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Rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA-GN) is a major cause of renal failure. Current immunosuppressive therapies are associated with severe side effects, intensifying the need for new therapeutic strategies. The activation of Mas receptor/Angiotensin-(1-7) axis exerted renoprotection in chronic kidney disease. Here, we investigated the effect of adding the lanthionine-stabilized cyclic form of angiotensin-1-7 [cAng-(1-7)] to cyclophosphamide in a rat model of ANCA-GN. At the onset of proteinuria, Wistar Kyoto rats with ANCA-GN received vehicle or a single bolus of cyclophosphamide, with or without daily cAng-(1-7). Treatment with cAng-(1-7) plus cyclophosphamide reduced proteinuria by 85% vs. vehicle, and by 60% vs. cyclophosphamide, and dramatically limited glomerular crescents to less than 10%. The addition of cAng-(1-7) to cyclophosphamide protected against glomerular inflammation and endothelial rarefaction and restored the normal distribution of parietal epithelial cells. Ultrastructural analysis revealed a preserved GBM, glomerular endothelium and podocyte structure, demonstrating that combination therapy provided an additional layer of renoprotection. This study demonstrates that adding cAng-(1-7) to a partially effective dose of cyclophosphamide arrests the progression of renal disease in rats with ANCA-GN, suggesting that cAng-(1-7) could be a novel clinical approach for sparing immunosuppressants.

Background/Aim: Necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) against myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a devastating disease that quickly progresses to kidney failure. Current therapies are broadly immunosuppressive and associated with adverse effects. We wanted to set up a model that could be suitable for testing narrowly targeted therapies. Methods: The model was constructed in male Wistar Kyoto rats through injections of human MPO (hMPO) and pertussis toxin, followed by a sub-nephritogenic dose of sheep anti-rat glomerular basement membrane (GBM) serum to boost the disease. Rats were monitored for 35 days. Rats given hMPO alone, saline, or human serum albumin with or without anti-GBM serum were also studied. Results: Rats receiving hMPO developed circulating anti-hMPO and anti-rat MPO antibodies. Challenging hMPO-immunized rats with the anti-GBM serum led to more glomerular neutrophil infiltration and MPO release, and severe haematuria, heavy proteinuria, and higher blood urea nitrogen than hMPO alone. Pauci-immune GN developed with crescents, affecting 25% of glomeruli. The majority of crescents were fibrocellular. Necrotizing lesions and Bowman capsule ruptures were detected. Cells double positive for claudin-1 (a marker of parietal epithelial cells [PECs]) and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM; progenitor PECs) were present in crescents. Double staining for NCAM and Ki-67 established proliferative status of progenitor PECs. Podocyte damage was associated with endothelial and GBM changes by electron microscopy. Monocyte/macrophages and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells accumulated in glomeruli and the surrounding area and in the tubulointerstitium. Lung haemorrhage also manifested. Conclusion: This model reflects histological lesions of human ANCA-associated rapidly progressive GN and may be useful for investigating new therapies.

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli is the predominant offending agent of post-diarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare disorder of microvascular thrombosis and acute kidney injury possibly leading to long-term renal sequelae. We previously showed that C3a has a critical role in the development of glomerular damage in experimental HUS. Based on the evidence that activation of C3a/C3a receptor (C3aR) signaling induces mitochondrial dysregulation and cell injury, here we investigated whether C3a caused podocyte and tubular injury through induction of mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of HUS. Mice coinjected with Stx2/LPS exhibited glomerular podocyte and tubular C3 deposits and C3aR overexpression associated with cell damage, which were limited by C3aR antagonist treatment. C3a promoted renal injury by affecting mitochondrial wellness as demonstrated by data showing that C3aR blockade reduced mitochondrial ultrastructural abnormalities and preserved mitochondrial mass and energy production. In cultured podocytes and tubular cells, C3a caused altered mitochondrial fragmentation and distribution, and reduced anti-oxidant SOD2 activity. Stx2 potentiated the responsiveness of renal cells to the detrimental effects of C3a through increased C3aR protein expression. These results indicate that C3aR may represent a novel target in Stx-associated HUS for the preservation of renal cell integrity through the maintenance of mitochondrial function.

A membranoproliferative pattern of glomerular injury is frequently observed in patients with complement-mediated disorders, such as C3 glomerulopathies (C3G) and primary immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN). The outcomes of C3G and ­IC-MPGN are poor, independently of immunosuppressive therapy. However, two 48-week treatment periods with the anti-C5 monoclonal antibody eculizumab, divided by a ­12-week washout period, achieved remission of proteinuria and stabilization/improvement of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), measured through iohexol plasma clearance, in 3 of 10 patients with biopsy-proven MPGN, nephrotic syndrome and terminal complement complex sC5b-9 plasma levels >1,000 mg/mL, at inclusion. Baseline and end-of-study kidney biopsies were available for 2 patients with IC-MPGN, and their baseline characteristics were similar. However, in 1 patient proteinuria and GFR did not improve during the study, whereas in the other proteinuria decreased from 4.84 to 2.12 g/24-h and GFR increased from 91.5 to 142.7 mL/min/1.73 m2. Glomerular inflammation improved and median (interquartile range) glomerular staining for C5b-9 decreased in both cases: from 23.6 to 18.2% (p = 0.021) in the patient who achieved remission and from 15.8 to 10.7% (p = 0.019) in the patient with persistent proteinuria. Chronic glomerular lesions progressed and C3 glomerular staining and electron-dense deposits did not change appreciably in either case. However, in the patient who achieved remission, ultrastructural evaluation revealed features of glomerular microangiopathy at inclusion, which fully recovered posttreatment. Podocyte foot process effacement was observed in both patients at inclusion, but recovered only in the patient with microangiopathy. Thus, in 2 patients with ­IC-MPGN, chronic glomerular changes progressed despite eculizumab-induced amelioration of glomerular inflammation and inhibition of sC5b-9 deposition, and independently of treatment effects on proteinuria and podocytes. The finding that the regression of microangiopathic changes was associated with improved clinical outcomes suggests that C5 blockade might have a therapeutic role in patients with IC-MPGN displaying microangiopathic endothelial injury.

The Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) possesses a counter-regulatory axis composed of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)2, angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] and the Mas receptor, which opposes many AT1-receptor-mediated effects of ligand angiotensin II. Ang-(1-7), as a ligand of the Mas receptor, has inhibitory effects on renal inflammation and fibrosis in experimental diabetes. However, Ang-(1-7) has a short half-life in plasma, which may render it unsuitable for use in clinics. Here, we investigated the effects of the lanthionine-stabilized Ang-(1-7), cyclic (c)Ang-(1-7), a lanthipeptide that is more peptidase-resistant than the linear peptide, in BTBR ob/ob mice with type 2 diabetic nephropathy. BTBR ob/ob mice received vehicle, cAng-(1-7), or the ACE inhibitor lisinopril. The treatment started at ten weeks of age, when the animals had already developed albuminuria, and ended at 19-20 weeks of age. cAng-(1-7) limited albuminuria progression, and limited podocyte dysfunction similarly to lisinopril. cAng-(1-7), unlike lisinopril, reduced glomerular fibrosis and inflammation, and counteracted glomerular capillary rarefaction. Furthermore, when cAng-(1-7) was combined with lisinopril, a superior antiproteinuric effect than with lisinopril alone was found, in association with better preservation of podocyte proteins and amelioration of capillary density. Thus, adding cAng-(1-7) to ACE-inhibitor therapy could benefit those diabetic patients who do not respond completely to ACE-inhibitor therapy.

Glomerulonephritis as well as kidney injury secondary to fulminant intravascular hemolysis are rare extrapulmonary manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. We describe a 50-year-old female diagnosed with M. pneumoniae infection-associated hemolytic anemia, characterized by negative cold agglutinin tests but with laboratory evidence of complement alternative pathway activation. The patient presented both with anemia and severe kidney failure and she was treated with steroids and red blood cell transfusions along with plasmapheresis. She also received a short course of antibiotics. Renal biopsy showed combined features of resolving postinfectious glomerulonephritis and hemolysis-associated extensive acute tubular injury characterized by renal hemosiderosis and intratubular hemoglobin casts. Electron microscopy revealed features of glomerular microangiopathic injury. The treatment led to complete disease remission and a favorable renal outcome at the first year follow-up.

The increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide has led to a concomitant rise in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) as a major cause of end-stage renal disease. Glomerular lesions constitute the most striking and consistent features identified in biopsies from patients with DKD, although tubulointerstitial injury has an important and often under-recognized role in the progression to overt nephropathy. In advanced stages of the disease, podocyte detachment is a pivotal event in the loss of glomerular filtration barrier integrity and may explain, at least in part, the inability of current therapies to halt renal function decline. This chapter details the systematic method that can be used to study renal tissue samples from diabetic patients, and the specific role of different imaging techniques, such as light microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy in detecting histologic lesions specific to DKD.

Objectives The simultaneous presence of cardiac and renal diseases is a pathological condition that leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Several lines of evidence have suggested that lipid dysmetabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction are pathways involved in the pathological processes affecting the heart and kidney. In the salt-loaded spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rat (SHRSP), a model of cardiac hypertrophy and nephropathy that shows mitochondrial alterations in the myocardium, we evaluated the cardiorenal effects of fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonist that acts by modulating mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation. Methods Male SHRSPs aged 6-7 weeks were divided in three groups: standard diet (n = 6), Japanese diet with vehicle (n = 6), and Japanese diet with fenofibrate 150 mg/kg/day (n = 6) for 5 weeks. Cardiac and renal functions were assessed in vivo by MRI, ultrasonography, and biochemical assays. Mitochondria were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, and gene expression analysis. Results Fenofibrate attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, as evidenced by histological and MRI analyses, and protected the kidneys, preventing morphological alterations, changes in arterial blood flow velocity, and increases in 24-h proteinuria. Cardiorenal inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular senescence were also inhibited by fenofibrate. In salt-loaded SHRSPs, we observed severe morphological mitochondrial alterations, reduced SDH activity, and down-regulation of genes regulating mitochondrial fatty-acid oxidation (i.e. PPARα, SIRT3, and Acadm). These changes were counteracted by fenofibrate. In vitro, a direct protective effect of fenofibrate on mitochondrial membrane potential was observed in albumin-stimulated NRK-52E renal tubular epithelial cells. Conclusion The results suggest that the cardiorenal protective effects of fenofibrate in young male salt-loaded SHRSPs are explained by its capacity to preserve mitochondrial function.

Glomerulonephritis as well as kidney injury secondary to fulminant intravascular hemolysis are rare extrapulmonary manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. We describe a 50-year-old female diagnosed with M. pneumoniae infection-associated hemolytic anemia, characterized by negative cold agglutinin tests but with laboratory evidence of complement alternative pathway activation. The patient presented both with anemia and severe kidney failure and she was treated with steroids and red blood cell transfusions along with plasmapheresis. She also received a short course of antibiotics. Renal biopsy showed combined features of resolving postinfectious glomerulonephritis and hemolysis-associated extensive acute tubular injury characterized by renal hemosiderosis and intratubular hemoglobin casts. Electron microscopy revealed features of glomerular microangiopathic injury. The treatment led to complete disease remission and a favorable renal outcome at the first year follow-up.

Bardoxolone methyl is an antioxidant inflammation modulator acting through induction of Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. Results from a recent phase IIb clinical trial reported that bardoxolone methyl was associated with improvement in the estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes. However, increases in albuminuria, serum transaminase, and frequency of adverse events were noted. We studied the effect of 3-mo treatment with RTA 405, a synthetic triterpenoid analog of bardoxolone methyl in Zucker diabetic fatty rats with overt Type 2 diabetes. Rats were treated from 3 mo of age with vehicle, RTA 405, ramipril, or RTA 405 plus ramipril. RTA 405 caused severe changes in food intake and diuresis with decline in body weight, worsening of dyslipidemia, and increase in blood pressure. Early elevation in serum transaminase was followed by liver injury. RTA 405 worsened proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis, and tubular damage. Ramipril was renoprotective, but when given with RTA 405 it was not able to limit its worsening effects. These data could be due to degradation products in the drug substance used, as disclosed by the company once the study was concluded. To overcome such a drawback, the company offered to test dh404, a variant of RTA 405, in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. The dh404 did not display beneficial effects on proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis, and interstitial inflammation. Rather, kidneys from three rats receiving dh404 showed the presence of a granulomatous and inflammatory process reminiscent of a pseudotumor. Altogether these data raise serious concerns on the use of bardoxolone analogs in Type 2 diabetic nephropathy.

