RNA-Seq to study nehphrotoxicity in mouse RPTEC cells

Primary renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTEC) cells isolated from CD-1 mice were transduced with lentiviral vectors containing either human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) or SV40-LargeT antigen (LgT). Each cell line was exposed daily to 5 non-cytotoxic concentrations of the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) (DMSO, 0 uM) at 12.5 to 100 uM or to the nephrotoxicant cisplatin (Pt) (PBS, 0 uM) at 0.25 to 2.5 uM, for 3 consecutive days, and RNA was isolated 24hr thereafter. The transcriptional response of these new cell lines to AFB1 and Pt was determined using RNA-Seq. A separate RNA-Seq time course experiment was also conducted by exposing the hTERT and LgT cell lines to 2.5 uM Pt for 0, 3, 6, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. We hypothesize that the transformed hTERT and LgT RPTEC mouse cells lines will advance the use of rodents models to screen potential nephrotoxicants and for use in mechanistic studies.