Publications by authors named "Shao-ling Zhang"

Renal hedgehog interacting protein (Hhip) activates sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (Sglt2) expression and promotes tubular senescence in murine diabetic kidney disease (DKD), yet its underlying mechanism(s) are poorly understood. Here we study the effect of the SGLT2 inhibitor, canagliflozin on tubulopathy (fibrosis and apoptosis) in Akita/Hhip-transgenic (Tg) mice with overexpression of Hhip in their renal proximal tubular cells (RPTCs) and its relevant mechanisms. The DKD-tubulopathy with pronounced Sglt2 expression was aggravated in the kidney of Akita/Hhip-Tg cf.

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The role of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (iRAS) in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression remains unclear. In this study, we generated mice with renal tubule-specific deletion of angiotensinogen (Agt; RT-Agt-/-) in both Akita and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mouse model of diabetes. Both Akita RT-Agt-/- and STZ-RT-Agt-/- mice exhibited significant attenuation of glomerular hyperfiltration, urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, glomerulomegaly and tubular injury.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates serum steroid profiling as a potential tool to differentiate between malignant adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and benign adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), focusing on multiple steroid hormones in relation to tumor characteristics and patient demographics.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 31 patients with ACC and 31 matched patients with ACA, finding that ACC patients had notably larger tumors, lower BMI, and significantly higher serum levels of certain steroids, particularly 11-deoxycortisol, which emerged as a key discriminative marker.
  • The study concluded that serum steroid levels, especially 11-deoxycortisol, provide valuable insights for distinguishing ACC from ACA, suggesting a more nuanced approach beyond
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Background: Intraindividual variability in lipid profiles is recognized as a potential predictor of cardiovascular events. However, the influence of early adulthood lipid profile variability along with mean lipid levels on future coronary artery calcium (CAC) incidence remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 2395 participants (41.

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Objective: The impact of comprehensive risk factor control on heart failure (HF) risk and HF-free survival time in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) was evaluated in this study.

Research Design And Methods: This prospective study included 11,949 individuals diagnosed with T2D, matched with 47,796 non-T2D control study participants from the UK Biobank cohort. The degree of comprehensive risk factor control was assessed on the basis of the major cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, BMI, LDL cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, renal function, smoking, diet, and physical activity.

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Fruit ripening is manipulated by the plant phytohormone ethylene in climacteric fruits. While the transcription factors (TFs) involved in ethylene biosynthesis and fruit ripening have been extensively studied in tomato, their identification in pear remains limited. In this study, we identified and characterized a HOMEODOMAIN TF, PbHB.

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Background: This study examines the association between traditional cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) incidence in individuals with diverse sleep patterns.

Methods And Results: We analyzed data from 208 621 participants initially free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK Biobank study. Sleep patterns were assessed using scores for chronotype, duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime dozing.

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Introduction: Pasireotide, a somatostatin receptor ligand, is approved for treating acromegaly and Cushing's disease (CD). Hyperglycemia during treatment can occur because of the drug's mechanism of action, although treatment discontinuation is rarely required. The prospective, randomized, Phase IV SOM230B2219 (NCT02060383) trial was designed to assess optimal management of pasireotide-associated hyperglycemia.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study aimed to explore how cardiovascular health, measured by Life's Essential 8 (LE8) scores, is linked to vascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
  • - Researchers followed over 11,000 T2D participants without existing vascular issues for about 12 years, finding that higher LE8 scores (indicating better cardiovascular health) were associated with significantly lower risks of both macrovascular and microvascular complications.
  • - The results highlight the importance of maintaining cardiovascular health through lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of serious vascular complications in individuals with T2D.
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Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F (HnRNP F) is a key regulator for nucleic acid metabolism; however, whether HnRNP F expression is important in maintaining podocyte integrity is unclear. Nephroseq analysis from a registry of human kidney biopsies was performed. Age- and sex-matched podocyte-specific HnRNP F knockout (HnRNP F KO) mice and control (HnRNP F) were studied.

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The phytohormone ethylene plays an important role in climacteric fruit ripening. However, the knowledge on molecular regulation of ethylene biosynthesis remains limited in pear fruit. Herein, a new basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, PbbHLH164, was identified based on the transcriptome analysis of different developing and ripening fruits of two pear cultivars 'Sucui No.