Podocyte loss is the initial event in the development of glomerulosclerosis, the structural hallmark of progressive proteinuric nephropathies. Understanding mechanisms underlying glomerular injury is the key challenge for identifying novel therapeutic targets. In mice with protein-overload induced by bovine serum albumin (BSA), we evaluated whether the alternative pathway (AP) of complement mediated podocyte depletion and podocyte-dependent parietal epithelial cell (PEC) activation causing glomerulosclerosis. Factor H (Cfh−/−) or factor B-deficient mice were studied in comparison with wild-type (WT) littermates. WT+BSA mice showed podocyte depletion accompanied by glomerular complement C3 and C3a deposits, PEC migration to capillary tuft, proliferation and glomerulosclerosis. These changes were more prominent in Cfh−/− +BSA mice. The pathogenic role of AP was documented by data that factor B deficiency preserved glomerular integrity. In protein-overload mice, PEC dysregulation was associated with upregulation of CXCR4 and GDNF/c-Ret axis. In vitro studies provided additional evidence of a direct action of C3a on proliferation and CXCR4-related migration of PECs. These effects were enhanced by podocyte-derived GDNF. In patients with proteinuric nephropathy, glomerular C3/C3a paralleled PEC activation, CXCR4 and GDNF upregulation. These results indicate that mechanistically uncontrolled AP complement activation is not dispensable for podocyte-dependent PEC activation resulting in glomerulosclerosis.

Familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency (FLD) is characterized by low HDL, accumulation of an abnormal cholesterol-rich multilamellar particle called lipoprotein-X (LpX) in plasma, and renal disease. The aim of our study was to determine if LpX is nephrotoxic and to gain insight into the pathogenesis of FLD renal disease. We administered a synthetic LpX, nearly identical to endogenous LpX in its physical, and chemical properties, to wild-type and Lcat -/- mice. Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated an apoA-I and LCAT-dependent pathway for LpX conversion to HDL-like particles, which likely mediates normal plasma clearance of LpX. Plasma clearance of exogenous LpX was markedly delayed in Lcat -/- mice, which have low HDL but only minimal amounts of endogenous LpX and do not spontaneously develop renal disease. Chronically administered exogenous LpX deposited in all renal glomerular cellular and matrical compartments of Lcat -/- mice, and induced proteinuria and nephrotoxic gene changes, as well as all of the hallmarks of FLD renal disease as assessed by histological, TEM, and SEM analyses. Extensive in vivo EM studies revealed LpX uptake by macropinocytosis into mouse glomerular endothelial cells, podocytes, and mesangial cells and delivery to lysosomes, where it was degraded. Endocytosed LpX appeared to be degraded by both human podocyte and mesangial cell lysosomal PLA 2 and induced podocyte secretion of pro-inflammatory IL-6 in vitro and renal Cxl10 expression in Lcat -/- mice. In conclusion, LpX is a nephrotoxic particle that in the absence of LCAT induces all of the histological and functional hallmarks of FLD and hence may serve as a biomarker for monitoring recombinant LCAT therapy. In addition, our studies suggest that LpX-induced loss of endothelial barrier function and release of cytokines by renal glomerular cells likely plays a role in the initiation and progression of FLD nephrosis.

Generating kidney organoids using human stem cells could offer promising prospects for research and therapeutic purposes. However, no cell-based strategy has generated nephrons displaying an intact three-dimensional epithelial filtering barrier. Here, we generated organoids using murine embryonic kidney cells, and documented that these tissues recapitulated the complex three-dimensional filtering structure of glomerular slits in vivo and accomplished selective glomerular filtration and tubular reabsorption. Exploiting this technology, we mixed human amniotic fluid stem cells with mouse embryonic kidney cells to establish three-dimensional chimeric organoids that engrafted in vivo and grew to form vascularized glomeruli and tubular structures. Human cells contributed to the formation of glomerular structures, differentiated into podocytes with slit diaphragms, and internalized exogenously infused BSA, thus attaining in vivo degrees of specialization and function unprecedented for donor stem cells. In conclusion, human amniotic fluid stem cell chimeric organoids may offer new paths for studying renal development and human podocyte disease, and for facilitating drug discovery and translational research.

The contribution of microRNA (miRNA) to the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis is not well understood. Here, we investigated whether miRNA modulates the fibrotic process in Munich Wistar Fromter (MWF) rats, which develop spontaneous progressive nephropathy. We analyzed the expression profile of miRNA in microdissected glomeruli and found that miR-324-3p was the most upregulated. In situ hybridization localized miR-324-3p to glomerular podocytes, parietal cells of Bowman's capsule, and most abundantly, cortical tubules. A predicted target of miR-324-3p is prolyl endopeptidase (Prep), a serine peptidase involved in the metabolism of angiotensins and the synthesis of the antifibrotic peptide N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP). In cultured tubular cells, transient transfection with a miR-324-3p mimic reduced Prep protein and activity, validating Prep as a target of this miRNA. In MWF rats, upregulation of miR-324-3p associated with markedly reduced expression of Prep in both glomeruli and tubules, low urine Ac-SDKP, and increased deposition of collagen. ACE inhibition downregulated glomerular and tubular miR-324-3p, promoted renal Prep expression, increased plasma and urine Ac-SDKP, and attenuated renal fibrosis. In summary, these results suggest that dysregulation of the miR-324-3p/Prep pathway contributes to the development of fibrosis in progressive nephropathy. The renoprotective effects of ACE inhibitors may result, in part, from modulation of this pathway, suggesting that it may hold other potential therapeutic targets.

Anemia can contribute to chronic allograft injury by limiting oxygen delivery to tissues, particularly in the tubulointerstitium. To determine mechanisms by which erythropoietin (EPO) prevents chronic allograft injury we utilized a rat model of full MHC-mismatched kidney transplantation (Wistar Furth donor and Lewis recipients) with removal of the native kidneys. EPO treatment entirely corrected post-transplant anemia. Control rats developed progressive proteinuria and graft dysfunction, tubulointerstitial damage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and glomerulosclerosis, all prevented by EPO. Normalization of post-transplant hemoglobin levels by blood transfusions, however, had no impact on chronic allograft injury, indicating that EPO-mediated graft protection went beyond the correction of anemia. Compared to syngeneic grafts, control allografts had loss of peritubular capillaries, higher tubular apoptosis, tubular and glomerular oxidative injury, and reduced expression of podocyte nephrin; all prevented by EPO treatment. The effects of EPO were associated with preservation of intragraft expression of angiogenic factors, upregulation of the anti-apoptotic factor p-Akt in tubuli, and increased expression of Bcl-2. Inhibition of p-Akt by Wortmannin partially antagonized the effect of EPO on allograft injury and tubular apoptosis, and prevented EPO-induced Bcl-2 upregulation. Thus non-erythropoietic derivatives of EPO may be useful to prevent chronic renal allograft injury. Kidney International (2012) 81, 903-918; doi:10.1038/ki.2011.473; published online 8 February 2012

Summary One of the leading causes of long-term kidney graft loss is chronic allograft injury (CAI), a pathological process triggered by alloantigen-dependent and alloantigen-independent factors. Alloantigen-independent factors, such as cold ischemia (CI) may amplify the recipient immune response against the graft. We investigated the impact of prolonged cold ischemia and the subsequent delayed graft function on CAI in a fully MHC-mismatched rat model of kidney allotransplantation. Prolonged CI was associated with anticipation of proteinuria onset and graft function deterioration (ischemia: 90d; no ischemia: 150d), more severe tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and glomerulosclerosis, and increased mortality rate (180d survival, ischemia: 0%; no ischemia: 67%). In ischemic allografts, T and B cells were detected very early and were organized in inflammatory clusters. Higher expression of BAFF-R and TACI within the ischemic allografts indicates that B cells are mature and activated. As a consequence of B cell activity, anti-donor antibodies, glomerular C4d and IgG deposition, important features of chronic humoral rejection, appeared earlier in ischemic than in non-ischemic allograft recipients. Thus, prolonged CI time plays a main role in CAI development by triggering acceleration of cellular and humoral reactions of chronic rejection. Limiting CI time should be considered as a main target in kidney transplantation.

