Fig. 2: Tubular Rab27a as well as inflammatory response were induced during proteinuric kidney injury.

a The expression of Hrs, nSMase2A, and Rab27a mRNA in renal cortex from mice with or without ADR injection. No significant difference was found in the mRNA expression between the two groups. The results are normalized to GAPDH and compared with Ctrl mice (represented by 1-fold). b Expression of Hrs, nSMase2A, and Rab27a mRNA in isolated tubules. Significant increase of Rab27a mRNA expression was shown in the tubular fractions of ADR-treated mice, normalized to GAPDH and compared with Ctrl mice (represented by 1-fold). c Representative western blotting and quantification of Rab27a protein in tubules from ADR-injected or control mice. The results are normalized to β-actin. d Representative images of immunofluorescence for Rab27a in kidney. Rab27a was expressed exclusively in TECs with significant upregulation in ADR mice compared to Ctrl. The bar graph shows fluorescence intensity from ADR-induced mice compared with levels in control mice (represented by 1-fold). Scale bar: 50 μm. e Expression of inflammatory cytokine (MCP-1, IL-6, and TNF- α) and tubular injury markers (KIM-1 and LCN2) in tubular fractions are normalized to GAPDH and compared with Ctrl mice (represented by 1-fold). f Representative immunofluorescent images of Rab27a (red) and MCP-1 (Green) in vivo. Scale bar: 50 μm. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001 vs Ctrl mice. Ctrl, control; ADR, adriamycin. n = 6 for each group of mice. g Representative images of immunofluorescence for Rab27a in kidney from 5/6 nephrectomy rats and sham rats. The bar graph shows fluorescence intensity from 5/6 nephrectomy rats compared with levels in sham rats (represented by 1-fold). Scale bar: 50 μm. ****p < 0.0001 vs sham rats. SNx, subtotal nephrectomy. n = 5 for each group of rats.