Increase in Bioavailability of Nitric Oxide After Renal Denervation Improves Kidney Function in Sheep With Hypertensive Kidney Disease.

[Figure: see text].

High salt aggravates renal inflammation via promoting pro-inflammatory macrophage in 5/6-nephrectomized rat.

The increasing incident of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in recent years might be related to a change in dietary habits, known as excessive salt intake. Given excessive salt promotes pathogenic T cells responses. Since the importance of macrophage in the development of CKD, we addressed the effect of high salt loading on in a rat CKD model. We observed that 5/6Nx rats receiving a high salt diet showed strongly enhanced macrophage infiltration and activation in the renal tissue accompanied by deteriorated renal inflammation. Then we used the microarray expression profiling to detect the effect of additional Nacl on peritoneal macrophage derived from 5/6Nx. The NaCl treatment of macrophage extracted from 5/6Nx rat elicited a strong pro-inflammatory phenotype characterized by enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production, increased expression of molecules mainly involved in immune response process. This NaCl-induced pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype was accompanied by increased phosphorylation of STAT1. Taken together, our study demonstrated that high salt intake promotes immune activation of macrophages through the STAT1 independently and exacerbates the kidney accompanied by promotion of inflammation. Thus, changes in diet may provide a novel strategy for the prevention or amelioration of CKD.

Retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy for a horseshoe kidney with hydronephrosis and inflammation: A case report.

RATIONALE: A horseshoe kidney is the most common congenital fusion abnormality in the kidney, occurring in approximately 1 in 400 live births. Several complications including renal malignancies, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, urolithiasis, vesicoureteral reflux, and hydronephrosis can occur in this patient population. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 28-year-old woman was admitted to hospital because of chronic left low back pain. Microscopic hematuria was not seen. Computed tomography showed the horseshoe kidney and left hydronephrosis. DIAGNOSES: On the basis of these findings and clinical manifestations, the final diagnosis was the horseshoe kidney with left renal hydronephrosis and inflammation. INTERVENTIONS: A retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy on the left kidney was performed. OUTCOMES: Histopathological examination of the specimen confirmed massive dilatation of the pelvicaliceal system and chronic pyelonephritic inflammation. The patient was discharged on the 7th postoperative day with no complications and no back pain. She remained well at 3 months with normal activity and good cosmetic result. LESSONS: Retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy can be a safe and minimally invasive surgery for horseshoe kidney treatment.

Laparoscopic nephrectomy outside gerota fascia and en bloc ligation of the renal hilum for management of inflammatory renal diseases

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aims to improve laparoscopic nephrectomy techniques for inflammatory renal diseases (IRD) and to reduce complications. Materials and Methods Thirty-three patients underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD, with a method of outside Gerota fascia dissection and en-bloc ligation and division of the renal pedicle. Operative time, blood loss, complications, analgesia requirement, post-operative recovery of intestinal function and hospital stay were recorded. The degrees of perinephric adhesion were classified based on the observation during operation and post-operative dissection of the specimen, and the association of different types of adhesion with the difficulty of the procedures was examined. Results Among 33 cases, three were converted to hand-assisted laparoscopy, and one was converted to open surgery. Mean operative time was 99.6±29.2min, and blood loss was 75.2±83.5 mL. Postoperative recovery time of intestinal function was 1.6±0.7 days and average hospital stay was 4.8±1.4 days. By classification and comparison of the perinephric adhesions, whether inflammation extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum was found to be not only an important factor influencing the operative time and blood loss, but also the main reason for conversion to hand-assisted laparoscopy or open surgery. Conclusions In laparoscopic nephrectomy, outside Gerota fascia dissection of the kidney and en-bloc ligation of the renal pedicle using EndoGIA could reduce the difficulty of procedure and operative time, with satisfactory safety and reliability. Inflammation and adhesion extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum is an important predictor of the difficulty related to laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD.

