Correction: The gut microbiota mediates the protective effects of anserine supplementation on hyperuricaemia and associated renal inflammation

Correction for ‘The gut microbiota mediates the protective effects of anserine supplementation on hyperuricaemia and associated renal inflammation’ by Jiaojiao Han et al., Food Funct., 2021, 12, 9030–9042, DOI: 10.1039/D1FO01884A.

Treatment With Lisinopril Prevents the Early Progression of Glomerular Injury in Obese Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats Independent of Lowering Arterial Pressure

Recently, we reported that obese Dahl salt-sensitive leptin receptor mutant (SSLepRmutant) rats develop glomerular injury and progressive proteinuria prior to puberty. Moreover, this early progression of proteinuria was associated with elevations in GFR. Therefore, the current study examined whether treatment with lisinopril to reduce GFR slows the early progression of proteinuria in SSLepRmutant rats prior to puberty. Experiments were performed on 4-week-old SS and SSLepRmutant rats that were either treated with vehicle or lisinopril (20 mg/kg/day, drinking water) for 4 weeks. We did not observe any differences in MAP between SS and SSLepRmutant rats treated with vehicle (148 ± 5 vs. 163 ± 6 mmHg, respectively). Interestingly, chronic treatment with lisinopril markedly reduced MAP in SS rats (111 ± 3 mmHg) but had no effect on MAP in SSLepRmutant rats (155 ± 4 mmHg). Treatment with lisinopril significantly reduced proteinuria in SS and SSLepRmutant rats compared to their vehicle counterparts (19 ± 5 and 258 ± 34 vs. 71 ± 12 and 498 ± 66 mg/day, respectively). Additionally, nephrin excretion was significantly elevated in SSLepRmutant rats versus SS rats, and lisinopril reduced nephrin excretion in both strains. GFR was significantly elevated in SSLepRmutant rats compared to SS rats, and lisinopril treatment reduced GFR in SSLepRmutant rats by 30%. The kidneys from SSLepRmutant rats displayed glomerular injury with increased mesangial expansion and renal inflammation versus SS rats. Chronic treatment with lisinopril significantly decreased glomerular injury and renal inflammation in the SSLepRmutant rats. Overall, these data indicate that inhibiting renal hyperfiltration associated with obesity is beneficial in slowing the early development of glomerular injury and renal inflammation.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction protects against STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting TGF-β/Smad3 signaling-mediated renal fibrosis and inflammation

Background Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) is a classical Chinese Medicine formula empirically used for diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, its therapeutic efficacies and the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In our study, we aim to evaluate the renoprotective effect of BHD on a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy mouse model and explore the potential underlying mechanism in mouse mesangial cells (MCs) treated with high glucose in vitro, followed by screening the active compounds in BHD. Methods Mice were received 50 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) or citrate buffer intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days. BHD was intragastrically administrated for 12 weeks starting from week 4 after the diabetes induction. The quality control and quantitative analysis of BHD were studied by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Renal function was evaluated by urinary albumin excretion (UAE) using ELISA. The mesangial matrix expansion and renal fibrosis were measured using periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining and Masson Trichrome staining. Mouse mesangial cells (MCs) were employed to study molecular mechanisms. Results We found that the impaired renal function in diabetic nephropathy was significantly restored by BHD, as indicated by the decreased UAE without affecting the blood glucose level. Consistently, BHD markedly alleviated STZ-induced diabetic glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial injury as shown by PAS staining, accompanied by a reduction of renal inflammation and fibrosis. Mechanistically, BHD inhibited the activation of TGF-β1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling in diabetic nephropathy while suppressing Arkadia expression and restoring renal Smad7. We further found that calycosin-7-glucoside (CG) was one of the active compounds from BHD, which significantly suppressed high glucose-induced inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways in mesangial cells. Conclusion BHD could attenuate renal fibrosis and inflammation in STZ-induced diabetic kidneys via inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling while suppressing the Arkadia and restoring renal Smad7. CG could be one of the active compounds in BHD to suppress renal inflammation and fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy.

