How renal epithelial cells respond to increased pressure and the link with kidney disease states remain poorly understood. Pkd1 knockout or expression of a PC2 pathogenic mutant, mimicking the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, dramatically enhances mechanical stress-induced tubular apoptotic cell death. We show the presence of a stretch-activated K+ channel dependent on the TREK-2 K2P subunit in mouse proximal convoluted tubule epithelial cells (isolated cells were obtained following the protocol described in Barriere et al. 20031). Our findings further demonstrate both on isolated cells and on the whole kidney in vivo, that polycystins protect renal epithelial cells against apoptosis in response to mechanical stress, and this function is mediated through the opening of stretch-activated K2P channels. Thus, to our knowledge, we establish for the first time, both in vitro and in vivo using mouse model, a functional relationship between mechanotransduction and mechanoprotection. We propose that this mechanism is at play in other important pathologies associated with apoptosis and in which pressure or flow stimulation is altered, including heart failure or atherosclerosis.