Laparoscopic nephrectomy outside gerota fascia and En bloc ligation of the renal hilum for management of inflammatory renal diseases.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to improve laparoscopic nephrectomy techniques for inflammatory renal diseases (IRD) and to reduce complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD, with a method of outside Gerota fascia dissection and en-bloc ligation and division of the renal pedicle. Operative time, blood loss, complications, analgesia requirement, post-operative recovery of intestinal function and hospital stay were recorded. The degrees of perinephric adhesion were classified based on the observation during operation and post-operative dissection of the specimen, and the association of different types of adhesion with the difficulty of the procedures was examined. RESULTS: Among 33 cases, three were converted to hand-assisted laparoscopy, and one was converted to open surgery. Mean operative time was 99.6±29.2min, and blood loss was 75.2±83.5 mL. Postoperative recovery time of intestinal function was 1.6±0.7 days and average hospital stay was 4.8±1.4 days. By classification and comparison of the perinephric adhesions, whether inflammation extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum was found to be not only an important factor influencing the operative time and blood loss, but also the main reason for conversion to hand-assisted laparoscopy or open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In laparoscopic nephrectomy, outside Gerota fascia dissection of the kidney and en-bloc ligation of the renal pedicle using EndoGIA could reduce the difficulty of procedure and operative time, with satisfactory safety and reliability. Inflammation and adhesion extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum is an important predictor of the difficulty related to laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD.

TdT-positive Infiltrate in Inflamed Pediatric Kidney: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall.

We encountered a patient with infantile nephrotic syndrome associated with a dense interstitial inflammatory infiltrate and prominent extramedullary hematopoiesis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed numerous terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-positive cells, which may raise concern for lymphoblastic lymphoma. Thus, we further characterized a group of pediatric kidneys with inflammation. TdT-positive nuclei were quantitated, and dual immunostains for TdT/CD79a, TdT/CD3, and TdT/CD43 were performed in a subset of cases; flow cytometry was performed in 1 case. TdT-positive nuclei were present in inflamed pediatric kidneys in 40 of 42 patients. TdT counts (average of 3 maximal high-power fields) ranged from 1 to >200, with a mean of 47. The presence and number of TdT-positive nuclei showed a strong association with younger patient age. Extramedullary hematopoiesis was identified in 11/42 patients, all under the age of 1. The presence of extramedullary hematopoiesis did not correlate with TdT count (P=0.158). Dual immunostaining and flow cytometric analysis in 1 case showed weak expression of B-cell markers and favored normal precursor B cells. Although TdT is a common marker of lymphoblastic lymphoma, we have demonstrated that TdT-positive cells may be part of the inflammatory milieu in infant kidneys. Together with cytologic, architectural, and clinical features, these data can help to avoid misinterpretation of involvement by lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia.

First report of monomicrobial Candida parapsilosis necrotizing fasciitis.

Candida parapsilosis is an emerging pathogen worldwide. It commonly causes soft tissue infection; however, to our knowledge there has been no previous report of monomicrobial necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) secondary to C. parapsilosis. We report the first case of NSTI caused by C. parapsilosis in an immunocompromised renal transplant patient, with the diagnosis proven both histologically and microbiologically. Our patient required aggressive surgical intervention and antifungal therapy, with postoperative survival at 90 days.

IgG4-related kidney disease from the renal pelvis that mimicked urothelial carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: IgG4-related kidney disease is a comprehensive term for renal lesions associated with IgG4-related disease, which mainly manifests as plasma cell-rich tubulointerstitial nephritis with increased IgG4+ plasma cells and fibrosis. IgG4-related kidney disease in the renal pelvis is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 53-year-old Asian woman who was referred to our hospital with a space-occupying renal lesion discovered by medical examination. A physical examination and laboratory evaluation revealed no significant abnormalities. Computed tomography scans showed a soft-tissue mass with an irregular border and mild homogeneous enhancement in the right renal pelvis and calyces. A positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan revealed soft-tissue density shadows with increased radionuclide uptake. To investigate a suspected pelvic carcinoma, a right ureteronephrectomy was performed. A pathologic examination of the renal sections showed a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4+ plasma cells, with fibrosis beneath the urothelial epithelium of the renal pelvis. Postoperatively, the serum IgG4 level was significantly elevated. The patient was diagnosed with IgG4-related kidney disease. CONCLUSION: We present a case of IgG4-related kidney disease mimicking urothelial carcinoma in the renal pelvis. When a buried and solitary hypovascular tumor is detected in the kidney, we must consider IgG4-related kidney disease as a differential diagnosis. Accordingly, elevated serum IgG4, radiologic findings, and pathologic examination may improve the diagnosis.

American society of Nephrology Quiz and Questionnaire 2014: transplantation.

