | = | One-way analysis of variance |
Authors’ contributions
LT, QY and DL wrote the paper. ZC, LZ and JG contributed essential reagents or tools. YZ, JL, XM, FH, and HJ performed the experiments. RF and LW designed the study and had full access to all the data in the study and took responsibility for the integrity of the data.