Enhancer and super-enhancer dynamics in repair after ischemic acute kidney injury

Nat Commun. 2020 Jul 7;11(1):3383. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17205-5.

Abstract

The endogenous repair process can result in recovery after acute kidney injury (AKI) with adaptive proliferation of tubular epithelial cells, but repair can also lead to fibrosis and progressive kidney disease. There is currently limited knowledge about transcriptional regulators regulating these repair programs. Herein we establish the enhancer and super-enhancer landscape after AKI by ChIP-seq in uninjured and repairing kidneys on day two after ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). We identify key transcription factors including HNF4A, GR, STAT3 and STAT5, which show specific binding at enhancer and super-enhancer sites, revealing enhancer dynamics and transcriptional changes during kidney repair. Loss of bromodomain-containing protein 4 function before IRI leads to impaired recovery after AKI and increased mortality. Our comprehensive analysis of epigenetic changes after kidney injury in vivo has the potential to identify targets for therapeutic intervention. Importantly, our data also call attention to potential caveats involved in use of BET inhibitors in patients at risk for AKI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / genetics*
  • Acute Kidney Injury / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Fibrosis
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / metabolism
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney Tubules / cytology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / metabolism
  • Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional
  • Reperfusion Injury / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Brd4 protein, mouse
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Hnf4a protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • Stat3 protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factors