Inflammation and Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphism: Impact on All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Mexican Women on Dialysis.

Mineral bone disease (MBD) is common in dialysis patients. Genetics and the hormonal environment influence the clinical picture and outcomes of women. This study aimed to determine how these factors affect mortality.

Development of a + Cardiac Mouse Progenitor Immortalized Model to Unravel the Relationship with Its Protective Vascular Endothelial Niche.

The adult mammalian heart has been demonstrated to be endowed with low but real turnover capacity, especially for cardiomyocytes, the key functional cell type. The source, however, of that turnover capacity remains controversial. In this regard, we have defined and characterized a resident multipotent cardiac mouse progenitor population, +DR (for + Damage-Responsive cells).

Cardiac Progenitor Cell Exosomal miR-935 Protects against Oxidative Stress.

Oxidative stress-induced myocardial apoptosis and necrosis are critically involved in ischemic infarction, and several sources of extracellular vesicles appear to be enriched in therapeutic activities. The central objective was to identify and validate the differential exosome miRNA repertoire in human cardiac progenitor cells (CPC). CPC exosomes were first analyzed by LC-MS/MS and compared by RNAseq with exomes of human mesenchymal stromal cells and human fibroblasts to define their differential exosome miRNA repertoire (exo-miR).

The Vascular Niche for Adult Cardiac Progenitor Cells.

Research on cardiac progenitor cell populations has generated expectations about their potential for cardiac regeneration capacity after acute myocardial infarction and during physiological aging; however, the endogenous capacity of the adult mammalian heart is limited. The modest efficacy of exogenous cell-based treatments can guide the development of new approaches that, alone or in combination, can be applied to boost clinical efficacy. The identification and manipulation of the adult stem cell environment, termed niche, will be critical for providing new evidence on adult stem cell populations and improving stem-cell-based therapies.

Osteoprotegerin Is a Better Predictor for Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality than Vascular Calcifications in a Multicenter Cohort of Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis.

The purpose of this study was to compare vascular calcification (VC), serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels, and other biochemical markers to determine their value as available predictors of all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). A total of 197 patients were recruited from seven dialysis centers in Mexico City. VC was assessed with multi-slice computed tomography, measured using the calcification score (CaSc).

Comparative proteomic analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments in human cardiac progenitor cells.

Clinical trials evaluating cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) demonstrated feasibility and safety, but no clear functional benefits. Therefore a deeper understanding of CPC biology is warranted to inform strategies capable to enhance their therapeutic potential. Here we have defined, using a label-free proteomic approach, the differential cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of human CPC (hCPC).

A Novel Macroscale Acoustic Device for Blood Filtration.

Retransfusion of a patient's own shed blood during cardiac surgery is attractive since it reduces the need for allogeneic transfusion, minimizes cost, and decreases transfusion related morbidity. Evidence suggests that lipid micro-emboli associated with the retransfusion of the shed blood are the predominant causes of the neurocognitive disorders. We have developed a novel acoustophoretic filtration system that can remove lipids from blood at clinically relevant flow rates.

Low triiodothyronine is associated with elevation of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and mortality in dialysis patients.

Background: Low thyroid hormone (TH) levels and myocardial damage are common in dialysis patients and are associated with mortality. However, little is known about the role of THs on myocardial damage as has been described in primary thyroid diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the potential relationship between low total triiodothyronine (total T3) and biomarkers of myocardial damage and the effect of their interaction on mortality, to ascertain if cardiovascular damage is the link between low THs and the risk of death in dialysis patients with CKD.

Osteoprotegerin Is the Strongest Predictor for Progression of Arterial Calcification in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background: Arterial calcification (AC) is frequent in patients with end stage renal disease and is also considered a risk factor for later morbidity and mortality. However, long-term factors associated with the process are not well known. We analyzed the trends over time of biomarkers related with development and progression of AC in incident patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

High Prevalence of Diastolic Dysfunction in Incident Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: Association with Low Thyroid Hormones.

Background/aims: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) and low levels of thyroid hormones (TH) are frequent found in chronic kidney disease; both are associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. However, a link between them has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to analyze DD as a surrogate marker of fibrosis and its association with TH in incident patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Dialysis adequacy indices and body composition in male and female patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Objectives: Creatinine clearance scaled to body surface area (BSA) and urea KT/V normalized to total body water (TBW) are used as indices for peritoneal dialysis (PD) adequacy. We investigated relationships of indices of dialysis adequacy (including KT/V, KT, clearance, dialysate over plasma concentration ratio) and anthropometric and body composition parameters (BSA, TBW, body mass index (BMI), weight, height, fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM)) in male and female patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Methods: Ninety-nine stable patients (56 males) performed four 24-hr collections of drained dialysate for four dialysis schedules with three daily exchanges of glucose 1.

