Effect of Homeobox A13 transfection on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and bone morphogenetic protein-7 expression in kidney tubular epithelial cells / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the transfection of Homeobox A13 (HOXA13) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) induced by albumin-overload in human kidney tubular epithelial cells (HKCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cultured HKCs were treated with 20 mg/mL human serum albumin (HSA) for 48 hours. Protein expression of cytokeratin (CK), vimentin and HOXA13 in the HKCs was assessed by Western blot. Protein expression of CK, vimentin, and BMP-7 was also detected in HKCs transfected with lipofectamine contained HOXA13 DNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HSA induced EMT in HKCs, presented by decreased CK expression (P<0.01) and increased vimentin expression (P<0.01). The up-regulated expression of HOXA13 transfected by lipofectamine inhibited the level of EMT induced by HSA in HKCs (P<0.05). The decreased rate of BMP-7 protein expression induced by HSA was inhibited by over-expressed HOXA13 in HKCs (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Transfection of HOXA13 in HKCs could inhibit the degree of EMT induced by albumin-overload, possibly by increasing BMP-7 expression.</p>

Expression of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and its clinical significance in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentration in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) and its clinical significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four children newly diagnosed with INS received oral prednisone for 4 weeks. Patients whose urinary protein did not become negative were classified as steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) group, while those whose urinary protein did become negative were classified as steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) group. Morning midstream urine specimens were collected from all patients before use of prednisone and after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of treatment with prednisone. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the urinary NGAL concentration. Meanwhile, urinary creatinine (Cr) concentration was measured, and urinary NGAL concentration in a single urine collection was adjusted according to the urinary Cr excretion. The two groups were compared in terms of urinary NGAL/Cr ratio.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the SRNS group, the SSNS group had significantly decreased urinary NGAL/Cr ratios after 3 and 4 weeks of prednisone treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the SRNS group, the SSNS group had a significantly decreased urinary β2-MG/Cr ratio after 4 weeks of prednisone treatment (P < 0.05). In both groups, urinary NGAL/Cr ratio was positively correlated with urinary protein/Cr ratio (r = 0.510, P < 0.01). The results of ROC curve analysis showed when diagnostic cut-off point of urinary NGAL/Cr was 0.043 by 3 weeks after treatment, sensitivity and specificity achieved 100% and 79.2% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Urinary NGAL/Cr ratio remains high in children with SRNS, while this ratio decreases gradually during prednisone treatment in children with SSNS, and it falls ahead of urinary β2-MG/Cr ratio. These results suggest that dynamic monitoring of urinary NGAL/Cr ratio is useful for early judgment of response to prednisone in patients with INS.</p>

Effects of huai qi huang on cytokines Th1, Th2 and Th17 and phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in rats with asthma / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of huai qi huang, a traditional Chinese medicine, on cytokines Th1, Th2 and Th17 levels and alveolar macrophage phagocytosis in asthmatic rats sensitized by ovalbumin (OVA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, untreated asthma, budesonide-treated, huai qi huang-treated and budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma (n=8 each). Asthma was induced by OVA sensitization and challenge. The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-17 in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured using ELISA. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages which were isolated and purified from BALF was evaluated by the colorimetric assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increased, in contrast, the IFN-γ level decreased in plasma and BALF in the untreated asthma group compared with those in the normal control group. The IFN-γ level in the huai qi huang-treated asthma group was higher than that in the untreated asthma group. The IFN-γ level increased and the IL-17 level decreased more significantly in the budesonide+huai qi huang-treated asthma group when compared with the budesonide and huai qi huang alone treatment groups. The phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in the untreated asthma group was lower than that in the normal control group. Huai qi huang alone or combined with budesonide increased the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages compared with the normal control, untreated asthma and budesonid-treated asthma groups. The levels of IFN-γ in plasma and BALF were positively correlated with the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 increase and the IFN-γ level decreases in plasma and BALF, and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages decreases in asthmatic rats. Huai qi huang treatment may increase the IFN-γ expression in plasma and BALF and the phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages in asthmatic rats. There is a synergistic effect between huai qi huang and glucocorticoids.</p>