Protein-bound P-cresol inhibits human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at G/G.

P-cresol is a typical protein-bound uremic toxin, which is retained in patients with renal failure. It is not known whether protein-bound P-cresol exhibits the toxicity in humans. This study aims to investigate the endothelial toxicity of protein-bound P-cresol.

Activation of farnesoid X receptor downregulates visfatin and attenuates diabetic nephropathy.

Visfatin, a recently discovered adipocytokine, has been shown to have an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a ligand-activated nuclear receptor, plays a protective role in DN. The regulation between FXR and visfatin and their interaction in DN has not been well established.

The predictive effect of overexpressed miR-34a on good survival of cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) is a potential prognostic factor for survival in patients with several types of cancer according to previous clinical researches. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the significance of increased miR-34a expression in the prognosis of patients' overall survival.

Materials And Methods: The present systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 researches included 2,597 patients.

Clinical analysis of 156 cases of multiple organ failure caused by fish bile.

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of patients suffering from fish bile poisoning.

Methods: A total of 156 multiple organ failure (MOF) patients caused by fish bile poisoning were hospitalized in our department over the past 28 years. The patients' symptoms, examination results, treatment and outcomes were collected and analyzed.

P2X7 receptor blockade protects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice by decreasing the activities of inflammasome components, oxidative stress and caspase-3.

Nephrotoxicity is a common complication of cisplatin chemotherapy and thus limits the use of cisplatin in clinic. The purinergic 2X7 receptor (P2X7R) plays important roles in inflammation and apoptosis in some inflammatory diseases; however, its roles in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity remain unclear. In this study, we first assessed the expression of P2X7R in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in C57BL/6 mice, and then we investigated the changes of renal function, histological injury, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in renal tissues after P2X7R blockade in vivo using an antagonist A-438079.

Efficacy and safety of Abelmoschus manihot for primary glomerular disease: a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Abelmoschus manihot, a single medicament of traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used to treat kidney disease. This is the first randomized controlled clinical trial to assess its efficacy and safety in patients with primary glomerular disease.

Study Design: Prospective, open-label, multicenter, randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

Elevated expression of miR-210 predicts poor survival of cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: MiRNAs are important regulators of different biological processes, including tumorigenesis. MiR-210 is a potential prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer according to previous clinical researches. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the significance of increased miR-210 expression in the prognosis of indicated cancers.

[Treatment of chronic primary glomerulopathy patients of Shen deficiency and dampness heat syndrome by yishen qingli granule combined low-dose Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside tablet: a clinical efficacy observation].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of treatment of chronic primary glomerulopathy (CPG) patients of Shen deficiency and dampness heat syndrome (SDDHS) by Yishen Qingli Granule (YQG) combined with low-dose Tripterygium Wilfordii multiglycoside Tablet (TWT).

Methods: Totally 231 CPG patients of SDDHS were enrolled in this study (including 60 patients from First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 58 from First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 46 from Xinqiao Hospital of Third Military Medical University, 35 from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 14 from First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and 18 from Wuxi Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine). They were randomly assigned to the control group (116 cases) and the trial group (115 cases) according to block group method.

ER stress triggers MCP-1 expression through SET7/9-induced histone methylation in the kidneys of db/db mice.

Epigenetics plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN), although the precise regulatory mechanism is still unclear. Here, we examined the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase SET7/9-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in the kidneys of db/db mice. Our results indicate that the expression of MCP-1 significantly increased in the kidneys of db/db mice in a time-dependent manner.

Costimulatory molecule VSIG4 exclusively expressed on macrophages alleviates renal tubulointerstitial injury in VSIG4 KO mice.

Background: Activation and infiltration of T cells and macrophages are key features of renal tubulointerstitial injury. The costimulatory molecule V-set and immunoglobulin domain-containing protein-4 (VSIG4), which is exclusively expressed on macrophages, is capable of inhibiting the T cell response. However, it is unclear whether VSIG4 is involved in renal tubulointerstitial injury.

The influence of cathelicidin LL37 in human anti-neutrophils cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.

Introduction: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is characterised by the autoinflammation and necrosis of blood vessel walls. The renal involvement is commonly characterised by a pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (PiCGN) with a very rapid decline in renal function. Cathelicidin LL37, an endogenous antimicrobial peptide, has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

Efficacy and safety of traditional chinese medicine (Shenqi particle) for patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: To compare the safety and efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine Shenqi particle and standard therapy with prednisone and cyclophosphamide (control) in adult patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN).

Study Design: Open-label, multicenter, parallel, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Setting & Participants: From April 2008 to February 2011, a total of 190 patients with biopsy-proven IMN from 7 hospitals in China participated in the study.

Sinomenine inhibits the expression of PD‑L1 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of mesangial proliferative nephritis patients.