The Nephrology Quiz and Questionnaire remains an extremely popular session for attendees of the Annual Kidney Week Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology. Once again, the conference hall was overflowing with audience members and eager quiz participants. Topics covered by the expert discussants included electrolyte and acid-base disorders, glomerular disease, ESRD/dialysis, and transplantation. Complex cases representing each of these categories along with single best answer questions were prepared and submitted by the panel of experts. Before the meeting, program directors of United States nephrology training programs and nephrology fellows answered the questions through an internet-based questionnaire. During the live session, members of the audience tested their knowledge and judgment on a series of case-oriented questions prepared and discussed by experts. They compared their answers in real time using audience response devices with the answers of the nephrology fellows and training program directors. The correct and incorrect answers were then discussed after the audience responses and the results of the questionnaire were displayed. As always, the audience, lecturers, and moderators enjoyed this educational session. This article recapitulates the session and reproduces its educational value for the readers of CJASN. Enjoy the clinical cases and expert discussions.

Renal sympathetic denervation for the treatment of refractory hypertension.

Resistant hypertension poses significant health concerns. There are strong demands for new and safe therapies to control resistant hypertension while addressing its common causes, specifically poor compliance to lifelong polypharmacy, lifestyle modifications, and physician inertia. The sympathetic nervous system plays a significant pathophysiological role in hypertension. Surgical sympathectomy for blood pressure reduction is an old but extremely efficacious therapeutic concept, now abandoned with the dawn of a safer contemporary pharmacology era. Recently, clinical studies have revealed promising results for safe and sustained blood pressure reduction with percutaneous renal sympathetic denervation. This is a novel, minimally invasive, device-based therapy, specifically targeting and ablating the renal artery nerves with radiofrequency waves without permanent implantation. There are also reported additional benefits in related comorbidities, such as impaired glucose metabolism, renal impairment, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and others. This review focuses on how selective renal sympathetic denervation works, its present and potential therapeutic indications, and its future directions.

[Treatment of thoracic and abdominal cavity perforation complicated by Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis in a patient with high-voltage electric burn].

A 55-year-old male patient suffered from severe high-voltage electric burn with an area of 20%TBSA full-thickness injury. The injury involved the distal end of left upper limb, right trunk, and whole abdominal wall. Fracture of the 7th-10th ribs was found in the right side of chest, with perforation of abdominal cavity, and bilateral pleural effusion was found. Part of the small intestine was necrotic and exposed. At the early stage, xeno-acellular dermal matrix was grafted after debridement of abdominal wound; peritoneal lavage was performed; negative pressure drainage was performed in orificium fistula of intestine for promoting the adhesion between perforated intestine and abdominal scar. Two orificium fistulas formed after closure of abdominal granulation wound by autologous skin grafting. Eschar of chest wall and denatured ribs were retained. The risk of infection of thoracic cavity was decreased by promoting the adhesion between lung tissue and chest wall. During the treatment, the patient was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis by renal biopsy, with the symptoms of purpura in the lower limbs, heavy proteinuria, severe hypoalbuminemia, edema, etc. After control of kidney damage by immunosuppressive treatment instead of glucocorticoid, alleviation of the levels of proteinuria and blood albumin, free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was excised to repair chest wall, and free skin graft was excised to repair intestinal fistula. After all the wounds were successfully covered, the patient was treated with glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressants for more than 1 year. The patient was followed up for 3 years, and his renal function was completely recovered with satisfactory clinical outcome.

Effect of mesenchymal stem cells on anti-Thy1,1 induced kidney injury in albino rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in rats with anti-Thy1,1 nephritis. METHODS: Female albino rats were divided into three groups, control group, anti-Thy1,1 group and treatment with i.v. MSCs group. MSCs were derived from bone marrow of male albino rats, Y-chromosome gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the kidney. Serum urea and creatinine were estimated for all groups. Kidney of all studied groups was examined histologically and histochemically (total carbohydrates and total proteins). DNA fragmentation and expression of α-SMA were detected. RESULTS: Kidney of animals injected with anti-Thy1,1 showed inflammatory leucocytic infiltration, hypertrophied glomeruli, tubular necrosis and congestion in the renal blood vessels. The kidney tissue also showed reduction of carbohydrates and total proteins together with increase in apoptosis and in expression of α-SMA. Moreover, the levels of urea and creatinine were elevated. Treating animals with MSCs revealed that kidney tissue displayed an improvement in the histological and histochemical changes. Apoptosis and α-SMA expression were decreased, and the levels of urea and creatinine decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results demonstrated the potential of MSCs to ameliorate the structure and function of the kidney in rats with anti-Thy1,1 nephritis possibly through the release of paracrine growth factor(s).

