Mesangial Cells Initiate Compensatory Tubular Cell Hypertrophy.

Authors: Sinuani I, Beberashvili I, Averbukh Z, Cohn M, Gitelman I, Weissgarten J Unilateral nephrectomy results in compensatory renal growth, in which both the size and the functional capacity of the remaining kidney are increased. The functional adaptation to the removal of the contralateral kidney consists mostly of an increase in the glomerular filtration rate of the remaining kidney, and hypertrophy of cells comprising the nephron, mainly of the proximal tubular cells. Although the phenomenon of single kidney hypertrophy has been known for the past thousand years and despite intensive research over the past century, the mechanism of this process still remains unclear. The present article reviews the role of mesangial cells in compensatory renal hypertrophy. PMID: 20160436 [Pub...

Curcumin Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-beta Activity via Inhibition of Smad Signaling in HK-2 Cells.

Conclusions: Curcumin blocks the profibrotic actions of TGF-beta on HK-2 cells through the down-regulation of the Smad signaling pathway, and curcumin may have some similar effect as serine/threonine protein phosphatases. Our findings suggest curcumin as a potential candidate for treatment of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. PMID: 20160437 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Mesangial Cells Initiate Compensatory Tubular Cell Hypertrophy

Am J Nephrol 2010;31:326–331 (DOI:10.1159/000287229) (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Curcumin Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-ß Activity via Inhibition of Smad Signaling in HK-2 Cells

Am J Nephrol 2010;31:332–341 (DOI:10.1159/000287230) (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Urinary Angiotensinogen Accurately Reflects Intrarenal Renin-Angiotensin System Activity.

Conclusion: These data indicate that UAGT are increased in chronic glomerulonephritis patients and treatment with RAS blockers suppressed UAGT. The efficacy of RAS blockade to reduce the intrarenal RAS activity can be confirmed by measurement of UAGT in chronic glomerulonephritis patients. PMID: 20160435 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Effects of Interleukin-6 on Depression Risk in Dialysis Patients.

Conclusions: IL-6 may play a role in the pathogenesis of depression in patients with ESKD. PMID: 20160434 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Novel Markers of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Uremia.

Conclusions: These data suggest left ventricular remodeling consists of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and interstitial cell proliferation, but not cardiomyocyte proliferation. p27 and cyclin D2 may play important roles in the development of LVH. In addition, phosphorus can be an independent risk factor for the development of LVH. PMID: 20130393 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Chronic Sildenafil Treatment Corrects Endothelial Dysfunction and Improves Hypertension.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate beneficial effects of long-term PDE-5 inhibition in SHR and suggest that its use as an adjunct therapy in essential hypertension should be investigated. PMID: 20110668 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Contrasting Effects of Steroids and Mizoribine on Macrophage Activation and Glomerular Lesions in Rat Thy-1 Mesangial Proliferative Glomerulonephritis.

Conclusions: Glucocorticoid induced alternative macrophage activation failed to ameliorate rat mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, whereas MZR suppression of this disease model was attributed, in part, to inhibition of M1-like pro-inflammatory macrophage activation. PMID: 20110667 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)

Nebivolol Attenuates Maladaptive Proximal Tubule Remodeling in Transgenic Rats.

Conclusion: These observations support the notion that nebivolol may improve PTC reabsorption of albumin and other glomerular filtered small molecular weight proteins in association with the attenuation of oxidative stress, tubulointerstitial injury and fibrosis in this rat model of metabolic kidney disease. PMID: 20110666 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Nephrology)