Pirfenidone treatment attenuates fibrosis in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by the formation of fluid filled cysts, progressive fibrosis and chronic inflammation, often leading to kidney failure. Renal fibrosis in ADPKD is primarily driven by myofibroblast activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, which contribute to disease progression. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of pirfenidone, an antifibrotic drug, on myofibroblast activity, ECM production, and ADPKD progression.

Primary cultures of myofibroblasts from human ADPKD kidneys were treated with pirfenidone in vitro, and cell proliferation, migration, contractility and changes in ECM production were measured. In vivo, the effect of pirfenidone on cyst growth, fibrosis and renal function were determined in the Pkd1^RC/RC male mouse model of ADPKD and wild type controls.

Analysis of single-nucleus RNA sequencing data of human ADPKD kidneys revealed that fibroblasts are a primary source of fibrous and cell-adhesive ECM, with higher ECM gene expression compared to normal human kidneys. Treatment of human ADPKD renal myofibroblasts with pirfenidone led to reduced ECM gene expression, cell proliferation, migration and contractility. In vivo, pirfenidone treatment in Pkd1^RC/RC mice reduced renal fibrosis, collagen deposition, myofibroblast accumulation, pro-fibrotic gene expression and decreased TGF-β/SMAD3 and mTOR signaling. While kidney cyst number remained unchanged, kidney size and cyst area were reduced, leading to improved kidney morphology and improved renal function in RC/RC mice.

These findings suggest that pirfenidone mitigates renal fibrosis and preserves renal architecture in ADPKD, supporting its potential as a therapeutic strategy to inhibit fibrosis in ADPKD.