Exosomal miR-7002-5p derived from highglucose-induced macrophages suppresses autophagy in tubular epithelial cells by targeting Atg9b.

Macrophage infiltration plays an important role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Previously, we demonstrated that highglucose-stimulated macrophage-derived exosomes (HG-exo) induces proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation in glomerular mesangial cells, but its effect on tubular cells is unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of HG-exo on renal tubular injury in DN. The results show that HG-exo could induce dysfunction, autophagy inhibition, and inflammation in mouse tubular epithelial cell (mTEC) and C57 mouse kidney. Moreover, miR-7002-5p was differentially expressed in HG-exo based on miRNAs sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. A dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that Atg9b was the direct target gene of miR-7002-5p. Further experimentation showed that miR-7002-5p inhibition in vivo and vitro reserves HG-exo effects. These results demonstrated that HG-exo carries excessive miR-7002-5p and inhibits autophagy through targeting Atg9b; this process then induces renal tubular dysfunction and inflammation. In conclusion, our study clarifies the important role of macrophage-derived exosomes in DN and is expected to provide new insight on DN prevention and treatment.

Wogonin protects glomerular podocytes by targeting Bcl-2-mediated autophagy and apoptosis in diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus and a major cause of end-stage renal disease with limited treatment options. Wogonin is a flavonoid derived from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has shown a potent renoprotective effect. But the mechanisms of action in DKD are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of wogonin on glomerular podocytes in DKD using mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) cells and diabetic mice model. MPC5 cells were treated with high glucose (30 mM). We showed that wogonin (4, 8, 16 µM) dose-dependently alleviated high glucose (HG)-induced MPC5 cell damage, accompanied by increased expression of WT-1, nephrin, and podocin proteins, and decreased expression of TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-1ß as well as phosphorylated p65. Furthermore, wogonin treatment significantly inhibited HG-induced apoptosis in MPC5 cells. Wogonin reversed HG-suppressed autophagy in MPC5 cells, evidenced by increased ATG7, LC3-II, and Beclin-1 protein, and decreased p62 protein. We demonstrated that wogonin directly bound to Bcl-2 in MPC5 cells. In HG-treated MPC5 cells, knockdown of Bcl-2 abolished the beneficial effects of wogonin, whereas overexpression of Bcl-2 mimicked the protective effects of wogonin. Interestingly, we found that the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased in biopsy renal tissue of diabetic nephropathy patients. In vivo experiments were conducted in STZ-induced diabetic mice, which were administered wogonin (10, 20, 40 mg · kg-1 · d-1, i.g.) every other day for 12 weeks. We showed that wogonin administration significantly alleviated albuminuria, histopathological lesions, and p65 NF-κB-mediated renal inflammatory response. Wogonin administration dose-dependently inhibited podocyte apoptosis and promoted podocyte autophagy in STZ-induced diabetic mice. This study for the first time demonstrates a novel action of wogonin in mitigating glomerulopathy and podocytes injury by regulating Bcl-2-mediated crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis. Wogonin may be a potential therapeutic drug against DKD.

A nomogram predicts cardiovascular events in patients with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the risk factors for cardiovascular events within 5 years in patients with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis and establish a nomogram for clinical prediction. METHODS: A prediction model was established by conducting an observational study in 150 patients with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis obtained from the Information Database of AnHui Medical University Affiliated Hospital. The nomogram was constructed using the multivariate COX regression model. The C-index and the calibration plot were used to assess the discrimination and calibration of the prediction model. RESULTS: The elderly [HR = 2.453 (1.071-5.619)], history of cardiovascular events [HR = 2.296 (1.220-4.321)], alkaline phosphatase [HR = 1.004 (1.002-1.005)] and culture-positive [HR= 2.173 (1.009-4.682)] were identified as risk predictors of cardiovascular events, while serum albumin [HR = 0.396(0.170-0.924)] was identified as protective predictors of cardiovascular events. Combined with clinical studies, we constructed a nomogram based on the minimum value of the Akaike Information Criterion or Bayesian Information Criterion. The C index of the nomogram is 0.732, revealing great discrimination and appropriate calibration. Through the total score of the nomogram and the result of ROC, we classify patients into high-risk groups (cardiovascular events group) and low-risk groups (no cardiovascular events group). Cardiovascular events were significantly different for patients in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group (HR = 3.862(2.202-6.772; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The current novel nomogram can accurately predict cardiovascular events in patients with peritonitis associated with peritoneal dialysis. However, external validation is required before the model can be used in clinic settings.

