Knockout of receptor for advanced glycation end‐products attenuates age‐related renal lesions

Pro‐aging effects of endogenous advanced glycation end‐products (AGEs) have been reported, and there is increasing interest in the pro‐inflammatory and ‐fibrotic effects of their binding to RAGE (the main AGE receptor). The role of dietary AGEs in aging remains ill‐defined, but the predominantly renal accumulation of dietary carboxymethyllysine (CML) suggests the kidneys may be particularly affected. We studied the impact of RAGE invalidation and a CML‐enriched diet on renal aging. Two‐month‐old male, wild‐type (WT) and RAGE^?/? C57Bl/6 mice were fed a control or a CML‐enriched diet (200 μg CML/g_food) for 18 months. Compared to controls, we observed higher CML levels in the kidneys of both CML WT and CML RAGE^?/? mice, with a predominantly tubular localization. The CML‐rich diet had no significant impact on the studied renal parameters, whereby only a trend to worsening glomerular sclerosis was detected. Irrespective of diet, RAGE^?/? mice were significantly protected against nephrosclerosis lesions (hyalinosis, tubular atrophy, fibrosis and glomerular sclerosis) and renal senile apolipoprotein A‐II (ApoA‐II) amyloidosis (p < 0.001). A positive linear correlation between sclerosis score and ApoA‐II amyloidosis score (r = 0.92) was observed. Compared with old WT mice, old RAGE^?/? mice exhibited lower expression of inflammation markers and activation of AKT, and greater expression of Sod2 and SIRT1. Overall, nephrosclerosis lesions and senile amyloidosis were significantly reduced in RAGE^?/? mice, indicating a protective effect of RAGE deletion with respect to renal aging. This could be due to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in RAGE^?/? mice, suggesting RAGE is an important receptor in so‐called inflamm‐aging.     

Protein biomarkers for cardiorenal syndrome

Introduction: The term cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) describes the progressive pathology and interactions that develop upon heart and kidney failure. The definition of CRS is not firmly established and has evolved gradually during the last decade. The main clinical challenges associated with CRS are the lack of tools for early disease diagnosis and the inability to predict the development of cardiorenal pathophysiology. Currently several biomarkers have been proposed for improving CRS patient management. However, validation studies are needed to implement these initial findings to the clinical setting.

Areas covered: In this review the database PubMed was used for a literature search on the definition and classification of CRS as well as biomarkers for CRS diagnosis and prognosis.

Expert opinion: A universally acceptable classification system for CRS is not available. Thus, acquiring mechanistic insights relative to the pathophysiology of the disease is challenging. Reported biomarkers include well-established markers for heart/renal dysfunction and inflammation. Some proteins expressed in both organs have also been associated with CRS, yet their link to disease pathophysiology and organ cross-talk is missing. Establishing the link between deregulated molecular pathways and CRS phenotypes is required to define biological relevance of existing findings and ultimately biology-driven markers and targets.     

Inhibiting the urokinase‐type plasminogen activator receptor system recovers STZ‐induced diabetic nephropathy

The urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR) participates to the mechanisms causing renal damage in response to hyperglycaemia. The main function of uPAR in podocytes (as well as soluble uPAR ‐(s)uPAR‐ from circulation) is to regulate podocyte function through αvβ3 integrin/Rac‐1. We addressed the question of whether blocking the uPAR pathway with the small peptide UPARANT, which inhibits uPAR binding to the formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) can improve kidney lesions in a rat model of streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetes. The concentration of systemically administered UPARANT was measured in the plasma, in kidney and liver extracts and UPARANT effects on dysregulated uPAR pathway, αvβ3 integrin/Rac‐1 activity, renal fibrosis and kidney morphology were determined. UPARANT was found to revert STZ‐induced up‐regulation of uPA levels and activity, while uPAR on podocytes and (s)uPAR were unaffected. In glomeruli, UPARANT inhibited FPR2 expression suggesting that the drug may act downstream uPAR, and recovered the increased activity of the αvβ3 integrin/Rac‐1 pathway indicating a major role of uPAR in regulating podocyte function. At the functional level, UPARANT was shown to ameliorate: (a) the standard renal parameters, (b) the vascular permeability, (c) the renal inflammation, (d) the renal fibrosis including dysregulated plasminogen‐plasmin system, extracellular matrix accumulation and glomerular fibrotic areas and (e) morphological alterations of the glomerulus including diseased filtration barrier. These results provide the first demonstration that blocking the uPAR pathway can improve diabetic kidney lesion in the STZ model, thus suggesting the uPA/uPAR system as a promising target for the development of novel uPAR‐targeting approaches.     

