Person: Tan, Weizhen
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Publication Mutations in nuclear pore genes NUP93, NUP205, and XPO5 cause steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome
(2016) Braun, Daniela A; Sadowski, Carolin E.; Kohl, Stefan; Lovric, Svjetlana; Astrinidis, Susanne A.; Pabst, Werner L.; Gee, Heon Yung; Ashraf, Shazia; Lawson, Jennifer A.; Shril, Shirlee; Airik, Merlin; Tan, Weizhen; Schapiro, David; Rao, Jia; Choi, Won-Il; Hermle, Tobias; Kemper, Markus J.; Pohl, Martin; Ozaltin, Fatih; Konrad, Martin; Bogdanovic, Radovan; Büscher, Rainer; Helmchen, Udo; Serdaroglu, Erkin; Lifton, Richard P.; Antonin, Wolfram; Hildebrandt, FriedhelmNucleoporins (NUPs) are essential components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC).1 Only few diseases have been attributed to NPC dysfunction.2-4 Steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease, is caused by dysfunction of glomerular podocytes.5 Here we identify in 8 families with SRNS mutations of NUP93, its interaction partner NUP205, or exportin5 (XPO5) as a hitherto unrecognized monogenic cause of SRNS. NUP93 mutations caused disrupted NPC assembly. NUP93 knockdown reduced the presence of NUP205 in the NPC and, reciprocally, a NUP205 mutation abrogated NUP93 interaction. We demonstrate that NUP93 and XPO5 interact with the signaling protein SMAD4, and that NUP93 mutations abrogated interaction with SMAD4. Significantly, NUP93 mutations interfered with BMP7-induced SMAD transcriptional reporter activity. We hereby demonstrate that mutations of NUPs cause a distinct renal disease, and reveal SMAD signaling as a novel disease mechanism of SRNS, opening a potential new avenue for treatment.
Publication Mutations in six nephrosis genes delineate a pathogenic pathway amenable to treatment
(Nature Publishing Group UK, 2018) Ashraf, Shazia; Kudo, Hiroki; Rao, Jia; Kikuchi, Atsuo; Widmeier, Eugen; Lawson, Jennifer A.; Tan, Weizhen; Hermle, Tobias; Warejko, Jillian K.; Shril, Shirlee; Airik, Merlin; Jobst-Schwan, Tilman; Lovric, Svjetlana; Braun, Daniela A.; Gee, Heon Yung; Schapiro, David; Majmundar, Amar; Sadowski, Carolin E.; Pabst, Werner L.; Daga, Ankana; van der Ven, Amelie T.; Schmidt, Johanna M.; Low, Boon Chuan; Gupta, Anjali Bansal; Tripathi, Brajendra K.; Wong, Jenny; Campbell, Kirk; Metcalfe, Kay; Schanze, Denny; Niihori, Tetsuya; Kaito, Hiroshi; Nozu, Kandai; Tsukaguchi, Hiroyasu; Tanaka, Ryojiro; Hamahira, Kiyoshi; Kobayashi, Yasuko; Takizawa, Takumi; Funayama, Ryo; Nakayama, Keiko; Aoki, Yoko; Kumagai, Naonori; Iijima, Kazumoto; Fehrenbach, Henry; Kari, Jameela A.; El Desoky, Sherif; Jalalah, Sawsan; Bogdanovic, Radovan; Stajić, Nataša; Zappel, Hildegard; Rakhmetova, Assel; Wassmer, Sharon-Rose; Jungraithmayr, Therese; Strehlau, Juergen; Kumar, Aravind Selvin; Bagga, Arvind; Soliman, Neveen A.; Mane, Shrikant M.; Kaufman, Lewis; Lowy, Douglas R.; Jairajpuri, Mohamad A.; Lifton, Richard P.; Pei, York; Zenker, Martin; Kure, Shigeo; Hildebrandt, FriedhelmNo efficient treatment exists for nephrotic syndrome (NS), a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease. Here we show mutations in six different genes (MAGI2, TNS2, DLC1, CDK20, ITSN1, ITSN2) as causing NS in 17 families with partially treatment-sensitive NS (pTSNS). These proteins interact and we delineate their roles in Rho-like small GTPase (RLSG) activity, and demonstrate deficiency for mutants of pTSNS patients. We find that CDK20 regulates DLC1. Knockdown of MAGI2, DLC1, or CDK20 in cultured podocytes reduces migration rate. Treatment with dexamethasone abolishes RhoA activation by knockdown of DLC1 or CDK20 indicating that steroid treatment in patients with pTSNS and mutations in these genes is mediated by this RLSG module. Furthermore, we discover ITSN1 and ITSN2 as podocytic guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Cdc42. We generate Itsn2-L knockout mice that recapitulate the mild NS phenotype. We, thus, define a functional network of RhoA regulation, thereby revealing potential therapeutic targets.