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Objective: We aimed to explore the prognostic value of DNA methylation in breast cancer.

Methods: Breast cancer patients with and without recurrence or metastasis and matched non-breast cancer patients were screened retrospectively from 2014 to 2016. Bisulfite conversion and fluorescence quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the methylation status and distribution levels in patient breast tissues.

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The role(s) of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is/are controversial. We hypothesized that Nrf2 deficiency in type 2 diabetes (T2D) db/db mice (db/db knockout (KO)) attenuates DKD progression through the down-regulation of angiotensinogen (AGT), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2), scavenger receptor CD36, and fatty -acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), and lipid accumulation in renal proximal tubular cells (RPTCs). Db/db KO mice were studied at 16 weeks of age.

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Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options for metastases. However, new effective regimens are emerging for specific conditions in metastatic ACC.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 36-year-old man diagnosed with metastatic ACC who had a large left adrenal mass (158 mm × 112 mm) and multiple metastases in the liver and lungs.

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Background: Excess aldosterone is implicated in vascular calcification (VC), but the mechanism by which aldosterone-MR (mineralocorticoid receptor) complex promotes VC is unclear. Emerging evidence indicates that long-noncoding RNA H19 (H19) plays a critical role in VC. We examined whether aldosterone-induced osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through H19 epigenetic modification of Runx2 (runt-related transcription factor-2) in a MR-dependent manner.

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Background: Reduced lung function has been linked to cardiovascular disease, but population-based evidence on the relationship between lung function decline and coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression is rare.

Methods: A total of 2694 participants (44.7% men) with a mean ± standard deviation age of 40.

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Background & Aims: Individuals with high blood pressure (BP) have varying risks of cardiovascular events due to other coexisting factors. We aimed to identify the predictors of long-term absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in individuals with high BP, which is an indicator of healthy arterial aging and can guide preventive strategies.

Methods: We analyzed data from participants with high BP (≥120/80 mm Hg) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis who had baseline CAC = 0 and underwent a second CAC scanning after 10 years.

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Gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) has been widely studied in flowering plants, but studies of the mechanisms underlying pollen tube growth arrest by self S-RNase in GSI species are limited. In the present study, two leucine-rich repeat extensin genes in pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.

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Purpose Of Conference: New discoveries arising from investigations into fundamental aspects of kidney development and function in health and disease are critical to advancing kidney care. Scientific meetings focused specifically on fundamental biology of the kidney can facilitate interactions, support the development of collaborative groups, and accelerate translation of key findings. The Canadian fundamental kidney researcher community has lacked such a forum.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) in renal tubular cells as a factor in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its associated tubulopathy.
  • Hhip-KO mice, which lack HHIP in renal tubules, showed better outcomes compared to control mice, including lower blood glucose and improved kidney function in diabetic conditions.
  • The findings suggest that HHIP deficiency may help prevent DKD by reducing tubular senescence and inflammatory responses, potentially through the regulation of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) expression.
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Pear ( spp.) is one of the most common fruit crops grown in temperate regions worldwide. Genetic enhancement of fruit quality is a fundamental goal of pear breeding programs.

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Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a highly prevalent condition that comprises a disease continuum, ranging from microscopic changes to profound fibro-calcific leaflet remodeling, culminating in aortic stenosis, heart failure, and ultimately premature death. Ferroptosis has been hypothesized to contribute to the pathogenesis of CAVD. We aimed to study the association between ferroptosis genes and CAVD and reveal the potential roles of ferroptosis in CAVD.

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Background: Remnant cholesterol (RC) contributes to residual risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but population-based evidence on the prospective relationship between RC and coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression is rare.

Methods: We pooled data obtained from 6544 atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease-free individuals from the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults; n=2635) and MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis; n=3909), with a mean±SD age of 47.2±19.

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Podocyte damage and loss are the early event in the development of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Podocytes express angiotensin II type-2-receptor (AT2R), which may play a key role in maintaining kidney integrity and function. Here, we examined the effects of AT2R deletion and AT2R agonist compound 21 (C21) on the evolution of FSGS.

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Background: To investigate whether obesity with or without metabolic syndrome is prospectively associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression and incident cardiovascular disease events.

Methods: A total of 1730 participants from the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) were included (age, 40.1±3.

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