Figure 7

Proposed mechanism of diet-induced fibrosis in transplanted kidneys. In normocholesterolemic condition, transplantation leads to an increase in TGFβ levels resulting in an increase in vimentin positive tubules and collagen production which are both involved in fibrosis development. Data from this study indicate that the increase in plasma OxLDL levels induced by high-fat diet leads to LOX-1 pathway activation by ligand fixation and promotes an increase in LOX-1 protein content via either Ox-LDL alone or TGFβ stimulation in artery endothelial cells, which in turn over-activates the TGFβ signaling pathway. This activation acts in synergy with transplantation to increase fibrosis development.