Effect of methyl eugenol on hypoxia/reoxygenation injury of human renal tubular epithelial cells and its mechanism / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the effect of methyl eugenol(ME) on hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)-induced injury of human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells and its mechanism. The viability of HK-2 cells cultured with different concentrations of ME and exposed to H/R was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay. The effect of ME on the morphology of HK-2 cells was observed under an inverted microscope. The content of intracellular reactive oxygen species in different groups was detected after 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA) fluorescence staining. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were monitored by JC-1 dye. The concentrations of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphatase oxidase 4(Nox4) were measured by Western blot, followed by the assay of Nrf2 concentration changes in cytoplasm and nucleus by confocal fluorescence staining. The results showed that when the concentration of ME was 0-40 μmol·L~(-1), the activity of HK-2 cells was not affected. Compared with the model group, ME enhanced the activity of HK-2 cells and the cell morphology was normal. As revealed by further experiments, ME inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species and the decline in mitochondrial membrane potential of HK-2 cells after H/R injury, promoted Nrf2/HO-1 expression and Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus, and down-regulated the expression of Nox4, thereby significantly reducing apoptosis. This protective effect of ME could be reversed by the specific Nrf2 inhibitor ML385. These findings have preliminarily proved that ME effectively protected HK-2 cells against H/R injury, which might be related to its promotion of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and inhibition of Nox4. Such exploration on the possible mechanism of ME in the treatment of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI) and protection of organ function from the perspective of antioxidant stress has provided reference for related research on the treatment of acute kidney injury with traditional Chinese medicine.

Renal function of donors and recipients after living donor kidney transplantation in a Chinese cohort / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Living donor kidney transplantation (LKT) has been booming in China. This study aimed to elucidate the renal function of both Chinese donors and recipients after the donation and transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and forty-one pairs of donors and recipients for LKT were randomly selected and followed up for up to seven years. The donors' and recipients' renal function was recorded before and after operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The donors presented a mean age of (43.9 ± 7.5) years at donation. The female contributed 101/141 (71.6%) in all donors, and no effect was shown between genders on healthy donors' renal function. The donors' glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were (119.5 ± 20.4) ml/min, (85.2 ± 17.6) ml/min, (87.2 ± 15.9) ml/min, (82.1 ± 14.6) ml/min and (83.0 ± 13.7) ml/min preoperatively, and for five days, three months, one year and beyond one year after the operation. The donors for the period of 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years and more than 5 years after donation showed GFR as (83.9 ± 12.7) ml/min, (83.0 ± 17.6) ml/min, and (80.9 ± 20.8) ml/min, respectively, no statistically significant difference was found. Moreover, no significant clinical changes in blood pressure and proteinuria were found among the donors. In the recipients, delayed graft function (DGF) rate was 6.4%, acute rejection rate was 11.3%, and GFR were (66.5 ± 16.4) ml/min, (73.2 ± 19.6) ml/min and (63.9 ± 18.6) ml/min respectively at three months, one year and beyond one year post-transplantation respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The donors/recipients of LKT in Chinese population experience well-functioning remaining/donor kidneys.</p>

Inducing of epithelial mesenchymal transition of HK-2 cells by connective tissue growth factor in vitro / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in epithelial mesenchymal transition of HK-2 cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HK-2 cells were randomly divided into two groups: (1) control group including cells cultured in DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum only; and (2) experimental group including cells cultured in DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and recombinant CTGF at a final concentration of 5 microg/L. The cells were collected at 72 h time points. Direct immunofluorescence staining and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the E-cadherin, Vimentin, alpha-SMA and ERK2 in cells. Western-blotting was used to detect the E-cadherin, Vimentin and ERK2 protein expression. Boyden Chamber was used to detect the migration of tubular endothelium at 1 d, 3 d and 5 d.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were less E-cadherin but more Vimentin expressed in cells of the experimental group. The presence of alpha-SMA was detected at 48 h with peak at 72 h in the cells of the experimental group. On the first day, the cellular migration in the two groups showed no difference. However, after 3 days, the transformed cells migrated surpassed the control group with peak at the 5th day [(45.0+/-1.1):(14.0+/-1.2), P<0.05)].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Connective tissue growth factor induces mesenchymal transformation of HK-2 cells, in which the ERK2 signaling pathway may play an important role.</p>