A number of features of the pathology occurring in spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone rats (SHRSPs), such as MRI brain signal abnormalities, the presence of high protein content in cerebrospinal fluid and vessel wall thickening, seem to indicate that this strain is a suitable model for cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). To explore this hypothesis, we sought the human diagnostic hallmarks of the disease [the accumulation of granular osmiophilic material (GOM) deposits in vessel walls and NOTCH3 gene mutations] in SHRSPs. Male SHRSPs fed a permissive diet were sacrificed 3 days after the first MRI visualisation of brain abnormalities. Whole blood and kidney samples were respectively collected for molecular and electron microscopy evaluations. Automated sequence analysis of exons and intron–exon boundaries did not reveal any genetic variation in the NOTCH3 gene, and electron microscopy excluded the presence of GOM. The findings of this study exclude SHRSPs as a possible model for CADASIL.

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important cause of renal graft dysfunction in humans. Increases in cold and warm ischemia times lead to a higher risk of early post-transplant complications including delayed graft function and acute rejection. Moreover, prolonged cold ischemia is a predictor of long-term kidney graft loss. The protective effect of rabbit anti-rat thymocyte immunoglobulin (rATG) was evaluated in a rat model of I/R injury following syngeneic kidney transplantation. Serum creatinine concentration was evaluated at 16 h and 24 h post-transplant. Animals were sacrificed 24 h post-transplant for evaluation of histology, infiltrating leukocytes, nitrotyrosine staining, and apoptosis. rATG was effective in preventing renal function impairment, tissue damage and tubular apoptosis associated with I/R only when was given 2 h before transplantation but not at the time of reperfusion. Pretransplant rATG treatment of recipient animals effectively reduced the amount of macrophages, CD4(+), CD8(+) T cells and LFA-1(+) cells infiltrating renal graft subjected to cold ischemia as well as granzyme-B expression within ischemic kidney. On the other hand, granulocyte infiltration and oxidative stress were not modified by rATG. If these results will be translated into the clinical setting, pretransplant administration of Thymoglobuline(®) could offer the additional advantage over peri-transplant administration of limiting I/R-mediated kidney graft damage.

Members of the TLR/IL-1R superfamily mediate ischemia/reperfusion injury and initiate immune response in transplanted organs. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Toll-IL-1R8 (TIR8), a negative regulator of TLR/IL-1R highly expressed in the kidney, modulates immune cell activation underlying kidney rejection. In a mouse model of fully mismatched kidney allotransplantation in which the graft is spontaneously accepted, intragraft Tir8 expression was enhanced compared with naive kidneys. Targeted deletion of Tir8 in the graft exerted a powerful antitolerogenic action leading to acute rejection. Similarly, in a mouse model of kidney graft acceptance induced by costimulation blockade, most Tir8−/− grafts were acutely rejected. Despite similar levels of TLR4, IL-1R, and their ligands, the posttransplant ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammatory response was more severe in Tir8−/− than in Tir8+/+ grafts and was followed by expansion and maturation of resident dendritic cell precursors. In vitro, Tir8−/− dendritic cell precursors acquired higher allostimulatory activity and released more IL-6 upon stimulation with a TLR4 ligand and TNF-α than Tir8+/+ cells, which may explain the increased frequency of antidonor-reactive T cells and the block of regulatory T cell formation in recipients of a Tir8−/− kidney. Thus, TIR8 acts locally as a key regulator of allogeneic immune response in the kidney. Tir8 expression and/or signaling in donor tissue are envisaged as a novel target for control of innate immunity and amelioration of graft survival.

Intrarenal complement activation plays an important role in the progression of chronic kidney disease. A key target of the activated complement cascade is the proximal tubule, a site where abnormally filtered plasma proteins and complement factors combine to promote injury. This study determined whether protein overloading of human proximal tubular cells (HK-2) in culture enhances complement activation by impairing complement regulation. Addition of albumin or transferrin to the cells incubated with diluted human serum as a source of complement caused increased apical C3 deposition. Soluble complement receptor-1 (an inhibitor of all 3 activation pathways) blocked complement deposition while the classical and lectin pathway inhibitor, magnesium chloride-EGTA, was, ineffective. Media containing albumin as well as complement had additive proinflammatory effects as shown by increased fractalkine and transforming growth factor-beta mRNA expression. This paralleled active C3 and C5b-9 generations, effects not shared by transferrin. Factor H, one of the main natural inhibitors of the alternative pathway, binds to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Both the density of heparan sulfate and factor H binding were reduced with protein loading, thereby enhancing the albumin- and serum-dependent complement activation potential. Thus, protein overload reduces the ability of the tubule cell to bind factor H and counteract complement activation, effects instrumental to renal disease progression.

Background and objectives: In idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), CD 20 B-cell depletion by rituximab may induce nephrotic syndrome (NS) remission. Whether this is associated with kidney function restoration and regression of the glomerular pathology was evaluated. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Treatment-induced morphofunctional changes were evaluated in 7 IMN patients consenting to repeat functional and morphologic evaluations after stable disease remission achieved by four weekly rituximab (375 mg/m 2 ) infusions. Results: Over a median of 21 mo from rituximab administration, NS remission was associated with 8.5-fold increase versus baseline in sodium fractional clearance from 1.56 to 13.25, decrease in renal plasma flow from 440.8 to 276.6 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , stable glomerular filtration rate, and increased renal vascular resistances. Changes in sodium fractional clearance and hemoglobin concentration were positively correlated ( r = 0.82). Biopsy reevaluations showed complete or partial reabsorption of subepithelial deposits. Median (interquartile range) IgG4 staining score decreased from 3 (3–3) to 1 (0–2), whereas total numbers of slit diaphragms (0.27; range, 0.19 to 0.30 versus 0.86; range, 0.53 to 1.16 slits/μm glomerular basement membrane) and percentages of those with electron-dense diaphragm (55.2; range, 42.0 to 62.0 versus 78.5; range, 73.0 to 82.7 of all slits) significantly increased in parallel with amelioration of glomerular ultrastructural changes. Changes in slit frequency and albumin fractional clearance were negatively correlated (r = −0.79). Conclusions: In human IMN, treatment-induced NS remission is associated with restoration of sodium homeostasis and kidney hemodynamics, and regression of the glomerular changes underlying proteinuria. These effects are likely to translate into long-term renoprotection.

