Characterization of glomerular basement membrane components within pediatric glomerular diseases.

Background: Disruptions in gene expression associated with the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) could precipitate glomerular dysfunction. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the characterization of GBM components within pediatric glomerular diseases and their potential association with glomerular function necessitates further systematic investigation. Methods: We conducted a systematic analysis focusing on the pathological transformations and molecular attributes of key constituents within the GBM, specifically Collagen IV α3α4α5, Laminin α5ß2γ1, and Integrin α3ß1, across prevalent pediatric glomerular diseases. Results: We observed upregulation of linear expression levels of COL4A3/4/5 and Laminin 5α proteins, along with a partial reduction in the linear structural expression of Podocin in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), encompassing minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), but showing a reduction in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) and lupus nephritis (LN). Furthermore, our study revealed reductions in Laminin ß2γ1 and Integrin α3ß1 in both primary and secondary childhood glomerular diseases. Conclusion: In INS, notably MCD and FSGS, there is a notable increase in the linear expression levels of COL4A3/4/5 and Laminin 5α proteins. In contrast, in IgAN, IgAVN, and LN, there is a consistent reduction in the expression of these markers. Furthermore, the persistent reduction of Laminin ß2γ1 and Integrin α3ß1 in both primary and secondary childhood glomerular diseases suggests a shared characteristic of structural alterations within the GBM across these conditions.

Klotho inhibits renal ox-LDL deposition via IGF-1R/RAC1/OLR1 signaling to ameliorate podocyte injury in diabetic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is characterized by the abnormal deposition of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), which contributes to podocyte damage. Klotho, an aging suppressor that plays a critical role in protecting podocytes in DKD, is mainly expressed in kidney tubular epithelium and secreted in the blood. However, it has not been established whether Klotho can alleviate podocyte injury by inhibiting renal ox-LDL deposition, and the potential molecular mechanisms require further investigation. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of serum and kidney biopsy samples obtained from patients diagnosed with DKD. Additionally, to explore the underlying mechanism of Klotho in the deposition of ox-LDL in the kidneys, we employed a mouse model of DKD with the Klotho genotype induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Furthermore, we conducted meticulous in vitro experiments on podocytes to gain further insights into the specific role of Klotho in the deposition of ox-LDL within the kidney. RESULTS: Our groundbreaking study unveiled the remarkable ability of the soluble form of Klotho to effectively inhibit high glucose-induced ox-LDL deposition in podocytes affected by DKD. Subsequent investigations elucidated that Klotho achieved this inhibition by reducing the expression of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), consequently leading to a decrease in the expression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (RAC1) and an enhancement of mitochondrial function. Ultimately, this series of events culminated in a significant reduction in the expression of the oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (OLR1), thereby resulting in a notable decrease in renal ox-LDL deposition in DKD. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that Klotho had the potential to mitigate podocyte injury and reduced high glucose-induced ox-LDL deposition in glomerulus by modulating the IGF-1R/RAC1/OLR1 signaling. These results provided valuable insights that could inform the development of novel strategies for diagnosing and treating DKD.

The UDPase ENTPD5 regulates ER stress-associated renal injury by mediating protein N-glycosylation.

Impaired protein N-glycosylation leads to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which triggers adaptive survival or maladaptive apoptosis in renal tubules in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Therapeutic strategies targeting ER stress are promising for the treatment of DKD. Here, we report a previously unappreciated role played by ENTPD5 in alleviating renal injury by mediating ER stress. We found that ENTPD5 was highly expressed in normal renal tubules; however, ENTPD5 was dynamically expressed in the kidney and closely related to pathological DKD progression in both human patients and mouse models. Overexpression of ENTPD5 relieved ER stress in renal tubular cells, leading to compensatory cell proliferation that resulted in hypertrophy, while ENTPD5 knockdown aggravated ER stress to induce cell apoptosis, leading to renal tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Mechanistically, ENTPD5-regulated N-glycosylation of proteins in the ER to promote cell proliferation in the early stage of DKD, and continuous hyperglycemia activated the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) to increase the level of UDP-GlcNAc, which driving a feedback mechanism that inhibited transcription factor SP1 activity to downregulate ENTPD5 expression in the late stage of DKD. This study was the first to demonstrate that ENTPD5 regulated renal tubule cell numbers through adaptive proliferation or apoptosis in the kidney by modulating the protein N-glycosylation rate in the ER, suggesting that ENTPD5 drives cell fate in response to metabolic stress and is a potential therapeutic target for renal diseases.

T1AM Attenuates the Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Necroptosis of H9C2 Cardiomyocytes via RIPK1/RIPK3 Pathway.

