Calycosin inhibited autophagy and oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating AMPK/SKP2/CARM1 signalling pathway.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and serious complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Oxidative stress and autophagy are the primary molecular mechanisms involved in muscle atrophy. Calycosin, a major component of Radix astragali, exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress and anti-autophagy effects.

Salidroside ameliorates endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the AMPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in AGEs-induced HUVECs.

Endothelial dysfunction plays important roles in vascular dysfunction under diabetic conditions. The generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can induce inflammation and oxidative stress, is pivotal in endothelial dysfunction. Salidroside, a major active compound in Rhodiola rosea, exerts protective effects against vascular diseases.

SKA3 promotes cell proliferation and migration in cervical cancer by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common cancers among females worldwide. Spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 3 (SKA3), located on chromosome 13q, was identified as a novel gene involved in promoting malignant transformation in cancers. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of SKA3 in CC remain unknown.

Dietary fiber intake is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and cardiovascular risk, but not protein nutritional status, in adults with CKD.

Background And Objectives: Evidence suggests that dietary fiber benefits patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, this conclusion requires further validation. In this study, we examined the effects of dietary fiber on kidney function, inflammation, indoxyl sulfate, nutritional status, and cardiovascular risk in patients with advanced CKD.

Methods And Study Design: We performed linear regressions to assess the association between dietary fiber intake and CKD parameters.

Astragalus Polysaccharide Inhibits Autophagy and Apoptosis from Peroxide-Induced Injury in C2C12 Myoblasts.

The aim is to study the effects and underlying mechanisms of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on the peroxide-induced injury in C2C12 myoblasts in vitro. Cell viability in the presence or absence of APS was detected by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium colorimetric assay. The autophagosomes were observed by electron microscopy to examine the influence of APS on autophagy caused by H2O2 in C2C12 cells, and the percentage of apoptosis cells was measured by flow cytometry.

Astragalus polysaccharides decrease muscle wasting through Akt/mTOR, ubiquitin proteasome and autophagy signalling in 5/6 nephrectomised rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Existing evidences suggest that Radix Astragali and its polysaccharides composition (APS) can improve muscle mass, but the mechanisms need more research.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of APS on muscle wasting at molecular level in 5/6 nephrectomised rats.

Materials And Methods: We performed 5/6 nephrectomy or sham operation in 160 6-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and feed animals with or without 2% APS for 155 days.

Effects of Astragalus Polysaccharides on Dysfunction of Mitochondrial Dynamics Induced by Oxidative Stress.

This paper studied the chronic fatigue induced by excessive exercise and the restoration effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on mitochondria. In vivo, we found that excessive exercise could cause oxidative stress statue which led to morphological and functional changes of mitochondria. The changes, including imbalance between mitochondria fusion-fission processes, activation of mitophagy, and decrease of PGC-1α expression, could be restored by APS.

The amino acid mutations of the podocin in proteinuria: a meta-analysis.

While many previous studies have reported an association between the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the podocin and proteinuria occurred, a conclusive relationship has not been defined in every oligoallelic state of amino acid (AA) mutations in podocin. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of the published data to investigate the impact of the oligoallelic AA mutations of the podocin on proteinuria; a total 16 AA mutations were investigated for oligoallelic pathogenicity. Despite significant heterogeneity within some of the comparisons, the results revealed significantly higher risks of proteinuria in early-onset (onset age <16) individuals for five mutations (P118L, R138Q, R168H, V180M, and V260E), and in all onset ages individuals for five mutations (R138Q, G140X, R229Q, V260E, and V290M) compared to non-variant individuals.

The p.R229Q variant of the NPHS2 (podocin) gene in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome: a meta-analysis.

While many previous studies have reported an association between the p.R229Q variant of the NPHS2 gene and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), a conclusive relationship has not been defined. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of the published data to investigate the impact of the p.

Resveratrol prevents TNF-α-induced muscle atrophy via regulation of Akt/mTOR/FoxO1 signaling in C2C12 myotubes.

