Conclusions
Our results reveal a connection between PTEN gene inactivation and water retention, suggesting the importance of PTEN in normal kidney development and function.
Methods
We generated a renal tubule-specific Pten knockout mouse model by crossing Ptenfl/fl mice with Ksp-Cre transgenic mice, evaluated the effect of Pten loss on renal tubular function, and investigated the underlying mechanisms.
Results
Pten loss resulted in abnormal renal structure and function and water retention in multiple organs. Our results also demonstrated that aquaporin-2 (AQP2), an important water channel protein, was upregulated and concentrated on the apical plasma membrane of collecting duct cells, which could be responsible for the impaired water balance in Pten loss mice. The regulation of Pten loss on AQP2 was mediated by protein kinase B (AKT) activation. Conclusions: Our results reveal a connection between PTEN gene inactivation and water retention, suggesting the importance of PTEN in normal kidney development and function.