Pharmacological and Genetic Inhibition of HDAC4 Alleviates Renal Injury and Fibrosis in Mice

• Published in: Frontiers in pharmacology Vol. 13; p. 929334
• Main Authors: Shen, Fengchen, Hou, Xiying, Li, Tingting, Yu, Jianjun, Chen, Huizhen, Liu, Na, Qiu, Andong, Zhuang, Shougang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 28.06.2022
• Subjects: epithelial–mesenchymal transformation; histone deacetylase 4; knockout mice; Pharmacology; renal fibrosis; tasquinimod; unilateral ureteral obstruction
• ISSN: 1663-9812; 1663-9812
• DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.929334

Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) has been shown to be involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration and is associated with a variety of cancers. However, the role of HDAC4 in renal fibrogenesis and its mechanisms are unclear. We assessed the role of HDAC4 and possible mechanisms of fibrosis in a murine model of kidney injury induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) using tasquinimod, a highly selective HDAC4 inhibitor, and knockout mice with depletion of HDAC4 in renal tubular cells. UUO injury resulted in increased expression of HDAC4 and fibrotic proteins fibronectin and α-smooth muscle actin, while treatment with tasquinimod or knockout of HDAC4 significantly reduced their expression. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HDAC4 also decreased tubular epithelial cell arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, expression of transforming growth factor-β 1 and phosphorylation of Smad3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the injured kidney. Moreover, tasquinimod treatment or HDAC4 deletion inhibited UUO-induced renal tubular cell injury and apoptosis as indicated by reduced expression of neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin, Bax, and inhibition of caspase-3. Finally, administration of tasquinimod or knockdown of HDAC4 prevented injury-related repression of Klotho, a renoprotective protein. Our results indicate that HDAC4 is critically involved in renal tubular injury and fibrosis and suggest that HDAC4 is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of chronic fibrotic kidney disease.