Muscle atrophy poses a serious concern to patients inflicted with inflammatory diseases. There is now increasing evidence which suggests a vital role for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in muscle pathology associated with impairment of differentiation and muscle wasting. Resveratrol has been an ascribed inhibitory effect on glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy in vitro, but the influence of resveratrol on the growth of C2C12 myotubes exposed to TNF-α remains unclear.

Supplementation of ketoacids contributes to the up-regulation of the Wnt7a/Akt/p70S6K pathway and the down-regulation of apoptotic and ubiquitin-proteasome systems in the muscle of 5/6 nephrectomised rats.

Ketoacids (KA) are known to improve muscle mass among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on a low-protein diet (CKD-LPD), but the mechanism of its preventive effects on muscle atrophy still remains unclear. Since muscle atrophy in CKD may be attributable to the down-regulation of the Wnt7a/Akt/p70S6K pathway and the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the apoptotic signalling pathway, a hypothesis can readily be drawn that KA supplementation improves muscle mass by up-regulating the Wnt7a/Akt/p70S6K pathway and counteracting the activation of the UPS and caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in the muscle of CKD-LPD rats. Rats with 5/6 nephrectomy were randomly divided into three groups, and fed with either 22 % protein (normal-protein diet; NPD), 6 % protein (LPD) or 5 % protein plus 1 % KA for 24 weeks.

Sesquiterpene lactones and their derivatives inhibit high glucose-induced NF-κB activation and MCP-1 and TGF-β1 expression in rat mesangial cells.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common and serious chronic complications of diabetes mellitus, however, no efficient clinical drugs exist for the treatment of DN. We selected and synthesized several sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), and then used the MTT assay to detect rat mesangial cells (MCs) proliferation, ELISA to measure the expression level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) and fibronectin(FN), real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis to measure the MCP-1 and TGF-β1 gene expression, western blot to detect the level of IκBα protein and EMSA to measure the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). We discovered that SLs, including parthenolide (PTL), micheliolide (MCL), arglabin, and isoalantolactone (IAL), as well as several synthetic analogs of these molecules, could effectively attenuate the high glucose-stimulated activation of NF-κB, the degradation of IκBα, and the expression of MCP-1, TGF-β1 and FN in rat mesangial cells (MCs).

Astragalus polysaccharide improves muscle atrophy from dexamethasone- and peroxide-induced injury in vitro.

Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is an important bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (Leguminosae) that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating muscle wasting, a serious complication with complex mechanism manifested as myofibers atrophy and satellite cells apoptosis. In this study, the anti-atrophy and anti-apoptotic activity of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) was characterized in C2C12 skeletal muscle myotubes and myoblasts. APS inhibited dexamethasone-induced atrophy by restoring phosphorylation of Akt, m-TOR, P70s6k, rpS6 and FoxO3A/FoxO1.

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.

[Effects of Shenshuai Yangzhen capsule on hypothalamic leptin-neuropeptide and proopiomelanocortin axes in chronic renal failure rats with malnutrition].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Shenshuai Yangzhen Capsule (SYC) on hypothalamic leptin-neuropeptide Y (NPY) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) axes in chronic renal failure (CRF) rats with malnutrition (MN).

Methods: Forty-two male SD rats of SPF grade were established into CRF-MN model by 5/6 nephrectomy and 4% casein diet, the happening time of MN in them was recorded. Rats successfully modeled were randomized into three groups, 11 rats in Group A treated with SYC, 11 in group B treated with composite alpha-keto acid and 12 in Group C was untreated.

[A retrospective analysis of the six-year data of peritoneal dialysis in a single center].

Objective: To investigate the epidemiology, peritoneal dialysis (PD) related complications and survival outcomes of 236 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in our center from January, 2004 to November, 2009.

Methods: The data including patient gender, age, time of PD initiation, addresses, types of medical reimbursement, primary diseases, modes of PD catheter placement surgery, types of PD catheter, PD-related complications, and time of drop out were retrospectively analyzed. PD catheter migration rate, peritonitis rate, drop out rate (DOR), length of the time of PD therapy (TOT), and survival rate were calculated and compared with those of patients in other PD centers.

