Podocytes

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus, causing a substantive threat to the public, which receives global concern. However, there are limited drugs targeting the treatment of DN. Owing to this, it is highly crucial to investigate the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of DN. The process of ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death (RCD) involving the presence of iron, distinct from autophagy, apoptosis, and pyroptosis. A primary mechanism of ferroptosis is associated with iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the accumulation of ROS...

BACKGROUND: The severity of chronic histopathologic lesions on kidney biopsy is independently associated with higher risk of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Because kidney biopsies are invasive, identification of blood markers that report on underlying kidney histopathology has the potential to enhance CKD care. METHODS: We examined the association between 6592 plasma protein levels measured by aptamers and the severity of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA), glomerulosclerosis, arteriolar sclerosis, and arterial sclerosis among 434 participants of the Boston Kidney Biopsy Cohort...

Breviscapine, a natural flavonoid mixture derived from the traditional Chinese herb Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz, has demonstrated a promising potential in improving diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the specific active constituent(s) responsible for its therapeutic effects and the underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of scutellarin, a constituent of breviscapine, on streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy and elucidate its pharmacological mechanism(s)...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, contributing to end-stage renal disease with limited treatment options. The development of DKD is attributed to podocyte injury resulting from abnormal podocyte autophagy. Consequently, the restoration of podocyte autophagy is deemed a practicable approach in the treatment of DKD. METHODS: Diabetic mice were induced by streptozotocin and high-fat diet feeding. Following 8 weeks of "QN" agarwood treatment, metrics such as albuminuria, serum creatinine (Scr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were evaluated...

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in diabetic patients. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is a natural active ingredient in Astragalus membranaceus with anti-hypertensive and anti-oxidative properties. This study aimed to explore the protective roles of APS and its underlying mechanisms in DN. METHODS: After the establishment of a rat model of DN by a high-fat diet and treatment with 30 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), the effects of 100 mg/kg APS on the levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, blood glucose, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio were measured...

The cells presented in this work are not classified as cells that make up the immune system. They, however, present functions and molecules, which are characteristic of immune cells. These characteristic functions are, for example, sensing threat, performing phagocytosis, presentation of foreign antigens, cytokine release or enhancing immune memory. The enlisted immune response mechanisms are carried out by the possession of molecules such as Toll-like receptors, receptors for the Fc fragment of IgG, major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, costimulatory CD80/CD86 proteins and molecules needed for NLRP3 (NOD-like family pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome activation...

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) is one of the main components of the root of the red-rooted Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying TIIA-mediated protective effects in diabetic nephropathy (DN) are still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High glucose (HG)-induced mouse podocyte cell line (MPC5) cells were used as the in vitro model of DN and treated with TIIA. Cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis were detected using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine and flow cytometry assays...

Introduction Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common glomerulopathy with unclear mechanism. The demand for FSGS clinical diagnostic biomarkers has not yet been met. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel non-coding RNA with multiple functions, but its diagnostic value for FSGS remains unexplored. This study aimed to identify circRNAs that could aid in early clinical diagnosis and to investigate their mechanisms in podocyte injury. Methods The signature of plasma circRNAs for FSGS was identified by circRNA microarray...

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient required for various biological processes but excess exposure to Mn can cause neurotoxicity. However, there are few reports regarding the toxicity effect of Mn on the kidney as well as the underlying molecule mechanism. Herein, in vivo experiments were adopted to assess the toxicity effects associated with Mn, and found that chronic Mn treatment induced the injury of glomerular podocytes but not renal tubule in rats. Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen was then employed to explore the biotargets of the toxic effect of Mn on podocytes...

The pathophysiology of Fabry nephropathy (FN) is induced by galactosidase A deficiency with a chronic exposure of glycolipids to every lineage of renal cells. Tissue damage is attributed to the activation of molecular pathways, resulting in tissue fibrosis and chronic kidney disease. Podocytes have been the primary focus in clinical pathophysiological research because of the striking accumulation of large glycolipid deposits observable in histology. Yet, the tubular interstitium makes up a large portion of the whole organ, and therefore, its role must be further considered in pathogenic processes...

