Drug-induced lupus (DIL) is a lupus-like illness that has been recognized as a side effect of over 80 drugs since its first description in association with sulfadiazine in 1945. The epidemiology and clinical course of idiopathic systemic lupus erythematosus and DIL differ markedly, and prognosis is generally favorable in the latter although occasional life-threatening cases have been reported in the literature. Constant pharmacovigilance is crucial for prompt diagnosis and cessation of offending therapy, hence achieving the best outcome. This review discusses the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of DIL so as to call for vigilance of medical workers.

Objective To observe the effects of sports with different strength combined with traditional Chinese medicine on expression of PGC-1α and function of vascular endothelium of IGT rats; To discuss the synergistic action and its mechanism.Methods Seventy healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group (10 rats), which were given regular diet, and the other 60 rats were given high-glucose and high-lipoid diet to establish the IGT model rats, which were then randomly divided into 5 groups, including IGT model group (model group), simple Chinese medicine group (Chinese medicine group), low strength sports+Chinese medicine (low strength group), middle strength+Chinese medicine (middle strength group), and high strength sports+Chinese medicine groups (high strength group), 10 rats in each group. Rats in blank group, model group and Chinese medicine group exercised freely. While rats in different sport strength groups conducted treadmill exercise with different strength, and were givenDanzhi Jiangtang Capsules for gavage. Changes of NO, eNOS, vWF and EMP before and after the treatment were compared, the PGC-1α level was detected.Results Compared with the blank group, levels of NO, eNOS and PGC-1α decreased, while the levels of vWF and EMP increased in model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, levels of NO, eNOS and PGC-1α increased in all treatment groups, while the levels of vWF and EMP decreased (P<0.05,P<0.01). Conclusion Middle strength sports combined withDanzhi Jiangtang Capsules may effectively improve function of vascular endothelium.

As a result of the increasing use of radiologic contrast medium in patients, especially the elderly in severe or clinical condition with attendant comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, renal failure, cardiac failure, and volume depletion. Contrast induced nephropathy(CIN)is now the third most common cause of hospital-aquired renal failure and accounts for approximately 11% of the cases. This article mainly introduces the evaluation of laboratory investigations providing insights into the pathophysiology of this disorder and the examination of the important clinical data of CIN including risk factors and diagnosis. The last section deals with renal protection and preventive strategies.

Antitumor activity of 40% -alcoholic extract from Trachyrhamphus serratus (Temminck et SchlegeDwas assayed by using Heps and EAS tumor models of mice. The results showed the antitumor rate of water -eluted from macroporous absorbing resigns column was 50. 75% on cultured Heps of mice.

Objective To examine the expression of hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) receptor (c-met) and investigate the changes in activity of the HGF/c-met system in human kidney fibroblast by high glucose. Methods HGF and c-met mRNA levels in fibroblast induced by high glucose were detected by RT-PCR. C-met protein was examined by Western blotting. At the same time, the expression of TGF-? and c-met in the exogenous HGF and treating with anti-c-met antibody in vitro were measured. Results Extremely rapid induction of HGF and c-met mRNA was observed at the first six hours by high glucose. On the other hand, both c-met mRNA and c-met protein were markedly increased. HGF (50 ng/ml) induced the expression of c-met ( P

