Renal eicosanoids and blood pressure in genetically hypertensive rats of the lyon strain

The present paper reviews the evidence for a possible involvement of renal eicosanoids in the pathophysiology of high blood pressure in genetically hypertensive rats of the Lyon strain. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments suggest that an increased ability to synthesize the vasoconstrictor prostaglandin H₂ and/or thromboxane A₂ in renal vessels (1) acts as an autocrine amplifier of pressor agents and (2) may contribute to resetting the pressure natriuresis curve which is a prerequisite for the development and maintenance of hypertension.     

Roles of catalase and cytochrome C in hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation and chemiluminescence in rat heart and kidney mitochondria

A recent report (Radi et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266:22028–22034, 1991) showed that rat heart mitochondria contain catalase. The protective role of mitochondrial catalase was tested by exposing heart or kidney mitochondria and mitoplasts to two oxidants (H₂O₂) or tert-butyl hydroperoxide, t-BOOH), estimating lipid peroxidation (as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS) and overall oxidative stress (as chemiluminescence). Additional controls included heart and kidney preparations from aminotriazole-treated (catalase-depleted) rats. Both oxidants increased TBARS in catalase-free preparations to similar extents over their respective controls (between 200 to 350%). In catalase-containing preparations, H₂O₂ lipid peroxidation increased by only 40 to 96% over controls. Similar qualitative results were obtained when measuring chemiluminescence. The catalytic role of cytochrome c in mitochondrial lipid peroxidation was investigated by exposing either control or cytochrome-c-depleted kidney mitoplasts (catalase free) to either H₂O₂ or t-BOOH. Hydrogen-peroxide-dependent mitochondrial lipid peroxidation varied with cytochrome c concentrations, remaining close to controls when cytochrome c concentration decreased by 66%, even though there was no catalase present. Tert-butyl hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation was less affected by cytochrome c remaining 2.3-fold above controls under the same conditions, suggesting that organic peroxides are more likely to remain in the less polar membrane environment being decomposed by heme or nonheme iron imbedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Chemiluminescence was less affected by cytochrome c depletion. Comparing control and cytochrome-c-deficient mitochondria, chemiluminescence was 1.7-fold and 2.8-fold higher when control preparations were challenged with t-BOOH or H₂O₂, respectively.     

尿铜蓝蛋白、肾损伤因子1与糖尿病肾病患者肾功能的关系及对预后不良的预测价值研究

摘要 目的：探讨尿铜蓝蛋白（CP）、肾损伤因子1（KIM-1）与糖尿病肾病（DKD）患者肾功能的关系及对预后不良的预测价值。方法：回顾性分析2017年1月～2019年1月陆军第八十二集团军医院肾内科收治的160例DKD患者（DKD组）的临床资料,随访3年,根据是否发展为终末期肾脏疾病（ESRD）分为预后不良组42例和预后良好组118例,另选取同期56例单纯2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者作为T2DM组和47例体检健康者作为对照组。采用微量法和酶联免疫吸附试验法检测尿CP、KIM-1水平,并计算尿白蛋白/肌酐比值（UACR）和估算肾小球滤过率（eGFR）。通过Spearman相关性分析DKD患者尿CP、KIM-1与UACR、eGFR的相关性,单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析DKD患者预后不良的影响因素,受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析尿CP、KIM-1对DKD患者预后不良的预测价值。结果：随访3年,160例DKD患者有42例发展为ESRD,预后不良发生率为26.25％（42/160）。DKD组尿CP、KIM-1、UACR高于T2DM组、对照组,eGFR低于T2DM组、对照组（P＜0.05）;T2DM组尿CP、KIM-1、UACR高于对照组,eGFR低于对照组（P＜0.05）。Spearman相关性分析显示,DKD患者尿CP、KIM-1与UACR呈正相关（P均＜0.001）,与eGFR呈负相关（P均＜0.001）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,高血压、DKD分期4期和糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）（较高）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）（较高）、UACR（较高）、尿CP（较高）、尿KIM-1（较高）为DKD患者预后不良的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）,eGFR（较高）为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,尿CP、KIM-1联合预测DKD患者预后不良的曲线下面积大于各指标单独预测。结论：DKD患者尿CP、KIM-1升高与肾功能降低和预后不良密切相关,尿CP、KIM-1联合预测DKD患者预后不良的价值较高。     

Kidney structure and function of obligate and facultative hibernators: the white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) and the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

The white-tailed prairie dog is an obligate hibernator that enters a heterothermic phase when maintained in the cold with low intensity light and ad libitum food and water. The black-tailed prairie dog (a facultative hibernator) will not hibernate under similar conditions. It has been suggested that the black tailed prairie dog remains active during the winter because it can conserve water more effectively due to a more efficient kidney. The present study revealed no significant differences between the species in renal morphology: relative medullary thickness, nephron heterogeneity, renal vasculature, or fornix dimensions, all of which are structures associated with the urinary concentrating mechanism. In addition, there was no difference in number of nephrons between the two species. The black-tailed prairie dog does produce a more concentrated urine when food and water deprived. However, this difference was not observed when the animals were salt loaded. The water-deprivation and salt-loading experiments suggest that the higher urine osmolality produced by the back-tailed prairie dog during fasting is a result of a higher urea load due to a greater protein catabolism and not because of a differential capacity to concentrate urine.Abbreviations C cortex - GFR glomerular filtration rate - H height - IS inner stripe - IZ inner zone of medulla - L length - OS outer stripe - PE polythylene - RMT relative medullary thickness - T _a ambient temperature - W width     