Intrarenal complement activation leads to chronic tubulointerstitial injury in animal models of proteinuric nephropathies, making this process a potential target for therapy. This study investigated whether a C3-mediated pathway promotes renal injury in the protein overload model and whether the abnormal exposure of proximal tubular cells to filtered complement could trigger the resulting inflammatory response. Mice with C3 deficiency were protected to a significant degree against the protein overload-induced interstitial inflammatory response and tissue damage, and they had less severe podocyte injury and less proteinuria. When the same injury was induced in wild-type (WT) mice, antiproteinuric treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor lisinopril reduced the amount of plasma protein filtered, decreased the accumulation of C3 by proximal tubular cells, and protected against interstitial inflammation and damage. For determination of the injurious role of plasma-derived C3, as opposed to tubular cell-derived C3, C3-deficient kidneys were transplanted into WT mice. Protein overload led to the development of glomerular injury, accumulation of C3 in podocytes and proximal tubules, and tubulointerstitial changes. Conversely, when WT kidneys were transplanted into C3-deficient mice, protein overload led to a more mild disease and abnormal C3 deposition was not observed. These data suggest that the presence of C3 increases the glomerular filtration barrier's susceptibility to injury, ultrafiltered C3 contributes more to tubulointerstitial damage induced by protein overload than locally synthesized C3, and local C3 synthesis is irrelevant to the development of proteinuria. It is speculated that therapies targeting complement combined with interventions to minimize proteinuria would more effectively prevent the progression of renal disease.

Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) or stromal cells from rodents has been identified as a strategy for renal repair in experimental models of acute kidney injury (AKI), a highly life-threatening clinical setting. The therapeutic potential of BM-MSC of human origin has not been reported so far. Here, we investigated whether human BM-MSC treatment could prevent AKI induced by cisplatin and prolong survival in an immunodeficient mouse model. Results showed that human BM-MSC infusion decreased proximal tubular epithelial cell injury and ameliorated the deficit in renal function, resulting in reduced recipient mortality. Infused BM-MSC became localized predominantly in peritubular areas and acted to reduce renal cell apoptosis and to increase proliferation. BM-MSC also induced protection against AKI-related peritubular capillary changes consisting of endothelial cell abnormalities, leukocyte infiltration, and low endothelial cell and lumen volume density as assessed by morphometric analysis. These findings indicate that human MSC of bone marrow origin hold potential to prolong survival in AKI and should be considered for testing in a clinical trial. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.

Item does not contain fulltext In mice with cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury, administration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) restores renal tubular structure and improves renal function, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we examined the process of kidney cell repair in co-culture experiments with MSC and cisplatin-injured proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC). Exposure of PTEC to cisplatin markedly reduced cell viability at 4 days, but co-culture with MSC provided a protective effect by promoting tubular cell proliferation. This effect was mediated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), highly expressed by MSC as mRNA and protein, since blocking the growth factor's function with a specific antibody attenuated cell proliferation of PTEC. Confirming this, knocking down IGF-1 expression in MSC by small interfering-RNA also resulted in a significant decrease in PTEC proliferation and increased apoptosis. Furthermore, in the murine model of cisplatin-induced kidney injury, administering IGF-1 gene-silenced MSC limited their protective effect on renal function and tubular structure. These findings indicate that MSC exert beneficial effects on tubular cell repair in acute kidney injury by producing the mitogenic and pro-survival factor IGF-1.

BACKGROUND In kidney transplant recipients with alemtuzumab induction maintained on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) immunosuppression, sirolimus (SRL) promotes significant expansion of circulating CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells (Treg). This might translate into more effective protection against chronic graft injury compared to cyclosporin A (CsA), which, in the same clinical setting, does not affect Treg. METHODS To assess this hypothesis, in the extension of a single-center, prospective, randomized, open, blind endpoint study aimed to assess the effect of low-dose SRL or CsA on circulating Treg, we compared the outcomes of renal transplant recipients on SRL (n=11) or CsA (n=10) by per-protocol biopsies and serial measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), and 24-hour proteinuria over 30 months posttransplant. RESULTS Despite 4-fold higher CD4+CD25high Treg counts (22.1+/-12.2% vs. 5.7+/-4.2% of CD3+CD4+ T cells), SRL-treated patients, compared to CsA-treated patients, had a significantly higher tubular C4d staining score (1.1+/-0.6 vs. 0.2+/-0.3, P

Background/Aims: A critical involvement of the endocannabinoid/cannabinoid receptor system in diabetes and its complications has been recognized. Experimental evidence suggested that activation of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2), which is expressed in the kidney by podocytes and inflammatory cells, had a protective role in early streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes in mice. No experimental evidence is so far available on the effects of CB2 agonists in type 2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated the effects of a CB2 agonist given at a phase of overt disease on renal functional and structural changes in BTBR ob/ob mice, a model of type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Methods: BTBR ob/ob mice received, from 10 to 21 weeks of age, vehicle, the selective CB2 agonist HU910, or lisinopril used as standard therapy for comparison. BTBR wild-type mice served as controls. Results: Treatment with CB2 agonist reduced progressive albuminuria of BTBR ob/ob mice to a similar extent as ACE inhibitor. The antiproteinuric effect of CB2 agonist was associated with the amelioration of the defective nephrin expression in podocytes of diabetic mice. CB2 agonist limited mesangial matrix expansion, fibronectin accumulation and sclerosis. Glomerular infiltration of Mac-2-positive monocytes/machrophages was attenuated by CB2 agonist, at least in part due to the drug's ability to reduce MCP-1 chemotactic signals. Renoprotective effects of CB2 were similar to those achieved by ACE inhibitor. Conclusion: These results suggest that CB2 agonism is a potential option to be added to the available therapeutic armamentarium for type 2 diabetic nephropathy.

