To determine the relationship between the urinary endothelin (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO) levels and the clinical, pathologic types of primary glomerulonephritis (GN) patients, urinary levels of ET-1 and NO were detected in 27 patients with biopsy-proven primary GN and 12 normal controls by radioimmunoassay and by copper-plated and cadmium column reduction assay, respectively. The results showed that urinary ET-1 levels in the patients with primary GN were significantly higher than in normal controls (p < 0.01), while the urinary ET-1 levels in patients with moderate mesangial proliferation GN were significantly higher than those in patients with mild mesangial proliferation GN (p < 0.05). Urinary ET-1 levels in patients whose clinical feature was nephrotic syndrome were found to be higher than in patients whose clinical feature was nephritic syndrome. However, urinary NO levels were to the contrary (p < 0.05). The ratio of ET-1/NO in primary GN patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls, and it positively correlated with the 24-hour urinary excretion of protein. These results suggest that urinary ET-1 levels are related to the proliferation of mesangial cells. The imbalance between ET-1 and NO may be related to the pathogenesis of primary GN and the occurrence of proteinuria.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Endothelin-1/urine* ; Endothelin-1/physiology ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis/urine* ; Glomerulonephritis/etiology ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Nitric Oxide/urine* ; Nitric Oxide/physiology ; Nitric-Oxide Synthase/metabolism

OBJECTIVEIn order to explore the therapeutic effect of tongxinluo capsule (TXLC) on diabetic nephropathy, the influence on plasma endothelin (ET-1) level of the drug was observed.

METHODSAll the 63 patients enrolled were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group. They were all treated with low protein diabetic diet, oral administration of hypoglycemic or injection of insulin, calcium antagonist according to level of blood pressure and supportive symptomatic treatment. To the treated group, 2 capsules of TXLC were given additionally three times a day. The efficacy was evaluated after 8 weeks' treatment. The chief indices observed before and after treatment were endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), urinary beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), fasting blood-glucose (FBG) and ET-1.

RESULTSBefore treatment, no significant difference was shown in all the tested indices between the treated group and the control group. After treatment, levels of CCr, UAER, beta2-MG, ET-1 and FBG significantly changed in the treated group, showing significant difference as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, comparison of these indices in the two groups after treatment, excepting FBG, also showed statistical significance (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTXLC shows obvious effect in reducing plasma ET-1 and UAER, it is definitely effective in repairing the renal tubular interstitial damage, and effectively delay the progress of diabetic nephropathy, improve the renal function, and is favorable to ameliorate hyperglycemia auxiliarily.

Albuminuria ; urine ; Capsules ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy

PURPOSE: Antenatal hydronephrosis (AH) is found in 0.5%-1% of neonates. The aim of the study was to assess the urinary concentrations of 3 biomarkers, endothelin-1 (ET-1), monocyte chemotactic peptide-1 (MCP-1), and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) in severely hydronephrotic neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Neonates with a history of prenatal hydronephrosis were enrolled in the prospective study in 2 groups. Group 1 included neonates with severe forms of obstruction requiring surgical intervention and group 2 included neonates with milder forms of obstruction without any functional impairment. Fresh voided urinary levels of ET-1, MCP-1, and NAG were measured and their ratios to urinary Cr were calculated. RESULTS: Fourty-two neonates were enrolled into the 2 groups: group 1, 24 patients (21 male, 3 female); group 2, 18 neonates (16 male, 2 female). There were no statistically significant differences between urinary ET-1, NAG, MCP-1 values, and ET-1/Cr and NAG/Cr ratios in groups 1 and 2. The urinary MCP-1/Cr ratio was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2. For comparison of groups 1 and 2, the cut-off values were measured as 0.5709 ng/mg (sensitivity, 75%; specificity, 67%; positive predictive value [PPV], 71%; negative predictive value [NPV], 71%), 0.927 ng/mg (sensitivity, 77%; specificity, 72%; PPV, 77%; NPV, 72%), and 1.1913 IU/mg (sensitivity, 62%; specificity, 67%; PPV, 68%; NPV, 60%) for ET-1/Cr, MCP-1/Cr, and NAG/Cr ratios, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The urinary MCP-1/Cr ratio is significantly elevated in neonates with severe obstruction requiring surgical intervention. Based upon these results, urinary MCP-1/Cr may be useful in identification of severe obstructive hydronephrosis in neonates.
Acetylglucosaminidase/*urine ; Biological Markers/urine ; Chemokine CCL2/*urine ; Endothelin-1/*urine ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis/*congenital/etiology/surgery/ultrasonography ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ureteral Obstruction/complications/*diagnosis/surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate nephroprotective effects of a mixture of 8 L-amino acids on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and its effects on renal endothelin-1 (ET-1).

