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Proteomic Analysis of Urine Exosomes Reveals Renal Tubule Response to Leptospiral Colonization in Experimentally Infected Rats

  • Satish P. RamachandraRao
  • , Michael A. Matthias
  • , Chanthel Kokoy Mondrogon
  • , Eamon Aghania
  • , Cathleen Park
  • , Casey Kong
  • , Michelle Ishaya
  • , Assael Madrigal
  • , Jennifer Horng
  • , Roni Khoshaba
  • , Anousone Bounkhoun
  • , Fabrizio Basilico
  • , Antonella De Palma
  • , Anna Maria Agresta
  • , Linda Awdishu
  • , Robert K. Naviaux
  • , Joseph M. Vinetz
  • , Pierluigi Mauri
  • Department of Medicine
  • University of California la Jolla
  • National Research Council
  • Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Infectious Leptospira colonize the kidneys of reservoir (e.g. rats) and accidental hosts such as humans. The renal response to persistent leptospiral colonization, as measured by urinary protein biosignatures, has not been systematically studied. Urinary exosomes--bioactive membrane-bound nanovesicles--contain cell-state specific cargo that additively reflect formation all along the nephron. We hypothesized that Leptospira-infection will alter the content of urine exosomes, and further, that these Leptospira-induced alterations will hold clues to unravel novel pathways related to bacterial-host interactions.Exosome protein content from 24 hour urine samples of Leptospira-infected rats was compared with that of uninfected rats using SDS-PAGE and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Statistical models were used to identify significantly dysregulated proteins in Leptospira-infected and uninfected rat urine exosomes. In all, 842 proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS proteomics of total rat urine and 204 proteins associated specifically with exosomes. Multivariate analysis showed that 25 proteins significantly discriminated between uninfected control and infected rats. Alanyl (membrane) aminopeptidase, also known as CD13 topped this list with the highest score, a finding we validated by Western immunoblotting. Whole urine analysis showed Tamm-Horsfall protein level reduction in the infected rat urine. Total urine and exosome proteins were significantly different in male vs. female infected rats.We identified exosome-associated renal tubule-specific responses to Leptospira infection in a rat chronic colonization model. Quantitative differences in infected male and female rat urine exosome proteins vs. uninfected controls suggest that urine exosome analysis identifies important differences in kidney function that may be of clinical and pathological significance.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0003640
JournalPLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Volume9
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Mar 2015
Externally publishedYes

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