Effect of bariatric surgery-induced weight loss on renal and systemic inflammation and blood pressure: a 12-month prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery improves arterial hypertension and renal function; however, the underlying mechanisms and effect of different surgical procedures are unknown. In the present prospective study, we compared the 12-month follow-up results after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on weight loss, hypertension, renal function, and inflammatory status. METHODS: A total of 34 morbidly obese patients were investigated before, one and 12 months after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 10), laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (n = 13), and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (n = 11) for hypertension, kidney function, urinary and serum cytokine levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and chemokine ligand-18. RESULTS: At 12 months after surgery, the patients in all 3 treatment arms showed a significant decrease in the mean body mass index, mean arterial pressure, and urinary and serum inflammatory markers (all P < .001). The reduction in urinary and serum cytokine levels correlated directly with body weight loss (P < .05). Patients with impaired renal function at baseline (corresponding to serum cystatin C >.8 mg/L) had a marked improvement in renal function 12 months after surgery (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Surgically induced weight loss is associated with a marked decrease in renal and systemic inflammation and arterial hypertension and improvement in renal function in patients with pre-existing renal impairment. These effects appear to be independent of surgical procedure. The improvement in renal inflammation could be 1 of the mechanisms contributing to the beneficial effects of bariatric surgery on arterial blood pressure, proteinuria, and renal function.

Allogenic mesenchymal stem cell transplantation ameliorates nephritis in lupus mice via inhibition of B-cell activation.

Recent evidence indicates that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) possess immunosuppressive properties both in vitro and in vivo. We have previously demonstrated that transplantation of human MSCs can significantly improve the autoimmune conditions in MRL/lpr mice. The current study aimed to determine the mechanisms by which murine BM-MSC transplantation (MSCT) ameliorates nephritis in MRL/lpr mice. In this study, we found that MSCT can significantly prolong the survival of MRL/lpr mice. Eight weeks after transplantation, MSCT-treated mice showed significantly smaller spleens than control animals, with fewer marginal zones (MZs), T1, T2, activated B-cells, and plasma cells. Moreover, serum levels of B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and IL-10 in MSCT-treated mice decreased significantly compared to those in the control group, while levels of serum TGF-ß were increased. Notably, decreased BAFF expression in both spleen and kidney was accompanied by decreased production of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies and proteinuria in MSCT-treated mice. Since BAFF is mainly expressed by T-cells and dendritic cells, we incubated BM-MSCs and DCs together and found that the production of BAFF by DCs was suppressed by MSCs. Thus, our findings suggest that MSCT may suppress the excessive activation of B-cells via inhibition of BAFF production in MRL/lpr mice.

Successful therapy with tonsillectomy for severe ISKDC grade VI Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis and persistent nephrotic syndrome.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic disorder characterized by leukocytoclastic vasculitis involving the capillaries and the deposition of IgA immune complexes. Renal involvement is the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in children with HSP. We report here a 13-year-old girl with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) of International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC) grade VI and persistent nephrotic syndrome despite receiving conventional therapy, such as prednisolone, methylprednisolone and urokinase pulse therapy and plasmapheresis (PP). The patient was treated with tonsillectomy, which subsequently decreased proteinuria, induced the disappearance of microscopic hematuria, and improved renal pathological findings. A regimen of methylprednisolone and urokinase pulse therapy plus PP with tonsillectomy may be an effective and useful therapy for some children with severe HSPN children of ISKDC grade VI and persistent nephrotic syndrome.

Outcome of renal allograft in patients with Henoch-Schönlein nephritis: single-center experience and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Henoch-Schönlein nephritis (HSN) is a rare condition resulting in end-stage renal disease. Therefore, graft outcomes and recurrence rates after transplantation are not well studied. Also, the effect of donor type on graft outcome has not been evaluated thoroughly. METHODS: The graft outcome and recurrence rate in 20 kidney recipients with HSN were compared with age-, sex-, and donor source-matched controls (control A, primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy; control B, other causes; 40 recipients per group). To assess the effect of donor type, we pooled our data with two previous cohort studies where donor type had been described in detail. RESULTS: Overall graft survival rates were 87.7% at 10 years. The overall recurrence rate of HSN was 15.4% over 10 years. Graft survival and recurrence rates in the HSN group were similar to those of control A and control B. The pooled data showed a 29.4% incidence rate for recurrent HSN. Living related donor transplantation showed a trend of higher recurrence compared with recipients with nonrelated grafts, although it was marginally significant (P=0.059). However, the graft survival rate in related-donor recipients was not inferior to that in the unrelated-donor recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term graft survival and recurrence rates in kidney recipients with HSN were comparable to those of recipients with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy. The type of donor did not significantly affect long-term graft survival.