Publications by authors named "Ze-Bo Hu"

Some studies have shown that gut microbiota along with its metabolites is closely associated with diabetic mellitus (DM). In this study we explored the relationship between gut microbiota and kidney injuries of early diabetic nephropathy (DN) and its underlying mechanisms. Male SD rats were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin to induce DM.

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: Our previous study demonstrated that the disruption of cholesterol homeostasis promotes tubulointerstitial injury in diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to further investigate the effects of gut microbiota dysbiosis on this process and explored its potential mechanism. : Diabetic rats treated with broad-spectrum oral antibiotics or faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from the healthy donor group and human kidney 2 (HK-2) cells stimulated with sodium acetate were used to observe the effects of gut microbiota on cholesterol homeostasis.

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Background: Podocyte-derived microparticles (MPs) could be secreted from activated or apoptotic podocytes. An increased number of podocyte-derived MPs in the urine might reflect podocyte injury in renal diseases. This study aimed to observe the change of urinary podocyte-derived MP levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to further explore its correlation with the progression of CKD.

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Finding new therapeutic targets of glomerulosclerosis treatment is an ongoing quest. Due to a living environment of various stresses and pathological stimuli, podocytes are prone to injuries; moreover, as a cell without proliferative potential, loss of podocytes is vital in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis. Thus, sufficient understanding of factors and underlying mechanisms of podocyte injury facilitates the advancement of treating and prevention of glomerulosclerosis.

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Background: New non-invasive biomarkers are demanded to identify renal damage in various autoimmune-associated kidney diseases. Glomerular podocyte damage mediated by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of lupus nephritis (LN). This study evaluated whether the podocyte-derived microparticles (MPs) were novel biomarkers of clinical and histological features in SLE patients with LN.

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Background: Platelet microparticles (PMPs) are closely associated with diabetic macrovascular complications. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of high glucose-induced PMPs generation.

Methods: Washed platelets, obtained from the plasma of healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, were incubated with high glucose.

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Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of aspirin on podocyte injury and its underlying mechanisms in diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: non-diabetic rats (Control), streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (DM), and diabetic rats treated with aspirin (DM + Aspirin) for 12 weeks. Intracellular lipid accumulation was evaluated by Oil Red O staining and quantitative free cholesterol assays.

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Platelet microparticles (PMPs) are closely associated with diabetic macrovascular complications. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of PMPs in diabetes on aortic vascular endothelial injury and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Peritoneal injection of streptozotocin was used to generate a diabetic rat model in vivo, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with PMPs were used in vitro.

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Aim: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by a high risk of thromboembolic complications. Microparticles (MPs), a type of extracellular vesicles, have procoagulant properties, especially when they display tissue factor (TF). This study aimed to investigate whether circulating TF-positive MPs contributed to the hypercoagulable state in patients with IMN.

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Background: Glomerular endothelium dysfunction, which plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of early diabetic nephropathy, might be caused by circulating metabolic abnormalities. Platelet microparticles, extracellular vesicles released from activated platelets, have recently emerged as a novel regulator of vascular dysfunction.

Methods: We studied the effects of platelet microparticles on glomerular endothelial injury in early diabetic nephropathy in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and primary rat glomerular endothelial cells.

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Background: Increased plasma level of lipoprotein(a) (Lpa) is a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the role of Lpa in the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and to investigate whether its potential mechanism is mediated by CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr).

Methods: This is a retrospective clinical study.

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterised by early lipid accumulation and subsequent inflammation in the liver, is becoming a worldwide challenge due to its increasing prevalence in developing and developed countries. This study aimed to investigate the role of CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) and its receptor CXC chemokine receptor 6 (CXCR6) in NAFLD under inflammation. We used IL-1β stimulation in human hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2) for studies and casein injection in apolipoprotein E knockout mice to induce inflammatory stress.

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Inflammation and lipid disorders play crucial roles in synergistically accelerating the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). In this study we investigated how inflammation and lipid disorders caused tubulointerstitial injury in DN in vivo and in vitro. Diabetic db/db mice were injected with 10% casein (0.

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Chronic inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). This study aimed to determine the effects of the CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16)/CXC chemokine receptor 6 (CXCR6) pathway on cholesterol accumulation in the radial arteries of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with concomitant microinflammation and to further investigate the potential effects of the purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7R). Forty-three ESRD patients were divided into the control group (n=17) and the inflamed group (n=26) based on plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

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Dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation play crucial roles in the progression of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inflammatory stress on lipid accumulation in multi-organs in diabetes. Eight-week-old male db/db mice were randomly assigned to inflamed group with alternating day subcutaneous injection of 10% casein or control group with daily injection of distilled water.

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Dyslipidemia plays crucial roles in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study investigated the effects of high glucose on lipid accumulation in podocytes and explored its underlying mechanisms. Male db/m and db/db mice were fed a normal chow diet for 8 wk.

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Aims: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a chronic inflammatory disease that is accompanied by different degrees of lipid disorders. The present study was conducted to determine whether inflammatory stress exacerbates lipid accumulation in podocytes and to investigate its underlying mechanisms in DN using in vitro and in vivo studies.

Methods: We used IL-1β stimulation in podocytes in vitro and casein injections in db/db mice in vivo to induce inflammatory stress.

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Our previous studies demonstrated that inflammation exacerbates the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by disrupting cholesterol homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the role of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in NAFLD under conditions of inflammation. Chronic inflammation was induced by using subcutaneous injections of 10% casein in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice in vivo and interleukin-1β stimulation of the HepG2 hepatoblastoma cell line in vitro.

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Aims: Inflammatory stress plays a crucial role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to establish a novel inflamed animal model of DN and to evaluate its significance in DN.

Methods: Nondiabetic db/m mice and diabetic db/db mice were randomly divided into four groups: db/m, db/m+casein, db/db, and db/db+casein for eight weeks.

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