Fig. 3: Targeted Usp2 overexpression in TECs aggravated kidney fibrosis in UUO mice.
From: Lactate orchestrates the TGFβ pathway and ferroptosis nexus in organ fibrosis via USP2 lactylation
A RT-PCR (n = 5) and western blot analysis (n = 3) of the expression of USP2 in selected mouse renal cells, including mouse podocytes (MPC), rat glomerular endothelial cells (GEC), mouse TECs, and mouse fibroblast (MF). B Single-cell sequencing results show that USP2 is predominantly expressed in renal tubular cells. C–I Control (AAV-Ctrl) or Usp2 OE (AAV-Ksp-Usp2) mice were randomly assigned to sham or UUO surgery according to an established protocol (n = 6). C Total cell lysates from the kidney of mice subjected to Co-IP with anti-TFRC or anti-TXNDC5 antibody, and western blotting using the indicated antibodies. D Representative images of Masson’s trichrome staining and Sirius red in kidneys from mice (scale bar, 100 μm). E Western blot analysis of the expression of CCN2, FN1, COL1A1, COL3A1, GPX4, HMOX1, and Tubulin. F The mRNA level of Col1a1, Fn1, Eln, Ccn2, Acta2, Col3a1, Ngal, and Kim-1 in the kidney of mice. G, H The level of Iron, MDA, SOD, GSH, and the ratio of GSSG in renal homogenate. I Representative TUNEL staining and quantification (three field per mice; n = 6) of apoptotic cells in kidney sections from mice (Scale bar = 20 μm). For all panels, data were presented as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 by one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction test.