Selective impairment of gene expression and assembly of nephrin in human diabetic nephropathy. Background Recent disclosure of podocyte proteins has unraveled previously rather mysterious mechanisms that govern glomerular perm-selectivity in health and disease. Here we addressed the role of nephrin, CD2-associated protein (CD2AP), and podocin together with the integrity of the slit diaphragm in the pathogenesis of proteinuria of patients with diabetes and nephropathy. Methods Nephrin mRNA and protein expression were evaluated in parallel in adult diabetic patients by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. For comparison, nondiabetic patients with minimal change nephrosis and normal control patients were evaluated. CD2AP and podocin expression by immunohistochemistry was also assessed. The filtration slit was analyzed by morphometry and transmission electron microscopy. Results Extracellular nephrin mRNA and protein were markedly reduced in diabetic patients. No changes were found in patients with minimal change versus controls. CD2AP and podocin were comparable in all subjects. Ultrastructural analysis showed in diabetic patients a remarkable reduction in the percentage of electron dense slit diaphragms, despite a frequency of the filtration slits comparable to control patients. Conclusion Down-regulation of nephrin and loss of the electron dense structure of slit diaphragm indicate a novel mechanism accounting for proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy. To the extent that glomerular protein trafficking contributes to renal disease progression, our findings may have clinical relevance. Reduction of nephrin in the context of normal expression of CD2AP and podocin can be taken reasonably as a specific marker of renal disease in diabetes. Therapies targeted at correcting podocyte nephrin might be of value for diabetic medicine.

Investigated was the effect of high albumin concentrations on proximal tubular cell expression of fractalkine. Human proximal tubular cells (HK-2) were incubated with human serum albumin (HSA), which induced a dose-dependent increase in fractalkine mRNA associated with increased levels of both membrane-bound and soluble forms of the protein. To evaluate the role of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation in HSA-induced fractalkine mRNA, HK-2 cells were infected with a recombinant adenovirus encoding the natural inhibitor of NF-κB, IkBα; a 43% reduction of fractalkine mRNA levels resulted. Similarly, when cells were infected with the recombinant adenovirus expressing dominant negative mutant of the IkB kinase 2, a 55% inhibition of fractalkine mRNA was achieved. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was activated by HSA and was involved in NF-κB–dependent transcription of fractalkine. In kidneys of mice with bovine serum albumin overload proteinuria, fractalkine mRNA levels were 2.3-fold greater than those of controls. Fractalkine expression was also induced in tubular epithelial cells in this model. Anti-CXCR1 antibody treatment limited interstitial accumulation of mononuclear cells. Protein overload is a promoter of fractalkine gene induction mediated by NF-κB and p38 activation in proximal tubular cells. Fractalkine might contribute to direct mononuclear cells into peritubular interstitium and enhance their adhesion property, which in turn would favor inflammation and disease progression. E-mail: gremuzzi@marionegri.it

Objective: Partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) (also known as Batista's Procedure) is a surgical procedure for treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy when cardiac transplant is contraindicated. Mitral valve replacement is needed because of mitral regurgitation as a consequence of annulus enlargement and papillary muscle resection. Bleeding and arrythmias are the main complications. Methods: We considered for this operation a 60-year-old male patient. He suffered from valvular dilating cardiomyopathy as a consequence of mitral and aortic valve regurgitation. Furthermore, a severe peripheral vascular disease treated with aortic-bifemoral prosthesis contraindicated heart transplantation. He needed frequent hospital admissions for pulmonary edema and his quality of life was very poor. Batista's procedure was performed in March 1998, successfully. Mitral and aortic valves were replaced by use of mechanical prosthesis. The postoperative period was characterized by early weaning from ventilator and drugs; atrial fibrillation, reversed by Amiodaron; a little bilateral pleural effusion; and pacemaker implantation following advanced heart conduction block. No bleeding episodes were observed. In March 2001 the progression of the vascular disease forced the patient to undergo to a femoro-femoral bypass and endoarterectomy of the right branch of the vascular prothesis. The patient tolerated the procedure very well. He had no complications during the postoperative period with early weaning from ventilator and drugs. Results: At the end of the procedure ejection fraction raised from 15% to 30%. Echocardiographic data demonstrated a slow but progressive improvement of the cardiac diameters and volumes with a preserved left ventricular function. Conclusion: Even if a larger number of cases and longer follow-up are necessary, our report demonstrated that Batista's procedure should be considered as a surgical alternative to heart transplantation, in well-selected patients with absolute contraindication to heart transplantation and left ventricular assist device implantation. (J Card Surg 2003;18:197-200)

The results of experimental studies and clinical trials have identified blockade of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) as a cardinal way of arresting the progression of renal disease to end-stage failure ([1][1]). Slowing the rate of progression has been the key goal until recently; however, current

How to combine antirejection drugs and which is the optimal dose of steroids and calcineurin inhibitors beyond the first year after kidney transplantation to maintain adequate immunosuppression without major side effects are far from clear. Kidney transplant patients on steroid, cyclosporine (CsA), and azathioprine were randomized to per-protocol biopsy (n = 30) or no-biopsy (n = 29) 1 to 2 yr posttransplant. Steroid or CsA were discontinued or reduced on the basis of biopsy to establish effects on drug-related complications, acute rejection, and graft function over 3 yr of follow-up. Serum creatinine, GFR (plasma clearance of iohexol), RPF (renal clearance of p-aminohippurate), CsA pharmacokinetics, and adverse events were monitored yearly. At the end, patients underwent a second biopsy. Per-protocol biopsy histology revealed no lesions (n = 5, steroid withdrawal), CsA nephropathy (n = 13, CsA discontinuation/reduction), or chronic rejection (n = 12, standard therapy). Reducing the drug regimen led to overall fewer side effects related to immunosuppression as compared with standard therapy or no-biopsy. Steroids were safely stopped with no acute rejection or graft loss. Complete CsA discontinuation was associated with acute rejection in the first four patients. Lowering CsA to low target CsA trough (30 to 70 ng/ml) never led to acute rejection or major renal function deterioration. Biopsy patients on conventional regimen had no acute rejection, one graft loss, no significant change in GFR, and significant RPF decline. No-biopsy controls: no acute rejection, one graft loss, significant decline of GFR and RPF. By serial biopsy analysis, severe lesions did not develop in patients with steroid discontinuation in contrast to patients on standard therapy over follow-up. CsA reduction did not adversely affect histology. Per-protocol biopsy more than 1 yr after kidney transplantation is a safe procedure to guide change of drug regimen and to lower the risk of major side effects.