Threefold peritoneal test of osmotic conductance, ultrafiltration efficiency, and fluid absorption.

Background: Fluid removal during peritoneal dialysis depends on modifiable factors such as tonicity of dialysis fluids and intrinsic characteristics of the peritoneal transport barrier and the osmotic agent-for example, osmotic conductance, ultrafiltration efficiency, and peritoneal fluid absorption. The latter parameters cannot be derived from tests of the small-solute transport rate. We here propose a simple test that may provide information about those parameters.

Ultrafiltration and dialysis adequacy with various daily schedules of dialysis fluids.

Dialysis regimens for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients vary with the need for fluid removal, but also because of concerns about the local and systemic consequences of high glucose exposure. The implications of various regimens for dialysis adequacy--that is, fluid and small-solute removal--are not always clear. We therefore analyzed ultrafiltration (UF) and adequacy indices for 4 different combinations of dialysis fluid.

Vitamin D receptor gene, biochemical bone markers and bone mineral density in Mexican women on dialysis.

Background: The influence of the Bsm1 polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene on mineral and bone disorders in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is still under discussion. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between VDR polymorphism, bone mineral density (BMD), biochemical bone markers and clinical factors in women on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD).

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 197 women (42 +/- 10 years; 25% with diabetes mellitus (DM); body mass index (BMI) 25.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha as a therapeutic target for diabetic nephropathy.

Activation of innate immunity with the subsequent development of a chronic low-grade inflammatory response is now recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications, including diabetic nephropathy. In the setting of diabetic nephropathy, there is now evidence of the relevant contribution of pro-inflammatory cytokines, with special participation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). This new pathogenic perspective leads to new therapeutic implications derived from modulation of inflammation and inflammatory cytokines.

Pathogenic perspectives for the role of inflammation in diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetes and its complications have become a public health problem. One of the most important complications is diabetic nephropathy, which is nowadays the main cause of chronic renal failure. In spite of our greater understanding of this complication, the intimate mechanisms leading to the development and progression of renal injury are not well understood.

Association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha with early target organ damage in newly diagnosed patients with essential hypertension.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between inflammatory parameters [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and urinary TNF-alpha] with subclinical cardiac and renal markers of early target organ damage (TOD) in essential hypertension.

Methods: Preclinical TOD [left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and microalbuminuria (MAB)] was evaluated in 40 newly diagnosed never-treated patients with essential hypertension. Serum and urinary TNF-alpha and hs-CRP were measured as inflammatory parameters.

Influence of renal involvement on peripheral blood mononuclear cell expression behaviour of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is associated with a high cardiovascular risk, which is even increased if renal damage is superimposed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines are key factors linking type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. We investigated the influence of renal damage on serum, urinary and PBMCs expression behavior of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in these patients.

Renal pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression in diabetic nephropathy: effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and pentoxifylline administration.

Background: Recent studies have shown a role for inflammation in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 are cytokines with a prevalent pro-inflammatory activity. Our objective was to study the renal gene expression of TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-6 in DN and their relationship with renal damage assessed by urinary albumin excretion (UAE).

Inflammation and diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy has become the main cause of renal failure, but unfortunately the intimate mechanisms leading to the development and progression of renal injury are not yet fully known. Activated innate immunity and inflammation are relevant factors in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Moreover, different inflammatory molecules, including chemokines, adhesion molecules, and proinflammatory cytokines, may be critical factors in the development of microvascular diabetic complications, including nephropathy.

Urinary tumour necrosis factor-alpha excretion independently correlates with clinical markers of glomerular and tubulointerstitial injury in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: Inflammation is a potential factor in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and clinical markers of glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage [urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (UNAG), respectively] in a large group of type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: A total of 160 diabetic patients and 32 healthy controls were included in the study.

Diabetes, inflammation, proinflammatory cytokines, and diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetes and its complications have become a public health problem. Diabetic nephropathy is the main cause of renal failure. In spite of our higher knowledge on this complication, the intimate mechanisms leading to the development and progression of renal injury are not yet fully known.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression in diabetic nephropathy: relationship with urinary albumin excretion and effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition.

Background: The pathogenic mechanisms and molecular events involved in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) are not completely known. Recent data indicate that diabetes includes an inflammatory component that is related to diabetic complications. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, a cytokine with mainly proinflammatory activity, may be synthesized by renal cells.