5/6th Nephrectomy in Combination with High Salt Diet and Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition to Induce Chronic Kidney Disease in the Lewis Rat

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global problem. Slowing CKD progression is a major health priority. Since CKD is characterized by complex derangements of homeostasis, integrative animal models are necessary to study development and progression of CKD. To study development of CKD and novel therapeutic interventions in CKD, we use the 5/6th nephrectomy ablation model, a well known experimental model of progressive renal disease, resembling several aspects of human CKD. The gross reduction in renal mass causes progressive glomerular and tubulo-interstitial injury, loss of remnant nephrons and development of systemic and glomerular hypertension. It is also associated with progressive intrarenal capillary loss, inflammation and glomerulosclerosis. Risk factors for CKD invariably impact on endothelial function. To mimic this, we combine removal of 5/6th of renal mass with nitric oxide (NO) depletion and a high salt diet. After arrival and acclimatization, animals receive a NO synthase inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-Arginine) (L-NNA) supplemented to drinking water (20 mg/L) for a period of 4 weeks, followed by right sided uninephrectomy. One week later, a subtotal nephrectomy (SNX) is performed on the left side. After SNX, animals are allowed to recover for two days followed by LNNA in drinking water (20 mg/L) for a further period of 4 weeks. A high salt diet (6%), supplemented in ground chow (see time line Figure 1), is continued throughout the experiment. Progression of renal failure is followed over time by measuring plasma urea, systolic blood pressure and proteinuria. By six weeks after SNX, renal failure has developed. Renal function is measured using ''gold standard'' inulin and para-amino hippuric acid (PAH) clearance technology. This model of CKD is characterized by a reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), hypertension (systolic blood pressure>150 mmHg), proteinuria (> 50 mg/24 hr) and mild uremia (>10 mM). Histological features include tubulo-interstitial damage reflected by inflammation, tubular atrophy and fibrosis and focal glomerulosclerosis leading to massive reduction of healthy glomeruli within the remnant population (<10%). Follow-up until 12 weeks after SNX shows further progression of CKD.     

高通量血液透析治疗慢性肾衰竭尿毒症的疗效及对尿毒症毒素、免疫球蛋白及肺功能指标的影响

目的:探讨高通量血液透析(HFHD)治疗慢性肾衰竭尿毒症的疗效及对尿毒症毒素、免疫球蛋白及肺功能指标的影响。方法:选取90例于2012年1月-2017年3月期间在喀什地区第一人民医院治疗的慢性肾衰竭尿毒症患者,依据随机数字表法将其分为对照组(n=45)和观察组(n=45),对照组给予血液透析滤过(HDF)治疗,观察组给予HFHD治疗,两组均透析治疗1个月。对比两组患者透析前后症状缓解情况及尿毒症毒素、免疫球蛋白及肺功能指标水平,记录两组相关并发症的发生情况。结果:透析治疗结束后观察组患者缓解率为91.11%(41/45),高于对照组的73.33%(33/45)(P0.05)。两组患者透析后血磷(P~-)、血钾(K~+)、甲状旁腺激素(PTH)、β2-微球蛋白(β2-MG)水平明显低于透析前,血钙(Ca~(2+))水平明显高于透析前(P0.05);观察组透析后K~+、Ca~(2+)、P~-等尿毒症毒素水平与对照组比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05),观察组透析后PTH、β2-MG水平明显低于对照组(P0.05)。透析后,两组患者的免疫球蛋白Ig M、Ig A、Ig G水平均较透析前上升,且观察组高于对照组(P0.05)。透析后,两组患者残气量(RV)均低于治疗前,最大肺活量(FVC)、肺活量(VC)、肺总量(TLC)均高于治疗前,且观察组RV低于对照组,FVC、VC、TLC均高于对照组(P0.05)。观察组并发症发生率为8.89%(4/45),低于对照组的24.44%(11/45)(P0.05)。结论:HFHD治疗慢性肾衰竭尿毒症能够安全有效地清除尿毒症毒素,缓解患者的临床症状,且能够提高患者的免疫功能和肺功能。     

Inhibition of arginine synthesis by urea: A mechanism for arginine deficiency in renal failure which leads to increased hydroxyl radical generation

