The role of the complement system in Shiga toxin-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Background: This research explores complement activation products involvement and risk and protective polymorphisms in the complement alternative pathway genes in Shiga toxin-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) pathogenesis.

Methods: We analyzed the levels of complement activation products, C3a, C5a and soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) and plasma concentrations of Factor H (FH) and FH-related protein 1 (FHR-1) in 44 patients with STEC-HUS, 12 children with STEC-positive diarrhea (STEC-D), and 72 healthy controls (HC). STEC-HUS cases were classified as "severe" or "non-severe".

Toll-like Receptor 4 in Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and devastating pathologic condition, associated with considerable high morbidity and mortality. Although significant breakthroughs have been made in recent years, to this day no effective pharmacological therapies for its treatment exist. AKI is known to be connected with intrarenal and systemic inflammation.

The renal antioxidative effect of losartan involves heat shock protein 70 in proximal tubule cells.

Angiotensin II exerts a cardinal role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and renal injury via action of angiotensin II type 1 (AT) receptors. Local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity is essential for the mechanisms mediating pathophysiological functions. Proximal tubular angiotensinogen and tubular AT receptors are augmented by intrarenal angiotensin II.

Losartan through Hsp70 Avoids Angiotensin II Induced Mesenchymal Epithelial Transition in Proximal Tubule Cells from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Background/aims: Renal injury related to hypertension is characterized by glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage. The overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system mainly by angiotensin II (AII) seems to be a main contributor to progressive renal fibrosis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a mechanism that promotes renal fibrosis.

Rab7b participation on the TLR4 (Toll-like receptor) endocytic pathway in Shiga toxin-associated Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS).

Background: The inflammatory response of the host to Shiga toxin and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is included in (HUS). The TLR4-LPS complex is internalized and TLR4 induced inflammatory signaling is stopped by targeting the complex for degradation.