METHODSThe mixture of 8 L-amino acids includes glycine, alanine, threonine, serine, valine, leucine, isoleucine and proline. Acute ischemic renal injury was induced by clamping renal pedicle for 45 minutes in rats. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a sham-operated group (Group A, n=8), a control group (Group B, n=26) and an amino acid-treated group (Group C, n=26). Amino acids were infused at a rate of 1 ml x 100g(-1) x h(-1) I hour before ischemia and during 3 hours of the whole reperfusion. The serum creatinine values, BUN levels, creatinine clearance, urine sodium and potassium excretion, urine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the rate of urine flow and histological examination were measured. Renal ET-1 levels were assayed with radioimmunological assay (RIA) RESULTS: The creatinine clearance was 471.0 microl/min+/-121.5 microl/min in Group C and 227.0 microl/min+/-27.0 microl/min in Group B 3 hours after reperfusion, P<0.01). The urine flow rate was 63.6 microl/min+/-15.2 microl/min in Group C and 24.3 microl/min+/-7.7 microl/minin Group B, P<0.01) 1.5 hours after reperfusion. The serum creatinine was 85.0 microl/min+/-7.7 micromol/L and BUN concentration 11.4 mmol/L+/-3.9 mmol/L in Group C and 112.7 micromol/L+/-19.5 micromol/L and 20.7 mmol/L+/-6.6 mmol/L respectively in Group B after 24 hours of reperfusion (P<0.05). The mean histological score by standards of Paller in kidneys was 108.7+/-15.7 in Group C, and 168.8+/-14.8in Group B (P<0.01). The renal ET-1 levels 15 minute and 3 hours after reperfusion were 7.2 pg/mg+/-0.8 pg/mg and 9.6 pg/ml+/-1.0 pg/ml in Group C, and 10.1 pg/ml+/-2.8 pg/ml and 13.0 pg/ml+/-2.7pg/ml in Group B (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe mixture of 8 L-amino acids can provide remarkable protection against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. This may associate with attenuation of renal ET-1 disorder.

Amino Acids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; urine ; Endothelin-1 ; analysis ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Kidney ; blood supply ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; urine ; Male ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of integrative medicinal therapy in treating children Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) and its preventive effect on complicated renal impairment.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty children with HSP were equally randomized into two groups, the treated group and the control group. Both were treated with conventional Western medical therapy, but Sanhuang Qingxue Yin (SQY, a Chinese herbal drug) was given additionally to the treated group. Besides, a group consisted of 30 healthy children was set up as a normal control. Changes of symptoms, physical signs, routine urine, plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and urinary levels of beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), albumin (ALB) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) before and after treatment were observed, and the recurrence was monitored.

RESULTSThe cure rate and the total effective rate in the treated group were 80.0% and 98.3%, while those in the control group were 61.7% and 88.3%, showing significant differences between groups (P < 0.05); the disappearance time of clinical symptoms was shorter in the treated group than in the control group, also showing a significant difference (P < 0.01); after 1-month treatment, levels of plasma ET-1, and urinary beta2-MG, ALB and IgG were improved in the treated group, reaching the levels opproximate to those in the normal control (P > 0.05), significant difference was shown as compared with those in the control group and with those before treatment respectively (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The recurrent rate was 13.33% in the treated group and 30.0% in the control group, and they were statistically different (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe integrative medicinal therapy is good for treating HSP in children, it could not only obviously relieve clinical symptoms, shorten the illness course and reduce the recurrent rate, but also effectively prevent the occurrence of renal impairment.

Adolescent ; Albuminuria ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; urine ; Integrative Medicine ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; complications ; drug therapy ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; urine