Figure 9. Targeted deletion of Txndc5 in renal fibroblasts attenuated kidney fibrosis.

(A) Illustration of experimental design to induce Txndc5 deletion specifically in renal fibroblasts. (B) Picrosirius red staining of kidney sections from WT and Txndc5^cKO mice 10 days after UUO (n = 6–7). Scale bar: 50 μm. (C) Immunoblots to quantify fibroblast activation marker (POSTN) and ECM (COL1A1 and CCN2) proteins in whole-kidney lysates from Col1a2-Cre and Txndc5^cKO mice 10 days after UUO (n = 5–6). (D) SHG images of kidney sections from Col1a2-Cre and Txndc5^cKO mice 10 days after UUO. The quantitative results of SHG-positive areas showed accumulation of fibrillar collagen in Col1a2-Cre kidneys, which was ameliorated in Txndc5^cKO mice (n = 3). Scale bar: 50 μm. Data are representative of 3 or more independent experimental replicates. For all panels, data are presented as mean ± SEM. The statistical significance of differences among 3 or more groups was determined using 1-way ANOVA, followed by Sidak’s post hoc tests. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.