OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of minocycline in promoting the survival of pheochromocytoma (PCI2) cells exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSAn in vitro cell model of cerebral ischemia was established by OGD for 6 h in PCI2 cells with pretreatment with minocycline or an ERK1/2 inhibitor. At 24 h after OGD injury, the cells were evaluated for cell viability by MTT assay and expressions of heme oxygenase-I (HO-I) and phospholylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) by Western blotting.

RESULTSThe cell viability decreased dramatically following OGD. Pretreatment with minocycline (O.I-IO JJ.mol/L) induced a significant increase in the cell viability after OGD and caused up-regulation of HO-I protein and enhanced ERK1/2 phospholylation, and the effects were especially obvious with 1 JJ.mol/L minocycline and were abolished by inhibition of ERK1/2 activity with UOI26 (IO JJ.mol/L).

CONCLUSIONMinocycline can protect PCI2 cells against OGD-induced toxicity by up-regulating HO-I protein expression through ERKl/2 signaling pathways.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; Glucose ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Minocycline ; pharmacology ; Oxygen ; PC12 Cells ; Rats ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUNDThe new Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation was developed to address the systematic underestimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation in patients with relatively well-preserved kidney function. Performance of the new equation in the Chinese population is unknown. The goal of the present study was to compare performance of these two equations in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODSWe enrolled 450 Chinese patients (239 women and 211 men) with CKD in the present study. The renal dynamic imaging method was used to measure the referenced standard GFR (rGFR) for comparison with estimations using the two equations. Their overall performance was assessed with the Bland-Altman method and receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Performance of the two equations in lower and higher estimated GFR (eGFR) subgroups was further investigated.

RESULTSBoth eGFRs correlated well with rGFR (r = 0.88, 0.81, P < 0.05). In overall performance, the CKD-EPI equation showed less bias, higher precision and improved accuracy, and was better for detecting CKD. In the higher-eGFR subgroup, the CKD-EPI equation corrected the underestimation of GFR by the abbreviated MDRD equation.

CONCLUSIONSThe CKD-EPI equation outperformed the abbreviated MDRD equation not only in overall performance but also in the subgroups studied. For the present, the CKD-EPI equation appears to be the first-choice prediction equation for estimating GFR.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Theoretical