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of high glucose on the expression of c-met in human kidney fibroblasts in vitro, and to explore the regulation of Radix Astragali. METHODS: A cell culture system of human kidney fibroblasts was developed in vitro. The human kidney fibroblasts were divided into normal control group, high glucose group and mannitol group. Expressions of c-met and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNAs were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the expressions of c-met protein were analyzed by Western blot method after 6-, 12-, 24-, 48- and 96-hour culture. The human kidney fibroblasts were also cultured with 10% Radix Astragali containing serum; the expressions of c-met mRNA and protein were detected after 24- and 48-hour culture. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, expression of c-met mRNA in the high glucose group was significantly increased after 12-hour culture (P<0.05), arriving at the peak after 24-hour culture (P<0.01). The level of TGF-beta1 mRNA was higher in the high glucose group than that in the normal control group after 24-hour culture (P<0.05), arriving at the peak after 96-hour culture (P<0.01). Forty-eight hours after treating with 10% Radix Astragali containing serum, the levels of c-met mRNA and protein in fibroblasts were increased, and were higher than those in the high glucose group (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: High glucose can induce the expressions of c-met mRNA and protein in earlier period, and then inhibit the expressions. Radix Astragali can up-regulate the expressions of c-met mRNA and protein of human kidney fibroblasts, which may be one of its action mechanisms in delaying the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Objective To investigate the signalling events follow the activation of RAGE in podocytes. Methods AGE and CML generated dichloroflurescin-sensitive intracellular ROS were measured by confocal microscopy. The activation of MAP kinases family were studied using Western blotting. MCP-1 mRNA expression was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results Basal ROS was located in nucleus of starvation podocytes. AGE and CML rapidly generated intracellular ROS in podocytes. NAC pre-treated podocytes suppressed basal and inducible ROS generation and antibody for RAGE suppressed the inducible ROS. Blockage of ROS induced by NAC suppressed the expression of CML and H_2O_2-induced MCP-1. Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was found in CML incubated podocytes at 10 min and was prevented by NAC or AFC. PD98058 Pre-treated podocytes partially inhibited the expression of CML-induced MCP-1 mRNA. No evidence were showed that p38 MAPK, SAPK/JNK, PI3K and PKC were involved in the signal transduction. Conclusion Activation of RAGE induces MCP-1 expression in podocytes via ROS-ERK signalling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether advanced glycation end products (AGE) induce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in mouse podocytes in vitro and the role of AGE receptor (RAGE). MethodsThe effects of AGE, CML, S100 protein and neutralizing antibody against RAGE on MCP-1 gene and protein expressions were examined by RT-PCR and ELISA in mouse podocytes. ResultsRAGE was detected in undifferentiated and differentiated podocytes. AGE and CML dose-dependently stimulated MCP-1 expression in podocytes. At 8 h of incubation, AGE-and CML-treated podocytes produced more MCP-1 than that treated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), the MCP-1 concentrations being (7.44?1.01 and 8.06?0.96)ng/L for AGE and CML respectively vs (3.77?0.39)ng/L for BSA (both P

Objective To evaluate the relationship between glycemic control and lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods The patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral antidiabetic agents only were investigated for their levels of blood glucose and lipid profile.With a standard for valid blood glucose control( HbA1c ＜7％ ),the patients were divided into two groups,reached the goal group and not reached the goal group,and the lipid profile was compared between the two groups.Results Completed study had been obtained 173 patients,average HbAlc,7.9％,total success rate of glycemic control,with 43.4％ being the figure reported.We can see a lower triglyceride( TG),total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) level and a higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in the group reaching the stantard ( t =- 2.437,- 2.067,2.005,- 2.984,P =0.016,0.040,0.047,0.003).Conclusion The blood lipid profile should be considered while the level of glucose of patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral antidiabetic agents alone are controlled.

Objective To investigate the role of activated cylic AMP(cAMP) signaling in chemical-induced podocyte injury.Methods Eight-weeks-old male BalB/C mice were randomly divided into three groups:control group,Adriamycin (ADR) group and Forskolin+ADR group.ADR nephropathy models were established by tail intravenous injection,and part of them were injected Forskolin,an agonist of adenylate cyclase,intraperitoneally.Phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) was detected by laser confocal microscopy,morphology of foot processes were determined with transmission electron microscope,and WT-1 expression in glomeruli were detected by immunohistochemistry.Conditionally immortalized podocytes were treated with puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN),Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) agonist 8-pCPT-2-O-Me-cAMP (2Me),protein kinase A (PKA) antagonist H89 and its agonist pCPT-cAMP(pCPT).Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of Epac,caspase3 and cleaved caspase3.PKA activity was assayed using cAMP-dependent protein kinase detection system.Cell viability was determined by a cell count kit and podocyte apoptosis was estimated by TUNEL staining.Mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated by JC-1 staining.Results (1)Compared with ADR group,the urine albumin decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05) among Forskolin + ADR group and the WT-1 positive cells per glomerulus increased obviously (P ＜ 0.05).(2)PAN decreased podocyte number in a time-dependent manner (P ＜ 0.05),pre-treatment with pCPT obviously inhibited PAN induced podocyte decrease (P ＜0.05),but H89 prevented the effect of pCPT in a dose-dependent manner (P ＜ 0.05).(3)JC-1 staining showed that the percentage of podocyte with green fluorescence for control,PAN and pCPT+PAN group were (12.67±2.15)％,(31.35±4.60)％ and (16.96 ± 2.51)％ respectively (P ＜ 0.05),and pretreatment with H89 inhibited the effect of pCPT (P ＜ 0.05).(4) PAN promoted podocyte apoptosis and cleaved caspase3 expression (P ＜ 0.05),and pretreatment with pCPT significantly prevented PAN-induced podocyte apoptosis and cleaved caspase3 expression (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions cAMP signaling activation ameliorated podocyte injury in ADR nice and PAN-induced podocyte apoptosis,and cAMP/ PKA pathway may mediate these processes.