Sinomenine has been used to treat autoimmune diseases for centuries. However, little is known about its exact mechanisms of action. Whether sinomenine has an effect on programmed death‑1 (PD‑1) ligands (PD‑Ls) in vivo remains unclear.

Lanthanum carbonate for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in CKD 5D: multicenter, double blind, randomized, controlled trial in mainland China.

Background: Serum phosphorus control is critical for chronic kidney disease (CKD) 5D patients. Currently, clinical profile for an oral phosphorus binder in the mainland Chinese population is not available.

Objective: To establish the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lanthanum carbonate in CKD 5D patients.

Effect of chronic renal failure medium on the ubiquitin‑proteasome pathway of arterial muscle cells.

The ubiquitin‑proteasome pathway (UPP) is involved in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis through inhibitor of κB (IκB) degradation which activates nuclear factor-κB (NF‑κB). However, the correlation between UPP and vascular complications of uramia remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the UPP is activated in aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) when cultured with uremic serum and to examine the role of the UPP on the dysfunction of ASMCs in uremia.

Computational prediction and experimental assessment of an HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitope from neutral endopeptidase.

Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is the first target antigen identified on podocytes in human membranous nephropathy (MN). Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are considered essential for glomerular destruction in MN model. The aim of this study was to show that the CTL epitopes of NEP could be used to design more effective and better tolerated therapies.

Optimized project of traditional Chinese medicine in treating chronic kidney disease stage 3: a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Stage 3 is the key phase of chronic kidney disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for the treatment of chronic kidney disease. But a large sample trial is desirable.

Uraemic serum induces dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells: role of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) has been indicated to contribute to dysfunction of endothelial cells (ECs). Nevertheless, the relationship between UPP and vascular complications of uraemia remains unknown. We aimed to determine whether the UPP is activated in vascular ECs when cultured with uraemic serum, and to examine the role of the UPP on dysfunction of ECs in uraemia.

Prevention of diabetic nephropathy in rats through enhanced renal antioxidative capacity by inhibition of the proteasome.

Aims: Oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Recent studies have shown that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) and oxidative stress have interaction. We aimed to investigate whether inhibiting the proteasome has a preventive effect on DN through suppression of renal oxidative stress.

[Potential effect of uremic medium on cell proliferation and apoptosis and the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B pathway of aortic endothelial cells in rabbit culture].

Objective: To investigate the potential effect of uremic medium on cell proliferation and apoptosis of aortic endothelial cell (AEC), two key processes in the development of atherosclerosis, in rabbit culture. And to understand the effects of uremic medium on the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway and cytokines expression of AEC.

Methods: Rabbit AEC were cultured with growth media supplemented with pooled sera from normal rabbits or those with chronic renal failure.

Attenuation of diabetic nephropathy in diabetes rats induced by streptozotocin by regulating the endoplasmic reticulum stress inflammatory response.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is capable of sensing metabolic and stress parameters and integrating intra- and extracellular signals to support a coordinated cell response. In the present study, we verified the hypothesis that 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), a chemical chaperone, prevented the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a normal control group, a DN group, and a DN model plus 4-PBA treatment group (PBA).

Conditioned medium from renal tubular epithelial cells stimulated by hypoxia influences rat bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells.

Background And Aims: It has been well documented that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in neovascularization in adults and that rarefaction of peritubular capillaries (PTCs) is closely associated with progressive kidney disease. Therefore, we investigated whether EPCs were influenced by conditioned medium (CM) of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) stimulated by hypoxia, to provide evidence for EPCs transplantation in vivo in the future.

Methods: Mononuclear cells of rat bone marrow were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and were cultured according to previously described techniques.

Visfatin is related to lipid dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background And Aims: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that visfatin is associated with atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: In the study, we measured serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and the following blood markers of endothelial function and inflammation: endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO), thrombomodulin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in 117 patients with CKD stage 4 or 5 and in 50 normal controls. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was assessed by high-resolution brachial ultrasonography, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was determined by vascular ultrasound.

[Effects of costimulatory molecule VSIG4 exclusively expression in macrophage on renal interstitial fibrosis].

Aim: To investigate the relationship between costimulatory molecule VSIG4 expression in macrophage and mice renal interstitial fibrosis.

Methods: A total of 40 healthy male C57B6 mice (VSIG4(-/-); and VSIG4(+/+);) were divided into two groups, VSIG4(-/-); tubulointerstitial Nephritis (n=20) and VSIG4(+/+); tubulointerstitial Nephritis (n=20), mice received left urethral obstruction operation(UUO) then were killed at 7 d before operation, 3 d, 7 d and 14 d post operation for both groups.Blood SCr and BUN were detected.

Cardiorenal syndrome: biomarkers linking kidney damage with heart failure.

All the vital organs of the body share information by virtue of various biological mediators. Primary pathology of a major organ can lead to dysfunction of the other. Cardiorenal syndrome is an important example of such organ crosstalk.