We have reported that (1) the synthesis of GSA, a uremic toxin, increases depending on the urea concentration and (2) GSA is formed from argininosuccinic acid (ASA) and the hydroxyl radical or SIN-1 which generates superoxide and NO simultaneously. However, an excess of NO, which also serves as a scavenger of the hydroxyl radical, inhibited GSA synthesis. We also reported that arginine, citrulline or ammonia plus ornithine, all of which increase arginine, inhibit GSA synthesis even in the presence of urea. To elucidate the mechanism for increased GSA synthesis by urea, we investigated the effect of urea on ASA and arginine, the immediate precursor of NO.Isolated rat hepatocytes were incubated in 6 ml of Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing 3% bovine serum albumin, 10 mM sodium lactate, 10 mM ammonium chloride and with or without 36 mM of urea and 0.5 or 5 mM ornithine at 37°C for 20 min. In vivo experiments, 4 ml/100 g body weight of 1.7 M urea or 1.7 M NaCl were injected intra-peritoneally into 5 male Wistar rats. Two hours after the intra-peritoneal injection of urea or 1.7 M NaCl, blood, liver and kidney were obtained by the freeze cramp method and amino acids were determined by an amino acid analyzer (JEOL:JCL-300).ASA in isolated hepatocytes was not detected with or without 36 mM (200 mgN/dl) urea, but the arginine level decreased from 36 to 33 nmol/g wet cells with urea. Ornithine which inhibits GSA synthesis, increased ASA markedly in a dose dependent manner and increased arginine. At 2 h after the urea injection the rat serum arginine level decreased by 42% (n = 5), and ornithine and citrulline levels increased significantly. Urea injection increased the ASA level in liver from 36–51 nmol/g liver but this was not statistically significant.We propose that urea inhibits arginine synthesis in hepatocytes, where the arginine level is extremely low to begin with, which decreases NO production which, in turn, increases hydroxyl radical generation from superoxide and NO. This may, also, be an explanation for the reported increase in oxygen stress in renal failure.     

An improved method for separation of low-molecular-weight polypeptides by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel

An improved system for SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, capable of analyzing polypeptides having molecular weights from 1500 to 100,000 (especially showing high resolving power in the 1500 to 25,000 molecular weight range) is described. The 10 to 18% linear gradient gel containing 7 M urea with an acrylamide:bisacrylamide ratio of 20:1 and the Laemmli discontinuous buffer was used. The use of the gel with a high crosslinkage ratio is shown to be effective in lowering the leakage of low-molecular-weight polypeptides from the gel. This method has facilitated rapid detection of small amounts of low-molecular-weight polypeptides in body fluids by the use of silver stain. A procedure is presented for the elimination of false bands on the gel frequently encountered during silver staining. The separation patterns of enzymatic cleavage products of proteins, uremic plasma, and urines from nephropathy patients are illustrated. This system is also applicable in the separation of lipopolysaccharides and also for the detection of phospholipids.     

高频彩色多普勒超声监测维持性血透内瘘功能的临床应用现状

该文综述了应用高频彩色多普勒超声在血透患者动静脉内瘘（ AVF）术前进行目标血管的选择,检查、筛选与定位,术后可用于监测动静脉内瘘（ AVF）功能、流量、流速与各种并发症,以利于提高血透患者的生活质量与生存率。     

Lipoprotein(a) accelerates atherosclerosis in uremic mice

Uremic patients have increased plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Lp(a) is a subfraction of LDL, where apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] is disulfide bound to apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB). Lp(a) binds oxidized phospholipids (OxPL), and uremia increases lipoprotein-associated OxPL. Thus, Lp(a) may be particularly atherogenic in a uremic setting. We therefore investigated whether transgenic (Tg) expression of human Lp(a) increases atherosclerosis in uremic mice. Moderate uremia was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy (NX) in Tg mice with expression of human apo(a) (n = 19), human apoB-100 (n = 20), or human apo(a) + human apoB [Lp(a)] (n = 15), and in wild-type (WT) controls (n = 21). The uremic mice received a high-fat diet, and aortic atherosclerosis was examined 35 weeks later. LDL-cholesterol was increased in apoB-Tg and Lp(a)-Tg mice, but it was normal in apo(a)-Tg and WT mice. Uremia did not result in increased plasma apo(a) or Lp(a). Mean atherosclerotic plaque area in the aortic root was increased 1.8-fold in apo(a)-Tg (P = 0.025) and 3.3-fold (P = 0.0001) in Lp(a)-Tg mice compared with WT mice. Plasma OxPL, as detected with the E06 antibody, was associated with both apo(a) and Lp(a). In conclusion, expression of apo(a) or Lp(a) increased uremia-induced atherosclerosis. Binding of OxPL on apo(a) and Lp(a) may contribute to the atherogenicity of Lp(a) in uremia.     