Correlation between serum carnosinase concentration and renal damage in diabetic nephropathy patients.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major complications of diabetes and contributes significantly towards end-stage renal disease. Previous studies have identified the gene encoding carnosinase (CN-1) as a predisposing factor for DN. Despite this fact, the relationship of the level of serum CN-1 and the progression of DN remains uninvestigated. Thus, the proposed study focused on clarifying the relationship among serum CN-1, indicators of renal function and tissue injury, and the progression of DN. A total of 14 patients with minimal changes disease (MCD) and 37 patients with DN were enrolled in the study. Additionally, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as control. Further, DN patients were classified according to urinary albumin excretion rate into two groups: DN with microalbuminuria (n = 11) and DN with macroalbuminuria (n = 26). Clinical indicators including urinary protein components, serum carnosine concentration, serum CN-1 concentration and activity, and renal biopsy tissue injury indexes were included for analyzation. The serum CN-1 concentration and activity were observed to be the highest, but the serum carnosine concentration was the lowest in DN macroalbuminuria group. Moreover, within DN group, the concentration of serum CN-1 was positively correlated with uric acid (UA, r = 0.376, p = 0.026) and serum creatinine (SCr, r = 0.399, p = 0.018) and negatively correlated with serum albumin (Alb, r = - 0.348, p = 0.041) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGRF, r = - 0.432, p = 0.010). Furthermore, the concentration of serum CN-1 was discovered to be positively correlated with indicators including 24-h urinary protein-creatinine ratio (24 h-U-PRO/CRE, r = 0.528, p = 0.001), urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (Alb/CRE, r = 0.671, p = 0.000), urinary transferrin (TRF, r = 0.658, p = 0.000), retinol-binding protein (RBP, r = 0.523, p = 0.001), N-acetyl-glycosaminidase (NAG, r = 0.381, p = 0.024), immunoglobulin G (IgG, r = 0.522, p = 0.001), cystatin C (Cys-C, r = 0.539, p = 0.001), beta-2-microglobulin (ß2-MG, r = 0.437, p = 0.009), and alpha-1-macroglobulin (α1-MG, r = 0.480, p = 0.004). Besides, in DN with macroalbuminuria group, serum CN-1 also showed a positive correlation with indicators of fibrosis, oxidative stress, and renal tubular injury. Taken together, our data suggested that the level of CN-1 was increased as clinical DN progressed. Thus, the level of serum CN-1 might be an important character during the occurrence and progression of DN. Our study will contribute significantly to future studies focused on dissecting the underlying mechanism of DN.

The Application Analysis of Multiplex Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays for Detection of Pathogenic Bacterium in Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To estimate the clinical value of bacterial detection in peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This study was undertaken to evaluate multiplex RT-PCR for identifying clinically significant bacteria in PDAP. METHODS: Seventy peritoneal dialysate specimens were collected and traditional bacterial culture and universal primer RT-PCR detection of the bacterial were used. RESULTS: The positive rate of traditional culture method was 65.71% (46/70) and that of universal primer RT-PCR was 81.42% (57/70). For 6 clinical commonly pathogenic bacteria, multiplex, and monoplex RT-PCR all detected 38 positive ones within the 57 specimens that were detected positive by universal primer RT-PCR. The results of the 2 methods were completely identical. Detecting bacteria by universal primer PCR and Monoplex RT-PCR needs 4-5 and 6-9 h, respectively, while multiplex RT-PCR needs less than 3 h. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that the multiplex RT-PCR can detect several kinds of bacteria simultaneously and it is also more practical and convenient than monoplex RT-PCR.