A 39-year-old woman presented with inflammatory polyarthritis, low-grade fever, progressive pedal edema, and frothy urination of three weeks duration. She had nephrotic range proteinuria and elevated creatinine. Kidney biopsy showed collapse of capillary tuft in the glomeruli and proliferation, hyperplasia, and hypertrophy of the overlying podocytes suggestive of collapsing glomerulopathy. Histology of the cervical lymph node showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation suggestive of tuberculosis. With all other possible causes of polyarthritis ruled out, a diagnosis of Poncet's disease-a form of polyarthritis observed in patients suffering from an active form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB)-was considered...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a primary microvascular complication of diabetes with limited therapeutic effects. Delving into the pathogenic mechanisms of DKD and identifying new therapeutic targets is crucial. Emerging studies reveal the implication of ferroptosis and immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of DKD, however, the precise relationship between them remains not fully elucidated. Investigating their interplay is pivotal to unraveling the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease, offering insights crucial for targeted interventions and improved patient outcomes...

Kidney regeneration is hindered by the limited pool of intrinsic reparative cells. Advanced therapies targeting renal regeneration have the potential to alleviate the clinical and financial burdens associated with kidney disease. Delivery systems for cells, extracellular vesicles, or growth factors aimed at enhancing regeneration can benefit from vehicles enabling targeted delivery and controlled release. Hydrogels, optimized to carry biological cargo while promoting regeneration, have emerged as promising candidates for this purpose...

C57BL/6 mice are frequently utilized as murine models with the desired genetic background for altertion in multiple research contexts. So far, there is still a lack of comprehensive kidney morphology and single-cell transcriptome atlas at all stages of growth of C57BL/6 mice. To provide an interactive set of reference standards for the scientific community, we performed the current study to investigate the kidney's development throughout the capillary-loop stage until senescence. Eight groups, with five to six mice each, represented embryonic stage (embryos 18...

BACKGROUND: Proteins and metabolites play crucial roles in various biological functions and are frequently interconnected through enzymatic or transport processes. METHODS: We present an integrated analysis of 4,091 proteins and 630 metabolites in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study (N=1,708; average follow-up for kidney failure [KF], 9.5 years, with 537 events). Proteins and metabolites were integrated using an unsupervised clustering method and we assessed associations between clusters and CKD progression and kidney failure using Cox proportional hazards models...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a typical chronic microvascular complication of diabetes, characterized by proteinuria and a gradual decline in renal function. At present, there are limited clinical interventions aimed at preventing the progression of DN to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, Chinese herbal medicine presents a distinct therapeutic approach that can be effectively combined with conventional Western medicine treatments to safeguard renal function...

Acid Sphingomyelinase has been reported to increase tissue ceramide and thereby mediate hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammation, and sclerosis. In the present study, we tested whether somatic podocyte-specific silencing of Smpd1 gene attenuates hHcy-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and associated exosome release in podocytes and thereby suppresses glomerular inflammatory response and injury. In vivo , somatic podocyte-specific Smpd1 gene silencing almost blocked hHcy-induced glomerular NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Podocre mice compared to control littermates...

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PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the intervention mechanism of Jiawei Shengjiangsan (JWSJS) on kidney injury in diabetic nephropathy mice. METHODS: Thirty 8-week-old db/db mice were randomly divided into five groups: model group, Perindopril group, and JWSJS low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (n=6 per group) based on body weight. Additionally, a blank control group was established consisting of 6 db/m mice aged 8 weeks. The blank and model groups received daily intragastric administration of 7g/kg/d pure water...

BACKGROUND: Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is an autoimmune glomerular disease. IL-6 is a potential therapeutic target for PMN. Previous clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Mahuang Fuzi and Shenzhuo Decoction (MFSD) in treating membranous nephropathy. However, the mechanism of action of MFSD remains unclear. METHODS: Serum IL-6 levels were measured in patients with PMN and healthy subjects. The passive Heymann nephritis (PHN) rat model was established, and high and low doses of MFSD were used for intervention to observe the repair effect of MFSD on renal pathological changes and podocyte injury...