Context: Lead is a common industrial toxicant and has been proved to be associated with the kidney damage.
Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of lead on expression of rat renal interstitial fibroblast activation related protein.
Materials and methods: The expression of activation related protein mRNA was measured by real-time PCR in the NRK/49F treated by lead acetate with different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 µmol/L). The effects of lead acetate on the level of fibronectin (FN) and signal transduction factors (Smads protein) expression were observed by Western blot.
Results: The mRNA expression of activation-related protein increased significantly after the cells were stimulated by lead acetate for 24 h. The lead acetate-treated group could upregulate the p-Smad2, p-Smad3 and FN protein expression compared with the control group. The level of Smad2/3 protein expression did not change in all groups, the expression of SnoN decreased significantly compared with the control group.
Discussion and conclusion: Lead acetate could increase the mRNA expression of activation-related factors. It could promote inflammatory reaction induced by TGF-β via Smad signaling pathway. Lead acetate has the effect on inducing the renal fibrosis.
Keywords: Activation related protein; Smad; lead acetate; renal interstitial fibroblast.