Associations between Apolipoprotein E Gene Polymorphisms and Cardiovascular Complications of Uremic Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

This study is to investigate the associations between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphisms and cardiovascular complications of uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Uremic patients on MHD (189, case group) and healthy people (165, control group) were recruited. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to test ApoE gene polymorphisms. Indicators of MHD and cardiovascular complications were observed. Compared with the control group, the case group had decreased frequency of ε3/3 genotype and ε3 allele and increased ε4/3 genotype and ε4 allele. The ε4 group had elevated adiponectin, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and total cholesterol but decreased HDL-C compared with other groups. The ε3 group had reduced complications. ApoE ε3 and ε4 alleles were related with cardiovascular complications of the uremic patients on MHD. We concluded that ApoE gene polymorphisms were associated with susceptibility to infections in uremia, and that ApoE ε3 and ε4 alleles might correlate with cardiovascular complications of uremic patients on MHD.

Associations of pulmonary function with serum biomarkers and dialysis adequacy in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: As lung impairment is an indicator of increased morbidity and mortality in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), the risk factors associated with impaired lung function are of great significance. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of inflammatory biomarkers and dialysis adequacy on pulmonary function, in CAPD patients. METHODS: 101 patients undergoing CAPD, 30 CKD5 patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled. Spirometry and serum biomarkers were evaluated in each subject. Pulmonary function was compared among patients and control groups. Pearson analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum biomarkers, dialysis adequacy and pulmonary function. RESULTS: Lower vital capacity, maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (MMEF), and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were observed in the CAPD group (all P < 0.05) when compared with control subjects. DLCO % was negatively correlated with CRP (r = -0.349, P = 0.007) and positively correlated with albumin (r = 0.401, P = 0.002). Total Kt/V was associated positively with MMEF % (r = 0.316, P = 0.019), and MVV % (r = 0.362, P = 0.007). nPNA was positively correlated with FVC % (r = 0.295, P = 0.049) and MMEF % (r = 0.381, P = 0.010). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that lung function decline was directly related to higher CRP level, hypoalbuminemia, and dialysis inadequacy. These findings provide the evidence that inflammation and dialysis adequacy play a role in predicting outcomes of CAPD patients with pulmonary impairment.

Paeoniflorin protects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury through targeting Hsp90AA1-Akt protein-protein interaction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paeonia lactiflora Pall has been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, especially having anti-inflammatory, sedative, analgesic and other ethnic pharmacological effects. Moreover, Paeoniflorin is the main active ingredient of the Paeonia lactiflora Pall, and most are used in the treatment of inflammation-related autoimmune diseases. In recent years, studies have found that Paeoniflorin has a therapeutic effect on a variety of kidney diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: Cisplatin (CIS) is limited in clinical use due to its serious side effects, such as renal toxicity, and there is no effective method for prevention. Paeoniflorin (Pae) is a natural polyphenol which has a protective effect against many kidney diseases. Therefore, our study is to explore the effect of Pae on CIS-induced AKI and the specific mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, CIS induced acute renal injury model was constructed in vivo and in vitro, and Pae was continuously injected intraperitoneally three days in advance, and then Cr, BUN and renal tissue PAS staining were detected to comprehensively evaluate the protective effect of Pae on CIS-induced AKI. We then combined Network Pharmacology with RNA-seq to investigate potential targets and signaling pathways. Finally, affinity between Pae and core targets was detected by molecular docking, CESTA and SPR, and related indicators were detected in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: In this study, we first found that Pae significantly alleviated CIS-AKI in vivo and in vitro. Through network pharmacological analysis, molecular docking, CESTA and SPR experiments, we found that the target of Pae was Heat Shock Protein 90 Alpha Family Class A Member 1 (Hsp90AA1) which performs a crucial function in the stability of many client proteins including Akt. RNA-seq found that the KEGG enriched pathway was PI3K-Akt pathway with the most associated with the protective effect of Pae which is consistent with Network Pharmacology. GO analysis showed that the main biological processes of Pae against CIS-AKI include cellular regulation of inflammation and apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation further showed that pretreatment with Pae promoted the Hsp90AA1-Akt protein-protein Interactions (PPIs). Thereby, Pae accelerates the Hsp90AA1-Akt complex formation and leads to a significant activate in Akt, which in turn reduces apoptosis and inflammation. In addition, when Hsp90AA1 was knocked down, the protective effect of Pae did not continue. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study suggests that Pae attenuates cell apoptosis and inflammation in CIS-AKI by promoting Hsp90AA1-Akt PPIs. These data provide a scientific basis for the clinical search for drugs to prevent CIS-AKI.

