Effects of Alpha-lipoic Acid on Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression and Ultrastructural Changes in the Bladder of Rats with Streptozotocin-induced Diabetes / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is effective at restoring the levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and preventing ultrastructural changes in the bladder of rats with streptozotocin- induced diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The experimental groups included a control group (n=6), a diabetes group (n=6), and two groups of diabetic rats treated with intraperitoneal injections of ALA (n=12) at either 50 (ALA50) or 100mg/kg/day (ALA100) for 8 weeks after the induction of diabetes. Diabetic oxidative stress was determined based on evaluation of immunohistochemical staining for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). The measurements of the levels of eNOS and nNOS expressions, as well as an assessment of the ultrastructural changes in detrusor smooth muscle cells were performed. RESULTS: The highest expression of 8-OHdG was observed in the diabetes group; whereas, the 8-OHdG expression in the ALA-treated groups was similar to that in the control group. Both eNOS and nNOS were constitutively expressed in the control group. The expression levels of both eNOS and nNOS proteins were higher in the diabetes group, which had experienced increased oxidative stress, than in the ALA50 and ALA100 groups. Compared with the control group, the diabetes group exhibited severe degeneration of the detrusor muscle cells. In the rats treated with ALA, the detrusor muscle cells showed mild to moderate degeneration. The mean numbers of mitochondria per smooth muscle cell in the control, diabetes, ALA50 and ALA100 groups were 12.6+/-1.5, 5.1+/-0.7, 18.3+/-0.7 and 19.3+/-1.3, respectively (p<0.01). CONCLISIONS: Our data suggest that diabetes enhanced the levels of eNOS and nNOS expressions in the bladder, and ALA inhibited the expressions of eNOS and nNOS. ALA had a protective effect against the degeneration of intracellular micro-organelles produced by diabetic oxidative damage in detrusor muscle cells. This study suggests that early treatment with ALA can reduce the damage caused by diabetic oxidative stress.

Significance of Nephrectomy in Renal Tuberculosis Patients with Negative Urine (AFB) Culture and Asymptomatic Nonfunctioning Kidney / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical treatment of incidentally detected, asymptomatic, unilateral nonfunctioning tuberculous kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with incidentally detected, asymptomatic, unilateral nonfunctioning kidney, negative urine AFB culture and radiologic diagnosis of renal tuberculosis were reviewed. They were divided into three groups: surgical, medical, and observation groups. Twelve patients in the surgical group were nephrectomized at initial diagnosis. Eleven patients in the medical group received anti-tuberculous medication with isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide for 4 months. Ten patients in the observation group remained under observation. RESULTS: There was no evidence of decreased renal function or recurrence of renal tuberculosis in the surgical and medical groups. Pathologic confirmation of renal tuberculosis was obtained in all nephrectomy patients. The follow-up loss rate of the surgical group (7.7%) was lower than that of the other groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nephrectomy is more acceptable than either medicine or observation. (1) Because preoperative chemotherapy was not justified in the case of negative urine AFB culture, pathologic confirmation was necessary. (2) Nephrectomy associated morbidity was quite low. (3) The follow-up loss rate of the surgical group was lower than that of the other groups. Short course anti-tuberculous medication should be administered after nephrectomy.