Fig. 6: Renal tubular specific knockout of Kim1 relieves cisplatin-induced AKI.

a Generation of renal tubular specific Kim1 knockout mouse. Wildtype, WT, Kim1^flox/flox; renal tubular specific Kim1 knockout, Kim1^Ksp KO. b, c KIM1 protein levels (b) and mRNA levels (c) in the kidneys of WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice at Day 3 after cisplatin injury (Cis). b n = 3 mice per group; c n = 6 for WT group and n = 5 for Kim1^Ksp KO group, respectively. d–f Serum creatinine level (d), serum urea nitrogen level (e), and pathological score (f) of WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice at Day 3 after cisplatin injury. Scale bar, 50 μm. d–f n = 3 for WT and Kim1^Ksp KO in CT groups; n = 6 for WT and n = 5 for Kim1^Ksp KO in Cis-injured groups, respectively. g–j qPCR analysis of Ngal (g), inflammatory factors (h), apoptotic molecules (i) and fibrotic factors (j) in the kidneys of WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice at Day 3 after cisplatin injury. g–j n = 3 for WT and Kim1^Ksp KO in CT groups; n = 6 for WT and n = 5 for Kim1^Ksp KO in Cis-injured groups, respectively. k Western blots of caspase cascade proteins from cisplatin-injured kidneys of WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice. n = 3 mice per group. l Representative images for TUNEL assay with quantitative results of cisplatin-injured WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice. Scale bar, 50 μm. n = 6 mice per group. m Native PAGE electrophoresis of DR5 oligomers in cisplatin-injured WT and Kim1^Ksp KO mice. n = 3 mice per group. Data shown as mean ± SD. Two-tailed unpaired Student’s t-test was used for two experimental groups, and one-way ANOVA for multiple experimental groups without adjustment. ^*P < 0.05; ^**P < 0.01; ns no significance. Exact P values are provided in Source Data.