Testosterone induces renal tubular epithelial cell death through the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway

BACKGROUND: The morbidity of nephrolithiasis is 2–3 times higher in males than in females, suggesting that androgen plays a key role in nephrolithiasis. The death of renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) is an important pathophysiological process contributing to the development of nephrolithiasis. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether androgen directly induces TECs apoptosis and necrosis and its underlying mechanisms in kidney stone formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared serum testosterone level between male and female healthy volunteers and kidney stone patients. The in vivo nephrolithiasis model was established using glyoxylic acid, and calcium deposits were detected by van Kossa staining. In the in vitro study using mouse TECs (TCMK-1 cells) and human TECs (HK-2 cells), apoptosis, necrosis, and the expression of BH3-only protein Bcl-2-like 19 kDa-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) were examined incubated with different doses of testosterone using flow cytometry. Levels of apoptosis-related proteins transfected with the BNIP3 siRNA were examined by western blotting. The mitochondrial potential (ΔΨm) was detected by JC-1 staining and flow cytometry. We monitored BNIP3 expression in the testosterone-induced TECs injury model after treatment with hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and/or hypoxia inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) inhibitors to determine the upstream protein regulating BNIP3 expression. Additionally, ChIP and luciferase assays were performed to confirm the interaction between HIF-1α and BNIP3. RESULTS: Both male and female patients have significantly higher testosterones compared with healthy volunteers. More calcium deposits in the medulla were detected in male mice compared to female and castrated male mice. Testosterone induced TECs apoptosis and necrosis and increased BNIP3 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Testosterone also increased Bax expression, decreased Bcl-2 expression and induced a loss of ΔΨm. This effect was reversed by BNIP3 knockdown. HIF-1α inhibition significantly decreased BNIP3 expression and protected TECs from testosterone-induced apoptosis and necrosis. HIF-2α inhibition, however, did not influence BNIP3 expression or TECs apoptosis or necrosis. Finally, HIF-1α interacted with the BNIP3 promoter region. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, testosterone induced renal TECs death by activating the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-019-1821-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.