LAUSR

To investigate the role of serum response factor (SRF) in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) in hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN). The expression of SRF, epithelial markers (E-cadherin and ZO-1) and mesenchymal markers (fibronectin, α-SMA, FSP-1) was examined in rat renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E cells) or renal medulla tissues following uric acid (UA). SRF was upregulated by SRF plasmids and downregulated by CCG-1423(a small molecule inhibitor of SRF) to investigate how SRF influenced EMT in TECs of HN. Oxonic acid (OA) was used to generate HN in rats. Together, increased SRF activity promotes EMT and dysfunction of TECs in HN. Targeting SRF by small molecule inhibitor may be an attractive therapeutic strategy for HN.