Renal fibrosis cannot be adequately treated since anti-fibrotic treatment is lacking. Interferon-γ is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with anti-fibrotic properties. Clinical use of interferon-γ is hampered due to inflammation-mediated systemic side effects. We used an interferon-γ peptidomimetic (mimγ) lacking the extracellular IFNγReceptor recognition domain, and coupled it to the PDGFβR-recognizi...

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by sustained tissue damage and ongoing tubulo-interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs) can sense endogenous ligands released upon tissue damage, leading to sterile inflammation and eventually irreversible kidney disease. It is known that...

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is a pathological process that fibrotic components are excessively deposited in the renal space due to kidney injury, resulting impaired function and chronic disease. The molecular mechanisms controlling not fully understood. In this present study, we identified Nuclear protein 1 (Nupr1), transcription factor also called p8, as novel regulator promoting fibrosi...

Tubulointerstitial (TI) fibrosis is a final common pathway to progressive renal injury of all forms of renal disease. However, once renal damage reaches a certain threshold, progression of renal disease is consistent, irreversible, and largely independent of the initial injury. Angiotensin (AT) II is the main effector of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and effects that may contribute to the ...

Interstitial fibrosis is regarded as the main pathway for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is often associated with severe renal dysfunction. Stem cell-based therapies may provide alternative approaches for the treatment of CKD. Human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (hAFSCs) are a novel stem cell population, which exhibit both embryonic and mesenchymal stem cell characteris...

Angiotensin (Ang) II type 1 receptor blockers have demonstrated beneficial effects beyond blood pressure control in the treatment of chronic kidney disease. There is clinical evidence that telmisartan is more effective than losartan in reducing proteinuria in hypertensive patients with diabetic nephropathy, because it is a partial agonist of peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ),...

Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is an important pathogenic feature in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, regardless of the initiating insults. A recent study has shown that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) is involved in acute ischemia/reperfusion-related acute kidney injury through oxidative stress induction. However, the influence of CHOP on ...

Upper urinary tract obstruction results in tubulointerstitial fibrosis and a progressive decline in renal function. Although several inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the pathophysiology of renal obstruction, the contribution of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to obstruction-induced fibrosis and renal dysfunction has not been thoroughly evaluated. To study this, male Sprague-Dawley...