Metabolome-wide Mendelian randomization reveals causal effects of betaine and N-acetylornithine on impairment of renal function.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common public health problem, which is characterized as impairment of renal function. The associations between blood metabolites and renal function remained unclear. This study aimed to assess the causal effect of various circulation metabolites on renal function based on metabolomics.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis and protein energy wasting in patients on hemodialysis: an observational longitudinal study.

Background: Protein energy wasting (PEW) is common in patients on hemodialysis, and its development may involve gut microbial dysbiosis. However, the exact relationship between the composition of different flora and the development of PEW remains unclear.

Methods: This is an observational longitudinal study on 115 patients undergoing hemodialysis who were followed up for 1 year.

The correlation between serum growth differentiation factor 15 and malnutrition in patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis.

Objective: Malnutrition commonly occurs in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Early detection of malnutrition could allow early interventions to prevent later complications. At present, there are not many biomarkers with high predictive value of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)-related malnutrition, especially for early malnutrition in hemodialysis patients, which needs more in-depth research.

Autophagosome protects proximal tubular cells from aldosterone-induced senescence through improving oxidative stress.

Aldosterone exerts an enormous function on proximal tubular cells (PTC) senescence, which is a common pathomechanism contributing to renal dysfunction. Numerous studies have shown that oxidative stress is deeply involved in the pathophysiologic processes of chronic kidney diseases. The study aims to investigate whether autophagy could regulate the process of senescence through oxidative stress in PTC both and .

Curcumin attenuates angiotensin II-induced podocyte injury and apoptosis by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Podocytes are an important component of the glomerular filtration barrier in the kidneys. The dysfunction and apoptosis of podocytes are important factors that can lead to the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In CKD, angiotensin II is continuously elevated in circulation and is considered to have key roles in inducing podocyte injury and apoptosis.

The Chronic Adverse Effect of Chloroquine on Kidney in Rats through an Autophagy Dependent and Independent Pathways.

Background: Chloroquine (CQ), a classic autophagy inhibitor, is used clinically for malaria prophylaxis and pulmonary hypertension treatment. The adverse effects of CQ on morphological and functional changes in the kidney were investigated in the current study due to CQ accumulation in the kidney.

Methods: Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups for 4 weeks: group 1, control (n = 6); and group 2, CQ administration group (50 mg-1·kg per day ip; n = 6).

Epidermal growth factor receptor mimotope alleviates renal fibrosis in murine unilateral ureteral obstruction model.

Macrophages have been recognized as a vital factor that can promote renal fibrosis. Previously we reported that the EGFR mimotope could alleviate the macrophage infiltration in the Sjögren's syndrome-like animal model. In current study, we sought to observe whether the active immunization induced by the EGFR mimotope could ameliorate renal fibrosis in the murine Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction (UUO) model.

Ghrelin attenuates UUO-induced renal fibrosis via attenuation of Nlrp3 inflammasome and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Unlabelled: All chronic kidney disease (CKD) can eventually develop into renal fibrosis. We explored the renoprotective effects of a gastric peptide, ghrelin, and investigated whether endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and the NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mediate the protective effect of ghrelin in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).

Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into vehicle- or ghrelin-treated sham-operated groups and vehicle- or ghrelin-treated UUO groups.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Attenuates Angiotensin II-Induced Renal Injury by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autophagy.

Background/aims: A recent study has shown that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3), the active form of vitamin D, can ameliorate renal dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of 1,25-D3 in angiotensin (Ang II)-induced renal injury and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were treated with Ang II and/or 1,25-D3 (or saline as the control) for 2 weeks.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 analog prevents obesity-related glomerulopathy by inhibiting excessive autophagy in podocytes.

To investigate the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 analog (GLP-1) in high-fat diet-induced obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG). Male C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet for 12 wk were treated with GLP-1 (200 μg/kg) or 0.9% saline for 4 wk.

Protective Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Analog on Renal Tubular Injury in Mice on High-Fat Diet.

Aims: The study aimed to investigate the renoprotective effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) against renal tubular injury in C57BL/6 mice induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).

Methods: Twenty C57BL/6 mice were fed HFD for 12 weeks. Ten of these mice were treated with GLP-1 at 200 µg/kg subcutaneously twice daily for 4 weeks (HFDG group), and the other ten mice received vehicle only (HFD group).

Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperon Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid Attenuates Aldosterone-Infused Renal Injury.

Aldosterone (Aldo) is critically involved in the development of renal injury via the production of reactive oxygen species and inflammation. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is also evoked in Aldo-induced renal injury. In the present study, we investigated the role of ER stress in inflammation-mediated renal injury in Aldo-infused mice.

Performance of the creatinine and cystatin C-based equations for estimation of GFR in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Currently, creatinine- or cystatin C-based glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation equation has been recommended to assess GFR in CKD patients. However, it is still obscure whether those equations performed consistently outstandingly in Chinese population.

Methods: The equations were validated in a population totaling 632 participants (mean age 61.