Retracted: DLX5 gene regulates the Notch signaling pathway to promote glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis in uremic rats

Uremia largely results from the accumulation of organic waste products normally cleared by the kidneys, which commonly accompanies kidney failure and chronic kidney disease. However, genetic investigations in a uremia remain largely unclear. This study aimed to determine the expression patterns of distal-less homeobox 5 (DLX5) in uremia rat model and further to study its effects on glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis. Uremic expression chip was applied to screen differentially expressed genes in uremia. Next, we used small interfering RNA-mediated RNA interference to specifically silence DLX5 in experimental uremic rats to understand the regulatory mechanism of DLX5. To understand effect of Notch1 signaling pathway in uremia, we also treated experimental uremic rats with γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI), an inhibitor of Notch1 signaling pathway. The expression of fibronectin (FN), laminin (LN), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Hes1, Hes5, and Jagged2 was determined. The semiquantitative assessment was applied to verify the effects of DLX5 on glomerulosclerosis. In the uremic expression chip, we found that DLX5 was upregulated in uremia samples, and considered to regulate the Notch signaling pathway. We found that small interfering RNA-mediated DLX5 inhibition or Notch1 signaling pathway inhibitory treatment relieved and delayed the kidney injury and glomerulosclerosis in uremia. Meanwhile, inhibition of DLX5 or Nothch1 signaling pathway reduced expression of FN, LN, Nothch1, TGF-β1, Hes1, Hes5, and Jagged2. Intriguingly, we discovered that Notch1 signaling pathway was inhibited after silencing DLX5. In conclusion, these findings highlight that DLX5 regulates Notch signaling, which may, in turn, promote complications of uremia such as kidney fibrosis, providing a novel therapeutic target for treating uremia.     

WISP1 silencing confers protection against epithelial–mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells in rats via inactivation of the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in uremia

Uremia can affect hepatic metabolism of drugs by regulating the clearance of drugs, but it has not been clarified whether gene silencing could modulate the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in uremia. Hence, we investigated the effect of WISP1 gene silencing on the renal tubular EMT in uremia through the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Initially, microarray-based gene expression profiling of uremia was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Following the establishment of uremia rat model, serum creatinine, and urea nitrogen of rats were detected. Renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) were transfected with shRNA-WISP1 lentivirus interference vectors and LiCI (the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activator) to explore the regulatory mechanism of WISP1 in uremia in relation to the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Then, expression of WISP1, wnt2b, E-cadherin, α-SMA, c-myc, Cyclin D1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 was determined. Furthermore, TEC migration and invasion were evaluated. Results suggested that WISP1 and the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were associated with uremia. Uremic rats exhibited increased serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, upregulated WISPl, and activated wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Subsequently, WISP1 silencing decreased wnt2b, c-myc, Cyclin D1, α-SMA, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression but increased E-cadherin expression, whereas LiCI treatment exhibited the opposite trends. In addition, WISP1 silencing suppressed TEC migration and invasion, whereas LiCI treatment promoted TEC migration and invasion. The findings indicate that WISP1 gene silencing suppresses the activation of the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thus reducing EMT of renal TECs in uremic rats.     

涤毒灌肠方对慢性肾衰竭患者肠源性尿毒症毒素的影响分析

目的:探讨涤毒灌肠方对慢性肾衰竭患者肠源性尿毒症毒素的影响。方法:选择2014年2月到2017年6月在我院肾病科门诊及住院诊治的慢性肾衰竭患者92例,按患者意愿分为研究组与对照组各46例。对照组给予常规治疗措施,研究组在对照组治疗的基础上给予涤毒灌肠方治疗,两组都治疗3个月。记录两组疗效、治疗前后肾功能的变化与肠源性尿毒症毒素的释放情况。结果:治疗后,研究组与对照组的总有效率分别为93.5%和78.3%,研究组显著高于对照组(P0.05)。两组治疗后的血肌酐与尿素氮水平都显著低于治疗前(P0.05),且研究组显著低于对照组(P0.05)。研究组治疗后的大肠杆菌、肠球菌值均显著低于对照组(P0.05),双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌值均显著高于对照组(P0.05)。研究组与对照组治疗后的内毒素含量为0.026±0.004 EU/mL和0.030±0.006 EU/mL,研究组显著低于治疗前的,且显著低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:涤毒灌肠方用于慢性肾衰竭患者中的辅助治疗能抑制肠源性尿毒症毒素的释放,改善肠道菌群及肾功能,提高治疗效果。