BACKGROUND Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that mediates fibrotic renal injury during obstruction. Macrophages are a well-known source of IL-18; however, renal tubular epithelial cells are also a potential source of this cytokine. We hypothesized that IL-18 is predominantly a renal tubular cell product and is produced during renal obstruction independent of macrophage infi...

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in renal tubular injury and regeneration in acute kidney injury. However, its role in the development of renal fibrosis, often a long-term consequence of acute kidney injury, is unknown. Using amousemodel of renal fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury, we demonstrate increased GSK3β e...

Renal ischemia reperfusion injury triggers complement activation, but whether and how the small proinflammatory fragments C3a and C5a contribute to the pathogenesis of this injury remains to be elucidated. Using C3aR-, C5aR-, or C3aR/C5aR-deficient mice and models of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, we found that deficiency of either or both of these receptors protected mice from injury, but ...

Renal ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury causes renal tubular necrosis, apoptosis, and inflammation leading to acute and chronic kidney dysfunction. IL-11 is a multifunctional hematopoietic cytokine clinically approved to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. Recent studies suggest that IL-11 also has potent antiapoptotic and antinecrotic properties. In this study, we tested the hypothesis...

Methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive alpha-oxoaldehyde generated by oxidation of carbohydrate and glycolysis, binds to proteins and forms advanced glycation end products (AGE). MG and MG adducts have been implicated in oxidative stress-related diseases, therefore, MG detoxifying system such as the glyoxalase system (glyoxalase I) also contributes to progression of these diseases. Recent papers...

Kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) is characterized by renal dysfunction and tubular damages resulting from an early activation of innate immunity. Recently, nicotine administration has been shown to be a powerful inhibitor of a variety of innate immune responses, including LPS-induced toxaemia. This cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway acts via the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine recepto...

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in renal tubular injury and regeneration in acute kidney injury. However, its role in the development of renal fibrosis, often a long-term consequence of acute kidney injury, is unknown. Using a mouse model of renal fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury, we demonstrate increased GSK3β...

Objective(s) Portulaca oleracea L. is a herbaceous weed from portulacaceae family. It can be found in many parts of the world. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that P. oleracea have antioxidant effects. The protective effect of aqueous and ethanolic extract of P. oleracea against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity was studied in rats. Materials and Methods Single intraperitonea...

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by rapid and potentially reversible decline in renal function; however, the current management for AKI is nonspecific and associated with limited supportive care. Considering the need for more novel therapeutic approaches, we believe that lectins from Dioclea violacea (Dvl), based on their anti-inflammatory properties, could be beneficial for the treat...

Proliferation of dedifferentiated intrinsic renal tubular cells has been recognized to be the major cellular event that contributes to renal repair after acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the underlying mechanism that initiates renal tubular dedifferentiation in vivo remains unexplored. Here we investigated whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mediates this process in a murine mode...