Paeoniflorin directly binds to TNFR1 to regulate podocyte necroptosis in diabetic kidney disease.

Necroptosis was elevated in both tubulointerstitial and glomerular renal tissue in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and was most pronounced on glomerulus in the stage with macroalbuminuria. This study further explored whether paeoniflorin (PF) could affect podocyte necroptosis to protect kidney injure in vivo and in vitro. Our study firstly verified that there are obvious necroptosis-related changes in the glomeruli of DKD through bioinformatics analysis combined with clinicopathological data. STZ-induced mouse diabetes model and high-glucose induced podocyte injury model were used to evaluate the renoprotection, podocyte injury protection and necroptosis regulation of PF in DKD. Subsequently, the target protein-TNFR1 that PF acted on podocytes was found by computer target prediction, and then molecular docking and Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments were performed to verify that PF had the ability to directly bind to TNFR1 protein. Finally, knockdown of TNFR1 on podocytes in vitro verified that PF mainly regulated the programmed necrosis of podocytes induced by high glucose through TNFR1. In conclusion, PF can directly bind and promote the degradation of TNFR1 in podocytes and then regulate the RIPK1/RIPK3 signaling pathway to affect necroptosis, thus preventing podocyte injury in DKD. Thus, TNFR1 may be used as a new potential target to treat DKD.

Complement-mediated M2/M1 macrophage polarization may be involved in crescent formation in lupus nephritis.

The function of the complement and macrophage crosstalk during the formation of crescents in lupus nephritis has not yet been reported. This study therefore aimed to explore the association of crescents, complements, and M2 macrophages with clinical features in lupus nephritis. We assessed a Chinese cohort comprising 301 patients with lupus nephritis. Renal biopsy specimens were collected from 64 patients with proliferative lupus nephritis (class III/III + V or IV/IV + V). The renal deposition of cluster of differentiation (CD) 68, inducible nitric oxide synthase, CD163, and C3a receptor (C3aR) was evaluated by immunostaining. The associations among crescents, complements, and M2 macrophages were also analyzed. Next, the underlying mechanism was investigated in vitro using C3a-treated macrophages. We found that M2-phenotype macrophages (CD163+) were the dominant subpopulation in human lupus nephritis. Additionally, a significant association was observed among the CD163+ macrophages, crescents, and complement activation. C3aR co-localized with CD163 and correlated with crescents and could induce polarization of macrophages to an M2 phenotype. Overall, these results suggest that complement-mediated M2/M1 macrophage polarization may contribute to the formation of crescents in lupus nephritis.

Wogonin Alleviates Kidney Tubular Epithelial Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Signaling Pathways.