Renal function during vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) infusions in normal man and patients with liver disease

VIP containing nerves are present in the kidney and plasma VIP levels are elevated in cardiac failure and severe liver disease. We studied the effects of intravenous VIP; 6 pmol kg-1 min-1 on 6 normal subjects and 3 patients with liver disease. In normal subjects VIP produced flushing and significant rises in heart rate and pulse pressure but the clearance rates of paraaminohippurate and creatinine did not change significantly. Urine flow fell to about 1/3 and the rate of excretion of electrolytes (except phosphate) fell to about a half of control values. Plasma renin activity rose about 3-fold and there were significant rises in haematocrit and the plasma concentrations of solids, calcium and phosphate. The patients with liver disease responded similarly. Elevated plasma VIP could contribute to salt and water retention in disease states.     

The interstitial cells in the renal medulla of rat,rabbit, and gerbil in different states of diuresis

Summary The inner zone of the renal medulla of rats, gerbils, and rabbits was investigated to determine whether or not there are any characteristic ultrastructural differences between the interstitial cells of these species. The effects on the interstitial cells of water deprivation and water loading were also investigated.In all three species, the Type 1 interstitial cells, the lipid containing cells, were abundant and their distribution and topographical relations as well as their general ultrastructure were similar. The previously reported significantly higher frequency in desert rats could not be confirmed. Although the lipid droplets of the interstitial cells were smaller in gerbils and rabbits when compared to rats, their fine structure was similar. Their electron dense outer zone was sometimes associated with a granular material and/or a lamellar material with a periodicity of about 40 Å resembling phospholipid myelin figures.Water-loaded rats showed a considerable increase in the number of lipid droplets when compared to dehydrated or untreated animals. In contrast, the interstitial cells of waterloaded gerbils and rabbits were depleted of lipid droplets.We are indebted to Professor A.B. Maunsbach for valuable discussions and criticism and to Mrss. Hanne Weiling and Birthe Overgaard for competent technical assistance. The gerbils used in this study were a gift from Leo AB, Helsingborg, Sweden. This study was supported by the Danish Medical Research Council (J. nos. 512-1067, 512-1545, 512-3633)     

Renal vascular anatomy of the toad (Bufo marinus)

The renal vasculature of the toad, Bufo marinus, was studied mainly by means of scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts. All arterial branches terminated in a glomerulus. Each glomerulus was supplied by only one afferent arteriole. No shunts between afferent and efferent arterioles were observed. The glomerular channels appeared to be permanent capillaries. No evidence supporting the theory of freely shifting glomerular blood channels was found. Efferent arterioles radiated out towards the dorsal surface of the kidney where they connected with peritubular vessels. The renal portal veins produced an anastomosing plexus on the dorsal surface of the kidney, giving rise to the peritubular vessels. Peritubular vessels ran radially toward the ventral surface of the kidney, where they formed the roots of the renal veins. Attention is drawn to the possibility of hairpin countercurrent exchange between the capillary-like efferent arterioles and the peritubular vessels in the dorsal kidney.     

Properties of carnitine transport in rat kidney cortex slices

The properties of carnitine transport were studied in rat kidney cortex slices. Tissue: medium concentration gradients of 7.9 for L-[methyl-¹⁴C]carnitine were attained after 60-min incubation at 37°C in 40 μM substrate. L- and D-carnitine uptake showed saturability. The concentration curves appeared to consist of (1) a high-affinity component, and (2) a lower affinity site. When corrected for the latter components, the estimated K_m for L-carnitine was 90 μM and $\text{V = 22}\text{nmol/min}$ per ml intracellular fluid; for D-carnitine, $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}\text{= 166}\text{μM}$ and $\text{V = 15}\text{nmol/min}$ per ml intracellular fluid. The system was stereospecific for L-carnitine. The uptake of L-carnitine was inhibited by (1) D-carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine, and (2) acetyl-L-carnitine. γ-Butyrobetaine and acetyl-L-carnitine were competitive inhibitors of L-carnitine uptake. Carnitine transport was not significantly reduced by choline, betaine, lysine or γ-aminobutyric acid. Carnitine uptake was inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol, carbonyl cyanide $\text{m-}\text{chlorophenylhydrazone}$, N₂ atmosphere, KCN, $\text{N-}\text{ethylmaleimide}$, low temperature (4°C) and ouabain. Complete replacement of Na⁺ in the medium by Li⁺ reduced L- and D-carnitine uptake by 75 and 60%, respectively. Complete replacement of K⁺ or Ca²⁺ in the medium also significantly reduces carnitine uptake. Two roles for the carnitine transport system in kidney are proposed: (1) a renal tubule reabsorption system for the steady-state maintenance of plasma carnitine; and (2) maintenance of normal carnitine levels in kidney cells, which is required for fatty acid oxidation.