Purpose: To investigate the detailed mechanism of 3-iodothyronamine (T1AM) in cell apoptosis and programmed necrosis of hypoxia/reoxygenation- (H/R-) induced H9C2 injury. Materials and Methods: Cardiomyocyte H9C2 cells were cultured in vitro for the establishment of cardiomyocyte H/R models. Cells were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, H/R group, T1AM pretreatment group, T1AM pretreatment and H/R (6 µm T1AM+H/R) group. The degree of myocardial injury was determined by the detection of the cardiomyocyte inhibition rate by CCK8 and the detection of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Cell apoptosis was assessed through TUNEL assay and flow cytometry analysis. The protein level and mRNA level of RIPK1, RIPK3, and CAMKII were detected by western blotting and qRT-PCR. Results: Compared with the control group, the cell inhibition rate was dramatically elevated in the H/R group. LDH release of cardiomyocytes was significantly increased. Protein and mRNA expressions of RIPK1, RIPK3, and CAMKII were significantly enhanced. Compared with the H/R group, the cell inhibition rate, LDH release, cardiomyocyte necroptosis rate, and protein and mRNA levels of RIPK1, RIPK3, and CAMKII of the T1AM+H/R group were significantly decreased. Conclusion: Pretreatment with T1AM could alleviate cardiomyocytes' H/R injury and inhibit necroptosis of cardiomyocytes, which might exert a protective function upon activation of the RIPK1/RIPK3 pathway.

Serum exosomal microRNAs as predictive markers for EGFR mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Current therapeutic drugs show positive effects on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, whereas a lesser beneficial effect is generally noted on NSCLC patients with wild-type EGFR. Therefore, identification of new detection methods for the accurate clinical diagnosis of NSCLC is essential. METHODS: In this study, tumor-derived exosomes from the plasma of EGFR mutation and wild-type NSCLC patients were isolated. Extensive exosomal miRNA profiling of EGFR mutation and wild-type NSCLC patients, in comparison with healthy individuals, was performed using miRNA-sequencing analysis. RESULTS: The variation of exosomal miRNA expression between control group (NR) and NCSLC samples (AM and AW) was identified. 96 significantly different expressed miRNAs were identified. Of these, 39 miRNAs were upregulated and 57 were downregulated. 11 miRNAs were downregulated, and 31 miRNAs were upregulated in the miRNA expression between NR and AM. Compared with healthy donors, 54 upregulated miRNAs and 36 downregulated miRNAs were observed in samples from AW patients. 40 different expressed miRNAs were identified in AM samples, compared with AW. Ten of upregulated miRNAs are miR-260, miR-1169, miR-117, miR-15b-5p, miRNA-731, miR-342-5p, miR- 898, miR-1384, miR-56, and miR-1214. Ten of downregulated miRNAs are miR-99b-5p, miR-1116, miR-689, miR-818, miR-604, miR-72, miR-955, miR-403, miR-1228, and miR-836. CONCLUSION: The exosomal miR-1169 and miR-260 as potential candidates, which contain specific characteristics that can distinguish between wild-type EGFR and mutant EGFR NSCLC patients in early-stage cancers.

Ganoderic acid DM induces autophagic apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR activity.

The incidence and mortality of lung cancer are the highest among cancer-related deaths. However, the long-term use of currently available cytotoxic drugs can increase genetic alterations in cancer cells and cause drug-resistance, which significantly limits their usage. Since current systemic treatment options are limited, effective chemotherapeutic agents are urgently needed for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that ganoderic acid DM (GA-DM) could increase apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H460 NSCLC cells. GA-DM treatment decreased the protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and increased the expression levels of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PRAP. Furthermore, GA-DM could promote autophagic flux, and the cytotoxic effect against cancer cells of GA-DM was significantly inhibited by targeted suppression of autophagy, suggesting that autophagy contributed to GA-DM-induced cell death in NSCLC. Moreover, GA-DM clearly induced autophagy by inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. When overexpression of Akt reactivated Akt/mTOR pathway in A549 or NCI-H460 cells, the increase of autophagy related marker LC3B-II and apoptosis related protein cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase 3 and the ration of apoptotic cells by GA-DM was reversed, suggesting that GA-DM promoted autophagy and apoptosis by inhibiting Akt/mTOR pathway-mediated autophagy induction. In conclusion, our study indicated that GA-DM can induce autophagic apoptosis in NSCLC by inhibiting Akt/mTOR activity. (209 words).

Relationship of SOCS3 and TGF-ß with IDO expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua.

We aimed to investigate the expression of suppressors cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygense (IDO) and to analyse the relationship of SOCS3 and TGF-ß with IDO expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua in the maternal-fetal interface. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical method were used to detect the expression of TGF-ß, SOCS3 and IDO in chorionic villi and decidua tissues of normal pregnant women. SOCS3, TGF-ß and IDO protein was identified in chorionic villi and decidua tissues of normal pregnant women and there was a negative correlation between the expression of IDO and SOCS3, but TGF-ß expression was positively correlated with IDO expression. The levels of IDO expression in the decidua from normal pregnancies were significantly higher than those in chorionic villi, while the expression of SOCS3 was no significant difference between decidua and chorionic villi. In normal physiological state of pregnancy, SOCS3 and TGF-ß may be involved in the regulation of immune tolerance by positive or negative regulation of IDO expression at maternal fetal interface.