INTRODUCTION: Kidney tubular epithelial injury is one of the key factors in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Wogonin is a kind of flavonoid, which has many pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-fibrosis. However, the effect of wogonin in renal tubular epithelial cells during DN is still unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: STZ-induced diabetic mice were given doses of wogonin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) by intragastric administration for 16 weeks. The metabolic indexes from blood and urine and pathological damage of renal tubules in mice were evaluated. Human tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) were cultured in high glucose (HG) condition containing wogonin (2µM, 4µM, 8µM) for 24 h. Tubular epithelial cell inflammation and autophagic dysfunction both in vivo and in vitro were assessed by Western blot, qRT-PCR, IHC, and IF analyses. RESULTS: The treatment of wogonin attenuated urinary albumin and histopathological damage in tubulointerstitium of diabetic mice. We also found that wogonin down-regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and autophagic dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. Molecular docking and Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) results revealed that mechanistically phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) was the target of wogonin. We then found that inhibiting PI3K eliminated the protective effect of wogonin. Wogonin regulated autophagy and inflammation via targeting PI3K, the important connection point of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to demonstrate the novel role of wogonin in mitigating tubulointerstitial fibrosis and renal tubular cell injury via regulating PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway-mediated autophagy and inflammation. Wogonin might be a latent remedial drug against tubular epithelial injury in DN by targeting PI3K.

Paeoniflorin Ameliorates Macrophage Infiltration and Activation by Inhibiting the TLR4 Signaling Pathway in Diabetic Nephropathy.

Paeoniflorin (PF) is the primary component of total glucosides of paeony (TGP). It exerts multiple effects, including immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Our previous study has found that PF has a remarkable renal-protective effect in diabetic mice, but exact mechanism has not been clarified. This study mainly explores whether PF affects macrophage infiltration and activation in diabetic kidney through TLR4 pathway. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of PF on a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced experimental DN model. The results suggested that the onset and clinical symptoms of DN in mice were remarkably ameliorated after the administration of PF. Moreover, the number of infiltrating macrophages in the mouse kidneys was also markedly decreased. Instead of inhibiting the activation of macrophages directly, PF could influence macrophages by suppressing iNOS expression as well as the production of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and MCP-1 both in vivo and in vitro. These effects might be attributable to the inhibition of the TLR4 signaling pathway. The percentage of M1-phenotype cells as well as the mRNA levels of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and MCP-1 were downregulated when PF-treated polarized macrophages were cultured under conditions of high glucose (HG) levels. In addition, the expression of TLR4, along with that of downstream signaling molecule proteins, was also reduced. Our study has provided new insights into the potential of PF as a promising therapeutic agent for treating DN and has illustrated the underlying mechanism of PF from a new perspective.

Physicochemical characteristics and functionality of tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) seed protein.

The physicochemical and functional properties of tree peony seed protein were investigated. Tree peony seed protein with a favourable amino acid profile was composed of a 60kDa protein with two subunits of 38 and 23kDa. The isoelectric points of the two subunits were 3.6 and 9.0. Moreover, acid-Schiff staining indicated both of them were glycoproteins. Diagonal and 2-D electrophoresis data indicated the 38kDa subunit included three types, which two types had inter-disulphide bonds and one type had no-disulphide bonds. So did the 23kDa subunit. Circular dichroism spectra indicated the tree peony seed protein had predominantly a ß-sheet structure. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated the denaturation temperatures of the tree peony seed protein at pH 5.0, 7.0 and 9.0 were 92.0, 97.1 and 95.2°C, respectively. Tree peony seed protein could be a food ingredient in the food industry due to its desirable physicochemical and functional properties.

Paeoniflorin attenuates incipient diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced mice by the suppression of the Toll-like receptor-2 signaling pathway.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may be involved in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Paeoniflorin (PF) is an effective Chinese traditional medicine with anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects that may inhibit the TLR2 signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated the effects of PF on the kidneys of mice with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus using TLR2 knockout mice (TLR2-/-) and wild-type littermates (C57BL/6J-WT). After 12 weeks of intraperitoneal injection of PF at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg once a day, diabetic mice had significantly reduced albuminuria and attenuated renal histopathology. These changes were associated with substantially alleviated macrophage infiltration and decreased expression of TLR2 signaling pathway biomarkers. These data support a role of TLR2 in promoting inflammation and indicate that the effect of PF is associated with the inhibition of the TLR2 pathway in the kidneys of diabetic mice. PF thus shows therapeutic potential for the prevention and treatment of DN.

Prevention of early renal injury by mycophenolate mofetil and its mechanism in experimental diabetes.

Previously it was shown that treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) attenuated renal inflammation and glomerular injury in a model of diabetes. However, the mechanism involved in the renoprotective effects of MMF in experimental diabetes has not been clearly delineated. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) after uninephrectomy. Diabetic animals received no treatment or treatment with MMF (10 mg/kg once daily by gastric gavage) for 8 weeks, non-diabetic rats served as controls. Level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal tissue and urine as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes (AOE) in renal tissue was determined. Renal injury was evaluated. Immunohistochemistry for ED-1 macrophages marker, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was performed. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 protein was determined by Western blotting analysis. Treatment with MMF had no effect on blood glucose level, but did prevent increased urinary albumin excretion and glomerular damage in diabetic rats. Oxidative stress was reduced by MMF treatment, as indicated by a reduction in MDA level in renal tissue and urine. Activity of AOE such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) was markedly elevated while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were not changed by MMF treatment. In diabetic animals receiving no treatment, there were increases in ED-1-positive cells, ICAM-1 expression and MCP-1 expression in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium, which were effectively suppressed by MMF treatment. Western blotting analysis showed that the expression of TGF-beta1 protein was increased by 1.92-fold in renal tissue in diabetic rats, and MMF treatment significantly reduced the increased expression of TGF-beta1 protein by 45%. Our data suggest that MMF treatment ameliorates early renal injury via the inhibition of oxidative stress and overexpression of ICAM-1, MCP-1 and TGF-beta1 in renal tissue in diabetic rats.

Renoprotective effect of breviscapine through suppression of renal macrophage recruitment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Experimental and clinical evidence has consistently demonstrated that renal macrophage infiltration is one of the most important events for the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Breviscapine is a flavonoid extracted from the Chinese herb Erigeron breviscapus. Previously, it was shown that treatment with breviscapine attenuated renal injury in the diabetic rats. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the renoprotective effect of breviscapine is through suppression of renal macrophage recruitment in diabetic rats. METHODS: Diabetes was induced bystreptozotocin injection, and breviscapine was administered orally at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. Control rats received vehicle or breviscapine with the same schedule. RESULTS: Breviscapine treatment markedly inhibited both an increase of albuminuria and glomeruli hypertrophy and tubulointerstitial injury without modifying mean arterial blood pressure and creatinine clearance. Levels of malondialdehyde and protein kinase C activities were markedly higher and antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase, catalase as well as glutathione peroxidase were significantly lower in the kidneys of diabetic rats than of the control group, breviscapine administration markedly remitted these changes. ED-1-positive cells and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium were all markedly elevated but were significantly reduced by breviscapine. Western blot analysis noted that the expression of transforming growth factor beta1 protein was increased 1.8-fold in the kidney in diabetic rats, breviscapine treatment could reduce increased expression of TGF-beta1 protein by 47%. CONCLUSION: This study describes a novel mechanism by which breviscapine confers a renoprotective effect.

Paeoniflorin inhibits high glucose-induced macrophage activation through TLR2-dependent signal pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paeoniflorin(PF), extracted from the root peeled of Paeonia lactiflora Pall(Family: Ranunculaceae), has therapeutic potential in many animal models of inflammatory diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: Although the anti-inflammatory efficacy of PF has been well illustrated in several animal models, whether it could attenuate diabetic nephropathy and detailed mechanisms are still obscure. Till now, accumulating evidence has proposed the pivotal role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in renal inflammation in diabetic patients. In this setting, the current study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanism of PF on high glucose-induced activation of toll like-receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling in macrophages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) were isolated from male Tlr2tm1kir (TLR2-/-) mice and wild-type littermates (C57BL/6JWT). The level of TLR2 and activation of downstream signaling were evaluated in response to 30mmol/L high glucose (HG)-containing medium. Macrophages behaviors, which include cell viability, migration and inflammatory cytokines production, were also determined. RESULTS: PF suppressed HG-induced production of TLR2, activation of downstream signaling and synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). PF could further inhibit MyD88-dependent pathway in HG-induced models in which TLR2 was knocked out. Moreover, deletion of TLR2 inhibited the HG-induced activation of MyD88-dependent pathway, but not TIR domain containing adapter inducing interferon-ß (Trif) signal pathway in BMDMs. As HG stimulation polarizes macrophages into M1 phenotype, treatment of PF or knockout of TLR2 significantly reduces M1 markers on the membrane of macrophages. Additionally, levels of inflammatory cytokines and iNOS were remarkably reduced in response to PF or TLR2 deficiency. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data demonstrated that HG activated macrophages primarily through TLR2-dependent mechanisms which aggravated the severity of renal inflammation and eventually contributed to DN. Additionally, PF might be applied as a potential therapeutic agent in the battle against progressive DN.

Novel isoelectric precipitation of proteins in a pressurized carbon dioxide-water-ethanol system.

A novel isoelectric precipitation of proteins in a pressurized carbon dioxide-water-ethanol system was developed where carbon dioxide was used as a volatile acid. The pH-pressure curves of the system with the absence and presence of proteins were investigated. By introducing the pressurized carbon dioxide to a solution containing protein, the pH value in the solution was decreased to the isoelectric region of the model protein BSA. Addition of ethanol could lower the buffer capacity of the protein, which made the precipitation concentration of protein go beyond the limits in a system without ethanol and well exploited the application field of the technique. In addition, ethanol in solution played the role of aiding precipitation in the process. Another model protein, hen egg white lysozyme, was also studied but could not be precipitated in the above system. All of these phenomena prove that isoelectric precipitation is the key point in the pressurized carbon dioxide-water-ethanol system.

Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis with Acinetobacter baumannii: a review of seven cases.

Peritonitis is still known as an important complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasing problem worldwide. Moreover, the increasing reports of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii strains is common. Although peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis with MDR A. baumannii is rarely reported, infection with this organism always results in serious peritonitis and increases the possibility of dropout or mortality. Here, we present 7 cases of peritonitis caused by A. baumannii species. Among those 7 cases, 2 involved MDR A. baumannii, and 1 involved a carbapenem-resistant strain. All the MDR bacterial infections failed treatment. We also review the literature about Acinetobacter peritonitis and current treatment protocols.

Effects of total glucosides of paeony on immune regulatory toll-like receptors TLR2 and 4 in the kidney from diabetic rats.

TLRs are a family of receptors that play a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. TGP have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and immuno-regulatory activities. However, the relation between TGP and TLRs on diabetic nephropathy remains unknown. In this study, we examined effects of TGP on immune regulatory TLR2 and 4 in the kidney from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. TGP decreased the levels of 24h urinary albumin excretion rate significantly in diabetic rats. Western blot analysis showed that TGP significantly inhibited the expression of TLR2 and 4, MyD88, p-IRAK1, NF-κB p65, p-IRF3, TNF-α and IL-1ß. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the significantly increased levels of TLR2 and 4, and MyD88mRNA in the kidneys of diabetic rats were significantly suppressed by TGP treatment. Macrophages infiltration were also markedly increased in the kidneys of the diabetic rats, but were significantly inhibited by TGP in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that TGP has protective effects on several pharmacological targets in the progress of diabetic nephropathy by selectively blocking TLRs activation in vivo.