IL-18 (Interleukin-18) Produced by Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Promotes Renal Inflammation and Injury During Deoxycorticosterone/Salt-Induced Hypertension in Mice

IL-18 (interleukin-18) is elevated in hypertensive patients, but its contribution to high blood pressure and end-organ damage is unknown. We examined the role of IL-18 in the development of renal inflammation and injury in a mouse model of low-renin hypertension. Hypertension was induced in male C57BL6/J (WT) and IL-18 −/− mice by uninephrectomy, deoxycorticosterone acetate (2.4 mg/d, s.c.) and 0.9% drinking saline (1K/DOCA/salt). Normotensive controls received uninephrectomy and placebo (1K/placebo). Blood pressure was measured via tail cuff or radiotelemetry. After 21 days, kidneys were harvested for (immuno)histochemical, quantitative-PCR and flow cytometric analyses of fibrosis, inflammation, and immune cell infiltration. 1K/DOCA/salt-treated WT mice developed hypertension, renal fibrosis, upregulation of proinflammatory genes, and accumulation of CD3 + T cells in the kidneys. They also displayed increased expression of IL-18 on tubular epithelial cells. IL-18 −/− mice were profoundly protected from hypertension, renal fibrosis, and inflammation. Bone marrow transplantation between WT and IL-18 −/− mice revealed that IL-18-deficiency in non-bone marrow-derived cells alone afforded equivalent protection against hypertension and renal injury as global IL-18 deficiency. IL-18 receptor subunits—interleukin-18 receptor 1 and IL-18R accessory protein—were upregulated in kidneys of 1K/DOCA/salt-treated WT mice and localized to T cells and tubular epithelial cells. T cells from kidneys of 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice produced interferon-γ upon ex vivo stimulation with IL-18, whereas those from 1K/placebo mice did not. In conclusion, IL-18 production by tubular epithelial cells contributes to elevated blood pressure, renal inflammation, and fibrosis in 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice, highlighting it as a promising therapeutic target for hypertension and kidney disease.

Synergic Renoprotective Effects Of Combined ASC Therapy With RAAS Blockade In Experimental Advanced CKD

ABSTRACTGlobal prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased considerably in the recent decades. Overactivity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), associated to renal inflammation and fibrosis contribute to its evolution. The treatments currently employed to control CKD progression are limited and mainly based on the pharmacological inhibition of RAAS, associated with diuretics and immunosuppressive drugs. However, this conservative management promotes only partial deceleration of CKD evolution, and does not completely avoid the progression of the disease and the loss of renal function, which motivates the medical and scientific community to investigate new therapeutic approaches to detain renal inflammation / fibrosis and CKD progression. Recent studies have shown the application of mesenchymal stem cells (mSC) to exert beneficial effects on the renal tissue of animals submitted to experimental models of CKD. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of subcapsular application of adipose tissue-derived mSC (ASC) in rats submitted to the 5/6 renal ablation model, 15 days after the establishment of CKD, when the nephropathy was already severe. We also verify whether ASC associated to Losartan, would promote greater renoprotection when compared to the respective monotherapies. Animals were followed until 30 days of CKD, when body weight, systolic blood pressure, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical and gene expression analysis were performed. The combination of ASC and Losartan was more effective than Losartan monotherapy in reducing systolic blood pressure and glomerulosclerosis, and also promoted the complete normalization of proteinuria and albuminuria, a significant reduction in renal interstitial macrophage infiltration and downregulation of renal IL-6 gene expression. The beneficial effects of ACS are possibly due to the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory role of factors secreted by these cells, modulating the local immune response. Although studies are still required, our results demonstrated that a subcapsular inoculation of ASC, associated with the administration of Losartan, exerted additional renoprotective effect in rats submitted to a severe model of established CKD, when compared to Losartan monotherapy, thus suggesting ASC may be a potential adjuvant to RAAS-blockade therapy currently employed in the conservative management of CKD.

