Therapeutic effect of baicalin in treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unliateral ureteral obstruction and related mechanisms / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the therapeutic effect of baicalin at different doses administered for different periods of time in the treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unliateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and related mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operation, model, low-dose baicalin, and high-dose baicalin groups, and each group was further randomly divided into 7-day and 14-day groups (n=8 each). Left ureteral ligation was used to establish the rat model of UUO. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the kidney. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Notch1, and Jagged1. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of TGF-β1 and Notch1. The Pearson correlation analysis was used for correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration and edema in renal interstitium, tubular dilation and structure disorder, degeneration and necrosis of renal tubular epithelial cells, and a basically normal structure of the glomeruli on days 7 and 14 in the model group, and these lesions were alleviated in the low- and high-dose baicalin groups. Compared with the sham-operation group, the model group had a significantly higher serum level of TGF-β1 and a significantly higher number of TGF-β1-positive cells in renal tissues on days 7 and 14 (P<0.05). Compared with the model group at the same time points, the high- and low-dose baicalin groups had a significantly lower serum level of TGF-β1 and a significantly lower number of TGF-β1-positive cells in renal tissues on days 7 and 14 (P<0.05). The serum level of Jagged1 showed no significant differences between any two groups on days 7 and 14 (P>0.05). The serum level of TGF-β1 was positively correlated with that of Notch1 (r=0.650, P<0.01), and the serum level of Notch1 was positively correlated with that of Jagged1 (r=0.727, P<0.01). TGF-β1 level in renal tissues was also positively correlated with the number of Notch1-positive cells (r=0.743, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Baicalin can alleviate renal interstitial fibrosis in UUO rats, probably by inhibiting Notch1 signaling pathway and the expression of TGF-β1.</p>

Research progress in mechanisms of drug-induced nephrotoxicity / 中国当代儿科杂志

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity in children is dependent upon the histological, anatomical and physiological features of their kidneys and the structural and functional characteristics of drugs. The kidney is mainly composed of microvascular network and tubulointerstitial tissue, so drug-induced nephrotoxicity is usually manifested by interstitial nephropathy. The mechanisms of drug-induced nephrotoxicity include cytotoxicity (necrosis or apoptosis), ischemic injury, and immunological injury. Individual drugs cause renal damage by various mechanisms due to differences in chemical structure and pharmacology. This article reviews the main features of nephrotoxicity induced by common antibiotics (cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, vancomycin, carbapenems and amphotericin B), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cyclosporine A.

Application of hemoperfusion in children with acute tetramine poisoning / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy of hemoperfusion treatment in children with acute tetramine poisoning.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two children aged from 1 to 8 years ( mean 4.6+/-2.4 years) with acute tetramine poisoning received hemoperfusion treatment. Serum tetramine concentrations were measured by gas chromatography before hemoperfusion, 1 and 2 hrs after hemoperfusion initiation and 12 and 24 hrs by the end of hemoperfusion. The median time for full recovery of consciousness and the time to seizure control were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventeen children received hemoperfusion treatment for one time, 12 for twice, 2 for 4 times and 1 for 3 times. Twenty- seven (84%) cases recovered, 2 (7%) cases improved and 3 (9%) cases died of multi-organ failure. The serum tetramine concentrations 1 and 2 hrs after hrmoperfusion initiation were significantly lower than those before hemoperfusion (P<0.01). The serum tetramine concentrations 12 and 24 hrs by the end of hemoperfusion were also significantly lower than those before hemoperfusion (P<0.01). The median time for full recovery of consciousness and the time to seizure control were 5.4+/-4.2 and 10.1+/-7.3 hrs, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hemoperfusion treatment is effective for acute tetramine poisoning in children.</p>

Effects of siRNAs silencing transforming growth factor-beta1 on fibronectin in SD rat masangial cells / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate fibronectin synthesis in SD rat mesangial cells after transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is silenced by the short interfering RNA (siRNA) expressed by reconstructed pGEFP-C1 vectors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Depending upon the 538th - 556th (A) and 895th - 913th (B) nucleotides of rat TGF-beta1 gene, a nucleotide (A or B) was constructed into a small hairpin nucleotide which was separately (A or B) or together (A plus B) inserted into a pGEFP-C1 vector with three reconstructed pGEFP-C1 vectors separately expressing the siRNAs for A or/and B. TGF-beta1 and fibronectin were dynamically investigated for their interrelationship by ELISA in the supernatant and RT-PCR in their extracted total RNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The siRNA hairpin-like molecules were constructed according to the 538th - 556th nucleotides of rat TGF-beta1 gene were able to markedly silence the expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA (P < 0.01) and protein (P < 0.01) at 48 h. Lipfectamin 2000 transfection stimulated the peak secretion of fibronectin at 24 h in the control and the experimental group whose TGF-beta1 was not silenced, but the silence of TGF-beta1 in both experimental groups delayed the top values of fibronectin to 48 h (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The silence of TGF-beta1 by siRNA decreased the fibronectin expression, but the latter was possibly not completely TGF-dependent.</p>

Analysis of 94 cases of IgA nephropathy in children / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical and pathological features of 94 children suffering from IgA nephropathy (IgAN) while estimating the prevalent situation in Hunan province.@*METHODS@#To summarize the annual number of hospitalized children, those with kidney diseases, those accepted biopsy, and those confirmed as IgAN in both Xiangya Hospital and Second Xiangya Hospital undertaking kidney biopsy in Hunan province during 1995 and 2004.@*RESULTS@#In the past 10 years, as the hospitalized population in both hospitals accrued to 9.98% each year. The rate of 7.5% was seen in those with kidney diseases. Among whom 56.3% accepted kidney biopsy and 94 of them were confirmed as IgAN. Hematuria was the main clinical presentation, seen in 71 cases, accounting to 76%, and even to 98% after excluding those with nephrotic syndrome and isolating proteinuria type of IgAN. Inflammation infiltration (91%), renal tubule degeneration (81%), and renal interstitial fibrosis (31%) were the major pathological features of 94 children, especially in nephrotic syndrome IgAN.@*CONCLUSION@#The number of children with IgAN synchronously accrues as hospitalized population, those with kidney diseases, and those by kidney biopsy. Hematuria is the major symptom. To routinely perform urine analysis and kidney biopsy in asymptomatic hematuria may improve the diagnosis. Inflammation infiltration, renal tubule degeneration, and renal interstitial fibrosis are the major pathological features in IgAN children, especially in nephrotic syndrome IgAN, probably relating to continuous proteinuria. Early control of proteinuria may delay or decrease renal tubule fibrosis.