Indoxyl Sulfate and Its Potential Role in Mineralocorticoid Receptor Transactivation in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: The uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate (IS) is an important factor in chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system and add-on therapy with mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists can help reduce proteinuria and suppress CKD progression. However, the association between IS and MR activation remains unknown.

Methylobacterium populi Peritonitis Associated with Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis.

Methylobacterium populi is a fastidious, pink-pigmented, Gram-negative bacterium that has been isolated from poplar trees that are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere in both temperate and subtropical regions. Herein, we report a novel case of M. populi peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Ultra-Sensitive Quantification of Coproporphyrin-I and -III in Human Plasma Using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP) 1B1 and 1B3 are expressed in liver cells and are involved in drug uptake in the liver. OATP1B activity varies due to polymorphisms and is decreased by OATP1B inhibitors. Variability of OATP1B activity impacts the pharmacokinetics of OATP1B substrate drugs through drug-drug interactions.

Evolution of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, aldosterone synthase inhibitors, and alternative treatments for managing primary aldosteronism.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a prevalent and curable secondary hypertensive disorder that accounts for 5-13% of all hypertension cases. The prevalence of resistant hypertension, cerebral and cardiovascular diseases, and renal complications is higher in PA patients than in those with essential hypertension. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment at an early stage may suppress cerebral and cardiovascular events.

Positive Changes in Body Composition and Profiles of Individuals with Diabetes 3 Years Following Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Japanese Patients with Obesity.

Background And Objectives: We analyzed the changes in obesity, glucose metabolism, and body composition over a 3-year period in Japanese patients with obesity following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).

Methods: Body weight, parameters related to diabetes such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and electrical impedance analysis were used to assess body composition in forty-eight Japanese patients with obesity before surgery and 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after LSG.

Results: At 6 months, 1, 2, and 3 years post-LSG, there were significant reductions in body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and HbA1c levels.

Antihypertensive effects and changes in extracellular water content by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with primary aldosteronism.

In primary aldosteronism (PA), non-suppressible excessive aldosterone secretion due to dietary salt intake significantly contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Blocking the overactivation of mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) is a cornerstone for the medical treatment of PA. However, the role of MRAs in controlling hypertension remains unclear.

Two cases of conventional fulminant type 1 diabetes: following the depletion process of endogenous insulin secretion and literature review.

Unlabelled: Fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D) is a rapidly progressive form of diabetes in which the endogenous capacity to secrete insulin is depleted. The onset is unpredictable with conventional FT1D, and a few reports have tracked C-peptide in patients with conventional FT1D pre-onset. In this report, we present two typical cases of conventional FT1D where C-peptide was monitored from the onset of precursor symptoms to the development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 regulates expression of mineralocorticoid receptor to mediate sodium reabsorption in mice.

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a member of the nuclear receptor family that was initially identified to regulate blood pressure through its ability to modulate kidney sodium handling in response to aldosterone. MR can be regulated by signals other than aldosterone; however, the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We found that MR is controlled in a Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2)-dependent manner.

Segmental Adrenal Venous Sampling in Unilateral Primary Aldosteronism With Apparent Bilateral Aldosterone Suppression.

Apparent bilateral adrenal suppression (ABAS), where aldosterone/cortisol ratios in both adrenal veins are lower than in the inferior vena cava, yields uninterpretable adrenal venous sampling (AVS) results and is poorly understood. A 57-year-old male with hypertension and spontaneous hypokalemia was admitted to our hospital. Confirmatory tests established a diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA).

Mineralocorticoid receptor overactivation in diabetes mellitus: role of O-GlcNAc modification.

Hypertension is a significant risk factor for microangiopathy and cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients. The efficacy of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists in impeding the advancement of diabetic nephropathy, along with the reduction in active renin concentration observed in diabetic retinopathy, strongly implies the involvement of MR overactivation in diabetic complications. This review provides a comprehensive review of various mechanisms proposed for MR overactivation in diabetes mellitus.

Susceptibility to recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein entry in the lungs of high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of COVID-19. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an essential receptor for cell entry of SARS-CoV-2.

Glycemic variability is associated with sural nerve conduction velocity in outpatients with type 2 diabetes: Usefulness of a new point-of-care device for nerve conduction studies.

Aims/introduction: Although several studies have shown the association between continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-derived glycemic variability (GV) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, no studies have focused on outpatients or used NC-stat®/DPNCheck™, a new point-of-care device for nerve conduction study (NCS). We investigated the association between CGM-derived GV and NCS using DPNCheck™ in outpatients with type 2 diabetes, and further analyzed the difference in results between patients with and without well-controlled HbA1c levels.

Materials And Methods: All outpatients with type 2 diabetes using the CGM device (FreeStyle Libre Pro®) between 2017 and 2022 were investigated.

Urinary podocyte markers of disease activity, therapeutic efficacy, and long-term outcomes in acute and chronic kidney diseases.

A critical degree of podocyte depletion causes glomerulosclerosis, and persistent podocyte loss in glomerular diseases drives the progression to end-stage kidney disease. The extent of podocyte injury at a point in time can be histologically assessed by measuring podocyte number, size, and density ("Biopsy podometrics"). However, repeated invasive renal biopsies are associated with increased risk and cost.

Effects of esaxerenone on blood pressure, urinary albumin excretion, serum levels of NT-proBNP, and quality of life in patients with primary aldosteronism.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is typically managed with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) barring adrenalectomy. The efficacy of esaxerenone, a nonsteroidal MRA, were explored in patients with PA. Various parameters such as the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and serum levels of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were evaluated in 25 PA patients before and 3 and 6 months after esaxerenone treatment.