The protective effects on allografts of adeno-associated heme-oxygenase-1 gene therapy against chronic rejection injury / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effects on allografts and the possible mechanism of adeno-associated heme-oxygenase-1 (AdHO-1) gene therapy against chronic rejection injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ex vivo AdHO-1 gene therapy was performed in vascular and renal transplantation models. The structure and function, the expression of therapeutic genes and proteins, and the immune modulation were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AdHO-1 gene therapy protected renal transplant against chronic rejection, but the effect was not as remarkable as that in vascular transplant. The transfected empty vehicle aggravated chronic rejection damage in renal transplantation. AdHO-1 decreased the infiltration of macrophages and CD4(+) T cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AdHO-1 gene therapy can lessen damage of chronic rejection in allografts. It plays roles by protecting transplants, down-regulating immune response and inducing immune deviation.</p>

Technology and application of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation with modified enteric drainage / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To report the modified technique and the short-term results of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) with the enteric drainage (ED) of exocrine secretions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From June 2000 to August 2006, thirty-eight patients with diabetes complicated with uremia underwent SPK. The pancreas graft was placed intraperitoneally with exocrine secretions drained into the proximal jejunum without Roux-en-Y procedure. The mean cold ischemic times of pancreas and kidney were (10 +/- 2.0) h and (7 +/- 2.0) h, respectively. Quadruple immunosuppressive therapy with antilymphocyte globulin or anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and steroids was adopted except one patient.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 6-month survival rates of patients and grafts were both 97.4% after transplantation. All patients achieved insulin-free euglycemia at (7 +/- 6.9) d postoperative except one. For preoperative patients, mean fasting insulin and C-peptide values were (9 +/- 8.1) mU/L and (6 +/- 4.5) mU/L. After operation, fasting insulin and C-peptide values of patients were (12 +/- 5.8) mU/L and (6 +/- 4.7) mU/L, respectively, which peaked to an insulin level of (57 +/- 43.0) mU/L and a C-peptide level of (11 +/- 6.8) mU/L with stimulation. There were eight cases of delayed renal graft function. All other patients achieved immediate renal graft function. No graft losses occurred due to leakage or intra-abdominal infection. The most common surgical complications were wound infection (n = 12), enteric anastomostic hemorrhage (n = 5) and perirenal hemorrhage (n = 2). Three patients (7.9%) had been reoperated for the reasons of intra-abdominal hemorrhage and perirenal hemorrhage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SPK is an effective treatment option for selected patients with diabetes mellitus and approaching end-stage renal disease. Enteric exocrine drainage by direct side-to-side anastomosis (without Roux-en-Y) seems to be a simple and reliable technique.</p>

Different effects of several signal pathway after liver transplantation / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To explorer the change of several signal pathway and their signal after liver transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Classified 34 punctured donor liver samples and 10 normal liver samples as A (no rejection) groups, B (mild/moderate acute rejection) groups, C (serious acute rejection) groups, D (chronic rejection/fibrosis) groups and E (control) groups, MAPK, Ras and p53 were performed immunohistochemistry analysis and image analysis. MAPK and Ras were performed in situ hybridizition. Then image analysis was performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The protein expression of MAPK, Ras, increase by turns of A, B and C groups (1.42+/-0.28, 3.88+/-0.87, 6.68+/-0.57 in MAPK; 1.27+/-0.12, 2.80+/-0.30, 3.93+/-0.20 in Ras; corresponding), and decrease by turns of D and E groups (1.49+/-0.37, 0.88+/-0.20 in MAPK; 1.47+/-0.21, 1.01+/-0.12 in Ras; corresponding, F=178.39 in MAPK and 320.59 in Ras, groups B, C vs groups A, D, E, P<0.001 in MAPK and Ras), The protein expression of p53 is higher in treated groups (The results of groups A to E are 2.09+/-0.13, 2.39+/-0.11, 2.03+/-0.19, 2.26+/-0.18 and 0.35+/-0.08, corresponding, F=360.08, groups E vs groups A, B, C, D, P<0.001). Expression of MAPK, Ras mRNA is as same as that of protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The MAPKs pathway has role in rejection response after liver transplantation. And it seemed that the MAPKs and p53 are one regulation mechanism for protecting the hepatocyte from damage after liver transplantation.</p>