No difference in renal injury and fibrosis between wild-type and NOD1/NOD2 double knockout mice with chronic kidney disease induced by ureteral obstruction

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by sustained tissue damage and ongoing tubulo-interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs) can sense endogenous ligands released upon tissue damage, leading to sterile inflammation and eventually irreversible kidney disease. It is known that NOD1 and NOD2 contribute to the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases, including acute kidney injury. However their role in chronic kidney disease is largely unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the contribution of NOD1 and NOD2 in renal interstitial fibrosis and obstructive nephropathy. METHODS To do so, we performed unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in wild type (WT) and NOD1/NOD2 double deficient (DKO) mice and analysed renal damage, fibrosis and inflammation. Data were analysed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS Minor changes in inflammatory response were observed in NOD1/2 DKO mice, while no effects were observed on renal injury and the development of fibrosis. CONCLUSION No difference in renal injury and fibrosis between WT and NOD1/NOD2 DKO mice following obstructive nephropathy induced by ureteral obstruction.