Chronic diseases of the kidney have a progressive course toward organ failure. Common pathway mechanisms of progressive injury, irrespectively of the etiology of the underlying diseases, include glomerular capillary hypertension and enhanced passage of plasma proteins across the glomerular capillary barrier because of impaired permselective function. These changes are associated with podocyte injury and glomerular sclerosis. Direct evidence for causal roles is lacking, particularly for the link between intraglomerular protein deposition and sclerosing reaction. Because transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is the putative central mediator of scarring, we hypothesized that TGF-β1 can be up-regulated by protein overload of podocytes thereby contributing to sclerosis. In rats with renal mass reduction, protein accumulation in podocytes as a consequence of enhanced transcapillary passage preceded podocyte dedifferentiation and injury, increase in TGF-β1 expression in podocytes, and TGF-β1-dependent activation of mesangial cells. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor prevented both accumulation of plasma proteins and TGF-β1 overexpression in podocytes and sclerosis. Albumin load on podocytes in vitro caused loss of the synaptopodin differentiation marker and enhanced TGF-β1 mRNA and protein. Conditioned medium of albumin-stimulated podocytes induced a sclerosing phenotype in mesangial cells, an effect mimicked by TGF-β1 and blocked by anti-TGF-β1 antibodies. Thus, the passage of excess plasma proteins across the glomerular capillary wall is the trigger of podocyte dysfunction and of a TGF-β1-mediated mechanism underlying sclerosis. Agents to reduce TGF-β1, possibly combined with angiotensin blockade, should have priority in novel approaches to treatment of progressive nephropathies.

Effect of combining ACE inhibitor and statin in severe experimental nephropathy. Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy given soon after disease induction uniformly prevents proteinuria in virtually all models of disease progression. This does not necessarily apply to patients with proteinuric nephropathies, who might be referred late in the course of their disease. Here we used a severe rat model of passive Heymann nephritis (PHN), which may mimic advanced phases of human membranous nephropathy, to study the response to ACE inhibitor alone or in combination with a HMG CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) that independently of the cholesterol-lowering effect influences pathways involved in inflammatory and fibrogenic processes. Therapies started when animals had massive proteinuria and renal lesions. Methods PHN was accelerated by uninephrectomy seven days after IV injection of rabbit anti-FX1A antibody. Four months later, when massive proteinuria and renal lesions were present, the rats were divided into five groups and daily given orally: vehicle; lisinopril 40mg/L; lisinopril 400mg/L; simvastatin 2mg/kg b.i.d; or lisinopril 40mg/L plus simvastatin. Six normal rats served as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 10 months. Results By the end of the study three PHN rats died in the vehicle group, four in the group given lisinopril at 40mg/L and two in the group at 400mg/L, whereas all rats on simvastatin or combined therapy were alive. Blood pressure increased during time in PHN and was normalized by treatment with ACE inhibitor and combined therapy. Even at the high dose lisinopril failed to reduce proteinuria. Simvastatin only partially affected proteinuria. However, combining lisinopril with simvastatin had a remarkable antiproteinuric effect, such that at 10 months the urinary proteins were comparable to pre-treatment values and significantly lower than either the vehicle or lisinopril groups. Hypercholesterolemia of PHN rats was limited by combined therapy, and a positive correlation was found between serum cholesterol and proteinuria. Renal function was only partially ameliorated by simvastatin but significantly improved by combined therapy. Drug combination significantly limited glomerulosclerosis, tubular damage and interstitial inflammation, compared to vehicle or drugs alone. Up-regulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA in PHN kidneys was not affected by lisinopril, it was inhibited by 30% after simvastatin, and almost completely normalized by lisinopril plus simvastatin. Conclusions These data suggest that a combined ACE inhibitor and statin approach could represent a therapeutic option for patients with advanced renal disease in whom ACE inhibitors alone fail to lower proteinuria and injury to any substantial extent.

Chronic proteinuric renal diseases, independent from the type of the initial insult, have in common a loss of selectivity of the glomerular barrier to protein filtration. Glomerular sclerosis is the progressive lesion affecting the glomerular capillary wall, the primary site at which the protein filtration is abnormally enhanced by disease. Dysfunction of podocytes, that serve to maintain the intact barrier, is a central event in lesion development. However, glomerular injury is signalled to tubular and interstitial structures largely in advance of nephron destruction. Glomerular ultrafiltration of excessive amounts of plasma-derived proteins and associated factors incites tubulointerstitial damage and might amplify an inherent susceptibility of the kidney to become dysfunctional in several disease conditions. Thus, noxious substances in the proteinuric ultrafiltrate promote apoptotic responses and multiple changes in the phenotype of tubule cells with generation of inflammatory and fibrogenic mediators. The severity of tubular interstitial damage has long been recognized to be highly correlated to the degree of deterioration of renal failure even better than glomerular lesions. This review focuses on pathways of tubular injury and apoptosis that in turn promote nephron-by-nephron degeneration and interstitial fibrosis during proteinuria contributing to multifaceted processes of kidney scarring and function loss.

Proteinuria is one of the most potent risk factors for renal disease progression in patients with glomerular diseases. Studies in disease models have helped to delineate mechanisms leading to renal structural damage due to persistent dysfunction of the glomerular barrier to proteins, even when the primary immune or nonimmune insult to the kidney has ceased. The main focus of this review is the role of the tubular epithelial cell in the induction of interstitial inflammatory and fibrogenic reactions to ultrafiltered proteins. Antiproteinuric drugs (angiotensin–converting enzyme inhibitors, ACEi) while preserving the integrity of the glomerular permselective barrier limit both proteinuria and protein–dependent processes which contribute to tubulointerstitial injury, and in so doing ACEi halt the progression of proteinuric nephropathies toward terminal renal failure.

Patients with a chronic glomerulopathy are at risk for progressively declining renal function that results in end-stage renal failure irrespective of etiology. The underlying pathophysiology is at least partly dependent on maladaptive functional changes that occur in the surviving nephrons upon

Progression to end-stage renal failure is the final common pathway of many forms of glomerular disease, independent of the type of initial insult. Progressive glomerulopathies have in common persistently high levels of urinary protein excretion and tubulointerstitial lesions at biopsy. Among the cellular mechanisms that may determine progression regardless of etiology, the traffic of excess proteins filtered from glomerulus in renal tubule may have functional importance by initiating interstitial inflammation in the early phase of parenchymal injury. This study analyzes the time course and sites of protein accumulation and interstitial cellular infiltration in two different models of proteinuric nephropathies. In remnant kidneys after 5/6 renal mass ablation, albumin and IgG accumulation by proximal tubular cells was visualized in the early stage, preceding interstitial infiltration of MHC-II-positive cells and macrophages. By double-staining, infiltrates developed at or near tubules containing intracellular IgG or luminal casts. This relationship persisted thereafter despite more irregular distribution of infiltrate. Similar patterns were found in an immune model (passive Heymann nephritis), indicating that the interstitial inflammatory reaction develops at the sites of protein overload, regardless of the type of glomerular injury. Osteopontin was detectable in cells of proximal tubules congested with protein in both models at sites of interstitial infiltration, and by virtue of its chemoattractive action this is likely mediator of a proximal tubule-dependent inflammatory pathway in response to protein load. Protein overload of tubules is a key candidate process translating glomerular protein leakage into cellular signals of interstitial inflammation. Mechanisms underlying the proinflammatory response of tubular cells to protein challenge in diseased kidney should be explored, as well as ways of limiting protein reabsorption/deposition to prevent consequent inflammation and progressive disease.