Salivary calculi microbiota: new insights into microbial networks and pathogens reservoir

Sialolithiasis represents the most common disorders of salivary glands in middle-aged patients. It has been hypothesized that the retrograde migration of bacteria from the oral cavity to gland ducts may facilitate the formation of stones. Thus, in the present study, a microbiome characterization of salivary calculi was performed to evaluate the abundance and the potential correlations between microorganisms constituting the salivary calculi microbiota. Our data supported the presence of a core microbiota of sialoliths constituted principally by Streptococcus spp., Fusobacterium spp. and Eikenella spp., along with the presence of important pathogens commonly involved in infective sialoadenitis.     

Circulating adiponectin as a biomarker in renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Context: Metabolic imbalance in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can lead to abnormal adiponectin levels.

Objective: To evaluate circulating adiponectin as a detection or predictive marker for RCC.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search and meta-analysis was performed on studies reporting circulating adiponectin levels and RCC. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan.

Results: Seven studies compared the circulating adiponection levels between RCC cases and controls. Adiponectin level was significantly lower in RCC cases compared to controls at pre-diagnosis and pre-operative time-points. RCC stage, grade and subtype did not affect adiponectin levels.

Conclusion: Low circulating adiponectin could be a predictive or risk factor for RCC.     

输尿管软镜与经皮肾镜钬激光碎石术对肾结石患者肾功能的影响

目的：观察输尿管软镜下钬激光碎石术与经皮肾镜下钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石对患者肾功能影响。方法：选择本院于2012 年5 月-2015 年5 月收治的单发肾结石且结石直径均≤ 2 cm的患者180 例作为研究对象,根据配对分组法分为两组,每组90 例,A组采取输尿管软镜下钬激光碎石术治疗,B组采取经皮肾镜下钬激光碎石术治疗。分别于手术前后测定两组患者尿Kim-1 及血清NGAL、Cys-C水平,评估患者肾功能。结果：两组术前及术后6 h、12 h、24 h、72 h尿Kim-1 水平比较均无统计学差异（P>0. 05）;A 组术后48 h尿Kim-1 水平显著低于B组（P<0.05）。两组术后6 h、12 h、24 h尿Kim-1 水平均高于术前（P<0.05）。两组术后 6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h、72 h血清NGAL水平均高于术前,P<0.05。两组患者术前2 h、术后6 h血清Cys-C 水平均无显著统计学差异 （P>0.05）;术后12 h、24 h、48 h、72 h血清Cys-C 水平均A 组均高于B 组（P<0.05）。结论：输尿管软镜下钬激光碎石术与经皮肾镜 下钬激光碎石术治疗肾结石均对患者肾功能造成损伤,但输尿管软镜下钬激光碎石术对肾小球损伤更为严重,经皮肾镜下钬激 光碎石术对肾小管损伤较为严重,临床应注意。     

一种新型PPARr激动剂对人肾癌细胞增殖抑制的实验研究

目的：探讨新型过氧化物酶体增殖激活物受体(PPARr)激动剂DH9 对人肾癌细胞OS-RC-2 的增殖抑制作用。方法：予以不 同浓度的DH9 及罗格列酮作用OS-RC-2 细胞12 h、24 h和48 h,荧光素酶活性检测比较两种药物的PPARr激动效应;MTT 法 检测细胞增殖情况;流式细胞术观察细胞周期;AnnexinV-FITC/PI双染色流式细胞术测定细胞凋亡率;Western blot 检测细胞内 Bax 及Bcl-2等蛋白的变化。结果：不同浓度的DH9 与罗格列酮相比,对PPARr的激动效应DH9明显低于罗格列酮,增殖抑制 作用优于罗格列酮(P＜0.05),并呈现明显的浓度、时间依赖性;加入PPARr抑制剂GW9662 前后DH9 的增殖抑制作用差异无统 计学意义(P＞0.05);DH9 作用细胞48小时后,G0/G1 期细胞比例明显增加(P＜0.05),S期细胞明显减少(P＜0.05)。DH9可诱导细 胞凋亡,伴随Bcl-2 表达的减少以及Bax表达的增加。结论：OS-RC-2 细胞中,DH9 的增殖作用明显优于罗格列酮,且是通过 PPARr非依赖途径实现;DH9 能将OS-RC-2 细胞阻滞在G0/G1 期,并通过影响Bcl-2 和Bax 蛋白表达促进细胞凋亡。