Dpep1-KO Mouse

Dpep1, also known as Dipeptidase-1, is a zinc-dependent metalloproteinase. It functions as a major neutrophil adhesion receptor and is involved in leukocyte recruitment. In the kidney, it may be associated with the ferroptosis pathway, and in cancer cells, it is related to drug resistance and tumor progression pathways. Genetic models, especially KO mouse models, are valuable for studying its functions [1,2,4].

In Dpep1-/-mice, renal inflammation and acute kidney injury (AKI) phenotypes were attenuated during ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). This indicates that Dpep1 deficiency blocks neutrophil adhesion to peritubular capillaries and reduces inflammatory monocyte recruitment to the kidney after IRI [1]. In addition, in vitro and in vivo assays in hepatoblastoma (HB) models showed that silencing Dpep1 significantly suppressed HB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion [3].

In conclusion, Dpep1 plays a crucial role in leukocyte recruitment, especially in the kidney during IRI, and also in the progression of certain cancers such as colon cancer, hepatoblastoma, and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The use of Dpep1 KO mouse models has been instrumental in uncovering its role in these disease-related biological processes [1,2,3,5].