Abstract MP24: Selective Activation Of DMV Neurons Improves Renal Injury In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is a vagally-mediated mechanism that controls inflammation. Our published data suggest that an impaired cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway contributes to hypertension and renal disease in female mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), since pharmacological potentiation of the efferent vagus via administration of galantamine reduces renal inflammation, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and glomerulosclerosis. The aim of the current study is to selectively target neurons within the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) to stimulate the efferent vagus and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs). We hypothesized that selective activation of DMV neurons would reduce inflammation, eliminating the associated end organ damage in SLE. To study this, female SLE ( NZBWF1 ) and parental control ( NZW ) mice received bilateral microinjections of pAAV-hSyn-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry or pAAV-hSyn-mCherry (control virus) into the DMV at 31 weeks of age using the following coordinates with calamus as reference: 0 mm caudal, 0.25 mm lateral and 0.48 mm ventral. Two weeks post-microinjection, DREADD agonist CNO (3mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously for 2 weeks starting at 33 weeks. At 35 weeks, mice were housed in metabolic cages for urine collection and catheters were implanted in the carotid artery for MAP measurement. Mice were subsequently euthanized and the brain collected to confirm the site of virus microinjection. Selective activation of DMV neurons decreased the incidence of albuminuria [> 300 mg/dL; 66% (4 out of 6) vs. 0% (0 out of 7)], urinary leukocytes [62.5% (5 out of 8) vs. 50% (3 out of 6)] and blood in the urine [50% (4 out of 8) vs. 16% (1 out of 6)] in SLE mice. MAP did not significantly change with the chemogenetic activation of DMV neurons in SLE mice or parental controls (SLE/control virus: 146 ± 6, n=7; SLE/Gq DREADD: 142 ± 3, n=6; NZW/control virus: 126 ± 4, n=4; NZW/Gq DREADD: 132 ± 2, n=5). These results suggests that this timeline of selective activation of DMV neurons in SLE mice reduces renal injury without altering blood pressure, but future studies will confirm the effect on hypertension and renal inflammation in SLE mice

Abstract MP61: Sex Difference In The Response Of Human Renal Proximal Tubule Cells To A Nephrotoxic Agent.

Our previous work indicated that the renal dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) has a significant role in regulating renal inflammation and injury, as well as in blood pressure control. In mice, D2R has protective effects in the kidney by limiting the inflammatory and fibrotic reaction; impaired D2R function results in renal inflammation and damage. Some common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs 6276 and 6277) in the human DRD2 gene are associated with decreased D 2 R expression and function and high blood pressure. To determine the effects of the presence of SNPs in the response to the nephrotoxic aristolochic acid (AA, 5μg/ml, 24 h), we studied immortalized human renal proximal tubule cells isolated from normal tissue of nephrectomies and genotyped for DRD2 SNPs and DRD2 wild-type (WT). We also determined whether this response is sex dependent. D2R protein was higher in male than in female WT (135±5 vs 100±4%; n=3/group; P<0.04) and lower in males with SNPs (43±2%, P<0.05) and females with SNPs (23±2%,P<0.05), compared with their respective WT counterparts. In both male groups (WT and SNPs), AA increased D2R protein by 80-100% but had no effect in WT females and increased ~50% in females with SNPs. The TNFα mRNA was higher in males with WT and SNPs which was increased by AA 9-10-fold in WT males and females but only 2-3-fold in those with SNPs. The TGFβ mRNA was similar in WT males and females and increased to the same extent in both groups with SNPs and was not affected by AA in all groups. Col1a1 mRNA was higher (30%) in WT males and females than those with SNPs; AA decreased Col1a1 mRNA in all groups. FN1 mRNA was higher (30-40%) in males and females with SNPs than WT; AA increased FN1 mRNA only in males and females with SNPs. The mRNA expression of the cell proliferation marker Ki-67 was higher in WT females than WT males (1.5-2-fold) and higher with SNPs than WT in both groups; AA increased Ki-67 mRNA in both groups and to a greater extent in males than in females. Taken together our data indicate that the presence of DRD2 SNPs affects the baseline expression of inflammatory and fibrotic factors and the response to AA is dependent on both sex and the presence of DRD2 SNPs. These data may have potential clinical translation since rs6276/6277 is commonly expressed (42%/23%) in the human population.