Histochemical Detection of Ischemia-Like Alterations Induced in Kidney Tissue in vitro - Different Sensitivity to Oxidant Stress of Glomerular ENTPD1 versus E5NT

The expression of ENTPD1 (ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase) along the glomerular microvasculature of the kidney is downregulated in ischemic conditions, in contrast to E5NT (ecto-5'-nucleotidase), which may explain the increased tendency for intraglomerular microthrombus formation in vivo. It has been suggested that in ischemia, reactive oxygen species (ROS) affect glomerular ENTPD1, whereas E5NT seems less sensitive to oxidant stress. To test this hypothesis, a soluble ATP and ADP hydrolyzing enzyme solution (apyrase) [0.4 U/ml] or 5'-nucleotidase solution [0.33 U/ml] as well renal tissue were exposed to ROS, generated by gamma-irradiation in vitro. The enzymes diluted in distilled water or cryostat rat kidney sections were exposed to gamma-irradiation (0.037 Gy/s) for 0, 2, 5, 10, or 15 min, with or without supplementation of the ROS scavenger dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The enzyme activity of the samples was biochemically tested using standard methods, before and after irradiation. The reaction product of irradiated versus nonirradiated kidney sections was semiquantitatively evaluated after histochemical staining for either glomerular ENTPD1 or glomerular E5NT expression. The results show that the enzyme activity in samples of soluble apyrase was significantly decreased after irradiation. This effect was inhibited by DMSO. In contrast, 5'-nucleotidase activity showed only a limited decline of the activity curve after irradiation, which could also be restored following supplementation of DMSO. Glomerular ENTPD1 expression showed significant decrease after irradiation of kidney sections; again, this was inhibitable by DMSO. Glomerular E5NT activity was not altered by irradiation and DMSO supplementation did not affect its activity. It is concluded that soluble apyrase as well as the glomerular ENTPD1 are sensitive to oxidant stress, which may explain their down-regulation in the ischemic condition in vivo. However, soluble 5'-nucleotidase and E5NT seem much less sensitive to ROS. This relative insensitivity of E5NT to oxidant injury may counteract ischemic injury by promoting local generation of adenosine in the ischemic micro-environment. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Base