Figure 1.

Loss of Rab7 in podocytes results in proteinuria. (A) Mating scheme of a conditional Rab7 knockout mouse (Rab7^fl/fl) with the NPHS2-Cre line (PodCre+) that expresses Cre under the control of human podocin (NPHS2) promoter. (B) Confirmation of Rab7 depletion in the murine kidneys by immunofluorescence staining of the glomerulus with anti-Rab7 and anti-Synaptopodin (Synpo) antibodies on paraffin sections. Scale bar: 10 µm. (C) Representative image of Rab7^fl/fl; PodCre+ and littermate control mice (Rab7^fl/fl; PodCre−) eight weeks after birth. Kidneys of Rab7-deficient mice appear paler. (D) Body weight measurements in wildtype (Rab7^fl/fl; PodCre−) and Rab7^fl/fl; PodCre+ mice. N=3, P = 0.0032 (two-way ANOVA). (E) Eight-week-old Rab7^fl/fl;PodCre+ mice were evaluated for proteinuria by Coomassie staining of spontaneous urine. Figure 1 can be viewed in color online at www.jasn.org.