[Frequent peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis: clinical characteristics, risk factors and treatments].

Objective: To identify the clinical characteristics and risk factors of frequent peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in the peritonitis patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in our hospital. Frequent PD-related peritonitis was defined by two or more onsets in one year, and the patients with only one onset served as the control group.

[Effects of Shenkangwan on renal expressions of angiotensin II and its type I receptor in rats with early diabetic nephropathy].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Shenkangwan on the expressions of angiotensin II (AngII) and its type I receptor (AT(1)R) and the renalprotection mechanism of Shenkangwan in rats with early diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: The rat models of DN established by a single injection of streptozotocin were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely the model group, Shenkangwan treatment group, irbesartan treatment group, and Shenkangwan and irbesartan treatment group, with normal rats as the control. All the rats received daily gavage for 8 weeks.

[Effects of irbesartan on renal advanced glycation end products and their receptor in rats with early diabetic nephropathy].

Objective: To investigate the effect of irbesartan on the renal expressions of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGEs) in rats with early diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the renoprotection mechanism of irbesartan.

Methods: Rat DN models established by a single injection of streptozotocin were randomly divided into the model group and irbesartan treatment group. With normal rats as the control, all the rats received daily gavage for 8 weeks.

[Effect of capsule of Shenshuai Yangzhen on malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure by 5/6 nephrectomy].

Objective: To investigate the effects of capsule of Shenshuai Yangzhen, a preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, on malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure (CRF).

Methods: SD rats received 5/6 nephrectomy for preparation of CRF models, and fed 4% casein at the same time. Observed when malnutrition began.

[Protective effects of Shenkangwan against podocyte injury in rats with early diabetic nephropathy].

Objective: To investigate the morphological changes and expressions of desmin and podocin in podocytes of rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats and renal protection mechanism of Shenkangwan.

Methods: DN model was established in rats by a single injection of streptozotocin. The rats were then randomly divided into model group, Shenkangwan treatment group, irbesartan treatment group, and Shenkangwan plus irbesartan treatment group, with normal rats as the control group.

[Strategies and methods of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in preventing and treating chronic kidney disease].

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health problem with a high mortality and case fatality, and multiplies the risk for complications of cardiovascular disease and huge medical costs. Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine is effective in preventing and treating CKD with less adverse, however there are a lot of questions that we don't know well. Strategies and approaches of the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in preventing and treating CKD are: (1) enhance the study of optimized scheme for single entity; (2) accelerate the step of new drug exploitation; (3) augment the study of action mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating CKD; (4) strengthen the study of the mechanism of Chinese crude drug which is poisonous to kidney and its prevention and cure; (5) utilize the systems biology to study the essence of kidney; (6) establish a guideline for integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in prevention and treatment of CKD; (7) preach up the general knowledge of CKD, pay attention to mass screening and early prevention of CKD.

[Effect of Shenshuai Yangzhen capsule on remnant renal tissue following 5/6 nephrectomy in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure].

Objective: To investigate effects of Shenshuai Yangzhen capsule, a preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, on remnant renal tissue following nephrectomy in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure.

Methods: SD rats were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy and fed 4% casein diet to induce chronic renal failure (CRF), and their blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), serum albumin (ALB), hemoglobin (Hb), 24-hour urineprotein (24-h Upro) and body weight were measured. Upon the onset of malnutrition, the rats were randomized into CRF control group (CC), ketosteril group (KT), and Shenshuai Yangzhen group (SSYZ), with also a normal control group (NC).

[Effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist on rat podocyte injury in early diabetic nephropathy].

Objective: To investigate nephrin and desmin expression in rat podocytes in early diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the rale of angiotensin II receptor antagonist in renal protection.

Methods: Rat models of DN established by a injection of a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) were randomized into model group and irbesartan group, with rats without STZ injection as the normal control group. The rats in irbesartan group were subjected to daily intragastric irbesartan administration for 8 consecutive weeks, while those in the model group received only saline in the same manner.