PAD4 deletion inhibited obstruction-induced kidney inflammation and fibrosis

To understand the roles and mechanisms of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis, we performed RNA sequencing of UUO kidneys from wild-type and PAD4-deficient mice. PAD4 deletion led to reduced expression of fibrosis- and injury-associated genes, as well as inflammatory cytokines in UUO kidneys. Enrichment analysis of the downregulated genes in PAD4-deficient mice revealed a drastic decrease in inflammation pathways, such as T cell-associated pathways and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction.