Inflammation- and cancer-related microRNAs in rat renal cortex after subchronic exposure to fluoride.

The proximal tubule is a target of subchronic exposure to fluoride (F) in the kidney. Early markers are used to classify kidney damage, stage, and prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small sequences of non-coding single-stranded RNA that regulate gene expression and play an essential role in developing many pathologies, including renal diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of Cytokine-Chemokine molecules (IL-1α/1ß/4/6/10, INF-γ, MIP-1α, MCP-1, RANTES, and TGF ß1/2/3) and inflammation-related miRNAs to evidence the possible renal mechanisms involved in subchronic exposure to F. Total protein and miRNAs were obtained from the renal cortex of male Wistar rats exposed to 0, 15 and 50 mg NaF/L through drinking water during 40 and 80 days. In addition, cytokines-chemokines were analyzed by multiplexing assay, and a panel of 77 sequences of inflammatory-related miRNAs was analyzed by qPCR. The results show that cytokines-chemokines expression was concentration- and time-dependent with F, where the 50 mg NaF/L were the main altered groups. The miRNAs expression resulted in statistically significant differences in thirty-four miRNAs in the 50 mg NaF/L groups at 40 and 80 days. Furthermore, a molecular interaction network analysis was performed. The relevant pathways modified by subchronic exposure to fluoride were related to extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, Mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis, Gap junction, and miRNAs involved with renal cell carcinoma. Thus, F-induced cytokines-chemokines suggest subchronic inflammation; detecting miRNAs related to cancer and proliferation indicates a transition from renal epithelium to pathologic tissue after fluoride exposure.

The Ethanolic Extract of Eysenhardtia polystachya (Ort.) Sarg. Bark and Its Fractions Delay the Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Show Antinociceptive Activity in Murine Models.

Eysenhardtia polystachya is widely used in folk medicine as an anti-rheumatic and analgesic agent, but no systematic study of its effects on several markers associated with rheumatoid arthritis and its ethnomedical use as analgesic agent has been performed. We evaluated the anti-arthritic and antinociceptive properties of an ethanolic extract of E. polystachya (EE) bark and its rich-flavonoids fractions in murine models. The EE was administered orally at doses of 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day, and its fractions at 25 mg/kg/day in all animal models. Anti-arthritic activity was evaluated using a complete Freund´s adjuvant (CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis model in rats. The severity of arthritis was evaluated by changes in paw oedema, body weight, arthritic index, radiological scores, histological assessment of synovial joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, haematocrit, haemoglobin, serum rheumatoid factor, serum C-reactive protein and serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-18, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10, IL-13. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated using an acetic acid-induced abdominal contraction test and a hot-plate test in mice. EE and its rich-flavonoids fractions inhibited secondary inflammatory reactions, diminished the specific histopathological alterations in the joint capsule and reduced the serum concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and GM-CSF in arthritic rats. EE also reduced the number of writhes produced by acetic acid and increased the response time on the hot plate for mice. Our findings support the use of Eysenhardtia polystachya bark for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and pain management.

Evaluation of kidney injury biomarkers in rat amniotic fluid after gestational exposure to cadmium.

Cadmium is a well-characterized nephrotoxic agent that is also capable of accumulating and diffusing across the placenta; however, only a few studies have addressed its effects over fetal kidneys and none of them has used a panel of sensitive and specific biomarkers for the detection of kidney injury. The goal of this study was to determine cadmium renal effects in rat fetuses by the quantification of early kidney injury biomarkers. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed by inhalation to an isotonic saline solution or to CdCl2 solution (DDel =1.48 mg Cd kg(-1) day(-1) ) during gestational days (GD) 8-20. On GD 21, dams were euthanized and samples obtained. Kidney injury biomarkers were quantified in amniotic fluid samples and fetal kidneys were microscopically evaluated to search for histological alterations. Our results showed that cadmium exposure significantly raised albumin, osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 levels in amniotic fluid, whereas it decreased creatinine. Clusterin, calbindin and IFN-inducible protein 10 did not show any change. Accordingly, histological findings showed tubular damage and precipitations in the renal pelvis. In conclusion, gestational exposure to cadmium induces structural alterations in fetal renal tissue that can be detected by some kidney injury biomarkers in amniotic fluid samples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.