Human familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency (FLD) is characterized by low HDL, accumulation of an abnormal cholesterol-rich multilamellar particle called lipoprotein-X (LpX) in plasma, and renal disease. The aim of our study was to determine if LpX is nephrotoxic and to gain insight into the pathogenesis of FLD renal disease. We administered a synthetic LpX, nearly identical to endogenous LpX in its physical, chemical and biologic characteristics, to wild-type and Lcat-/- mice. Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated an apoA-I and LCAT-dependent pathway for LpX conversion to HDL-like particles, which likely mediates normal plasma clearance of LpX. Plasma clearance of exogenous LpX was markedly delayed in Lcat-/- mice, which have low HDL, but only minimal amounts of endogenous LpX and do not spontaneously develop renal disease. Chronically administered exogenous LpX deposited in all renal glomerular cellular and matrical compartments of Lcat-/- mice, and induced proteinuria and nephrotoxic gene changes, as well as all of the hallmarks of FLD renal disease as assessed by histological, TEM, and SEM analyses. Extensive in vivo EM studies revealed LpX uptake by macropinocytosis into mouse glomerular endothelial cells, podocytes, and mesangial cells and delivery to lysosomes where it was degraded. Endocytosed LpX appeared to be degraded by both human podocyte and mesangial cell lysosomal PLA2 and induced podocyte secretion of pro-inflammatory IL-6 in vitro and renal Cxl10 expression in Lcat-/- mice. In conclusion, LpX is a nephrotoxic particle that in the absence of Lcat induces all of the histological and functional hallmarks of FLD and hence may serve as a biomarker for monitoring recombinant LCAT therapy. In addition, our studies suggest that LpX-induced loss of endothelial barrier function and release of cytokines by renal glomerular cells likely plays a role in the initiation and progression of FLD nephrosis.

Keywords: Alport syndrome, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, proteinuria, glomerular basement membrane, podocyte, transforming growth factor

The shortage of transplantable organs provides an impetus to develop tissue-engineered alternatives. Producing tissues similar to immature kidneys from simple suspensions of fully dissociated embryonic renal cells is possible in vitro, but glomeruli do not form in the avascular environment. Here, we constructed renal organoids from single-cell suspensions derived from E11.5 kidneys and then implanted these organoids below the kidney capsule of a living rat host. This implantation resulted in further maturation of kidney tissue, formation of vascularized glomeruli with fully differentiated capillary walls, including the slit diaphragm, and appearance of erythropoietin-producing cells. The implanted tissue exhibited physiologic functions, including tubular reabsorption of macromolecules, that gained access to the tubular lumen on glomerular filtration. The ability to generate vascularized nephrons from single-cell suspensions marks a significant step to the long-term goal of replacing renal function by a tissue-engineered kidney.

One of the leading causes of long-term kidney graft loss is chronic allograft injury (CAI), a pathological process triggered by alloantigen-dependent and alloantigen-independent factors. Alloantigen-independent factors, such as cold ischemia (CI) may amplify the recipient immune response against the graft. We investigated the impact of prolonged cold ischemia and the subsequent delayed graft function on CAI in a fully MHC-mismatched rat model of kidney allotransplantation. Prolonged CI was associated with anticipation of proteinuria onset and graft function deterioration (ischemia: 90d; no ischemia: 150d), more severe tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and glomerulosclerosis, and increased mortality rate (180d survival, ischemia: 0%; no ischemia: 67%). In ischemic allografts, T and B cells were detected very early and were organized in inflammatory clusters. Higher expression of BAFF-R and TACI within the ischemic allografts indicates that B cells are mature and activated. As a consequence of B cell activity, anti-donor antibodies, glomerular C4d and IgG deposition, important features of chronic humoral rejection, appeared earlier in ischemic than in non-ischemic allograft recipients. Thus, prolonged CI time plays a main role in CAI development by triggering acceleration of cellular and humoral reactions of chronic rejection. Limiting CI time should be considered as a main target in kidney transplantation.

Cell therapy with Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) holds enormous promise for the treatment of a large number of degenerative and immune/inflammatory diseases. Their multilineage differentiation potential, immunoprivilege and capacity of promoting recovery of damaged tissues coupled with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties are the focus of a multitude of clinical studies currently underway. The recognized clinical potential of MSC repairing/immunomodulatory effects now encompasses graft-versus-host disease, hematologic malignancies, cardiovascular diseases, neurologic and inherited diseases, autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, refractory wounds, and bone/cartilage defects among others. However, it has been suggested that both the need of extensive ex vivo culture for MSC clinical use, and their proangiogenic, anti-apoptotic and immunomodulatory properties may act together as tumor promoters, raising significant safety concerns. This paper will review the available data on in vitro MSC maldifferentiation and the ability of MSC to sustain tumor growth in vivo, with the aim to clarify whether MSC-based therapeutic approaches may carry actual risk of malignancies.

Human amniotic fluid stem (hAFS) cells, a novel class of broadly multipotent stem cells that share characteristics of both embryonic and adult stem cells, have been regarded as promising candidate for cell therapy. Taking advantage by the well-established murine model of acute kidney injury (AKI), we studied the proregenerative effect of hAFS cells in immunodeficient mice injected with the nephrotoxic drug cisplatin. Infusion of hAFS cells in cisplatin mice improved renal function and limited tubular damage, although not to control level, and prolonged animal survival. Human AFS cells engrafted injured kidney predominantly in peritubular region without acquiring tubular epithelial markers. Human AFS cells exerted antiapoptotic effect, activated Akt, and stimulated proliferation of tubular cells possibly via local release of factors, including interleukin-6, vascular endothelial growth factor, and stromal cell-derived factor-1, which we documented in vitro to be produced by hAFS cells. The therapeutic potential of hAFS cells was enhanced by cell pretreatment with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which markedly ameliorated renal function and tubular injury by increasing stem cell homing to the tubulointerstitial compartment. By in vitro studies, GDNF increased hAFS cell production of growth factors, motility, and expression of receptors involved in cell homing and survival. These findings indicate that hAFS cells can promote functional recovery and contribute to renal regeneration in AKI mice via local production of mitogenic and prosurvival factors. The effects of hAFS cells can be remarkably enhanced by GDNF preconditioning.