Objectives: Wilms' tumor 1 gene (WT1) is essential for the development of kidney and histone acetylation and is involved in its expression regulation in mice. However, whether WT1 expression is associated with histone acetylation in porcine kidney cells is unclear. Here, the effect of histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate (NaBu)-induced hyperacetylation on WT1 expression in porcine kidney fibroblasts (PKF) was examined.
Results: Treatments of NaBu (1, 3, 6 mM) for 24 h increased PKF viability, and 24, 48 h-treatments of 1 mM NaBu enhanced PKF proliferation. WT1 mRNA levels were significantly elevated in NaBu-treated (1, 3 mM for 24, 48 h, respectively) PKF samples. Consistently, strengthened expression of WT1 protein and histone acetylation level were detected in NaBu-treated PKF cells.
Conclusion: Together, NaBu-induced hyperacetylation up-regulates WT1 expression in PKF, suggesting the involvement of histone acetylation in the transcriptional modulation of WT1 in porcine kidney cells.