NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2023-02-06DOI: 10.1159/000529473
Lisa Rossoni, Francesca Lugani, Silvia Maria Orsi, Enrico Eugenio Verrina, Gian Marco Ghiggeri, Andrea Angeletti, Gianluca Caridi, Edoardo La Porta
{"title":"Co-Occurrence of Nephronophthisis Type 1 and Alström Syndrome: A Case Report.","authors":"Lisa Rossoni, Francesca Lugani, Silvia Maria Orsi, Enrico Eugenio Verrina, Gian Marco Ghiggeri, Andrea Angeletti, Gianluca Caridi, Edoardo La Porta","doi":"10.1159/000529473","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000529473","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We describe the unique case of a patient in whom two ciliopathies with autosomal recessive transmission were clinically and molecularly diagnosed: nephronophthisis type 1 (NPHP1) and Alström syndrome (AS). NPHP1 is one of the main genetic causes of terminal kidney failure in childhood. AS is an ultra-rare multi-systemic disease, characterized by progressive kidney disease, hepatic failure, dystrophy of the rods and cones to blindness, slowly progressive neuro-sensory deafness, dilated cardiomyopathy, obesity, insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes mellitus. The coexistence in the same patient of two rare syndromes with overlapping clinical manifestations but genetically different is an eventuality to be considered. This case report would describe the onset and progression of the multi-organ manifestations of both syndromes to highlight that ciliopathies present a strong phenotype overlap but also specific peculiarities. Therefore, to make a correct diagnosis that is essential to achieve the best clinical management could be challenging.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"345-348"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10660652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-05-09DOI: 10.1159/000538242
Jussi Pohjonen, Katri Kaukinen, Heini Huhtala, Ilkka Pörsti, Katri Lindfors, Jukka Mustonen, Satu Mäkelä
{"title":"Indirect Markers of Intestinal Damage in IgA Nephropathy.","authors":"Jussi Pohjonen, Katri Kaukinen, Heini Huhtala, Ilkka Pörsti, Katri Lindfors, Jukka Mustonen, Satu Mäkelä","doi":"10.1159/000538242","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000538242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Presence of subclinical intestinal inflammation has repeatedly been shown in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and the degree of histological inflammation has correlated with abnormal urinary findings. There is lack of noninvasive biomarkers evaluating the presence of subclinical intestinal damage in IgAN. We conducted this study hypothesizing that selected biomarkers regarded as indirect markers of intestinal damage could be elevated in IgAN.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty-five primary IgAN patients (median age 55 years, 54% men) participated in this single-center study in Tampere, Finland. None had end-stage kidney disease or previously diagnosed enteropathies. Celiac disease was excluded with serum transglutaminase 2 antibody (TG2Ab) and endomysial antibody tests and inflammatory bowel disease with fecal calprotectin. Intestinal damage was evaluated from sera with analyses of intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP), soluble cluster of differentiation molecule 14 (sCD14), and lipopolysaccharide binding protein. Fourteen people suffering from dyspepsia and 15 healthy people served as controls.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>I-FABP levels among IgAN patients were higher than in the healthy controls (median 830 pg/mL vs. 289 pg/mL, p < 0.001). Also, sCD14 was increased in IgAN patients compared to dyspepsia controls. Although TG2Ab levels were within the normal range among IgAN patients, they were higher than in the healthy controls (median 1.3 U/mL vs. 0.6 U/mL, p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Elevated serum levels of I-FABP were present in primary IgAN patients without known enteropathies. Serum I-FABP may indicate the presence of subclinical intestinal damage. These findings encourage further investigation into the role of the intestine in the pathophysiology of IgAN.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"693-700"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11460831/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140899080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2023-11-10DOI: 10.1159/000534842
Jun Ge, Xuefeng Zhang, Ye Liu, Hang Liu, Xiaoming Liu
{"title":"miR-874-3p Is Identified as a Biomarker for Acute Kidney Injury and Mediates Disease Development via Targeting MSRB3.","authors":"Jun Ge, Xuefeng Zhang, Ye Liu, Hang Liu, Xiaoming Liu","doi":"10.1159/000534842","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534842","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical disease, especially in the intensive care unit. Identification of reliable biomarker is of great clinical significance and benefit the therapy and prevention of AKI. The clinical significance and function of miR-874-3p in AKI development were evaluated in this study aiming to explore a novel biomarker for AKI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>There were 83 AKI patients and 56 healthy individuals included, and the serum samples were collected. The AKI animal models were established via ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) and LPS on C57BL/6 mice. The expression of miR-874-3p was evaluated using PCR, while the potential downstream targets were also validated in AKI mice. The regulatory mechanism of miR-874-3p was investigated in AKI cell model established with HK-2 cell by I/R.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>miR-874-3p was downregulated in both AKI patients and established AKI mice models. The downregulation of miR-874-3p could discriminate against AKI patients and predict poor prognosis of patients. miR-874-3p was negatively correlated with the levels of serum creatine, blood urea nitrogen, CRP, NEU, and PCT and positively correlated with the eGFR of AKI patients. In I/R- and LPS-induced AKI mice, overexpressing miR-874-3p could alleviate renal dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation induced by AKI. Additionally, miR-874-3p could negatively regulate the expression of MSRB3, which was speculated as the potential mechanism underlying the function of miR-874-3p in AKI. Overexpression of miR-874-3p could alleviate the I/R-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis and decreased proliferation, which was reversed by the upregulation of MSRB3.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>miR-874-3p served as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of AKI and mediate the severity and development of AKI via targeting MSRB3.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"426-436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89719004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2022-07-27DOI: 10.1159/000525944
Ozgur A Oto, Charles L Edelstein
{"title":"The Pathophysiology of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, beyond Hypertension, in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.","authors":"Ozgur A Oto, Charles L Edelstein","doi":"10.1159/000525944","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000525944","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an early and severe complication in ADPKD patients. Two decades ago, the prevalence of LVH on echocardiography in hypertensive ADPKD patients was shown to be as high as 46%. Recent studies using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging have shown that the prevalence of LVH in ADPKD patients may be lower. The true prevalence of LVH in ADPKD patients is controversial. There is evidence that factors other than hypertension contribute to LVH in ADPKD patients. Studies have shown that young normotensive ADPKD adults and children have a higher left ventricular mass index compared to controls and that the prevalence of LVH is high in patients with ADPKD whose blood pressure is well controlled. Polycystin-1 (PC-1) and polycystin-2 (PC-2) control intracellular signaling pathways that can influence cardiac function. Perturbations of PC-1 or PC-2 in the heart can lead to profound changes in cardiac structure and function independently of kidney function or blood pressure. PC-1 can influence mammalian target of rapamycin and mitophagy and PC-2 can influence autophagy, processes that play a role in LVH. Polymorphisms in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene may play a role in LVH in ADPKD. This review will detail the pathophysiology of LVH, beyond hypertension, in ADPKD.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"215-223"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9774862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2023-08-23DOI: 10.1159/000531921
Raúl Morales Febles, Domingo Marrero Miranda, Coriolano de la Concepción Cruz Perera, Laura Díaz Martín, Ana Elena Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Amelia Remedios González Martín, Daniel Javier Sánchez Báez, Esteban Porrini
{"title":"Therapeutic Exercise on Metabolic and Renal Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Narrative Review.","authors":"Raúl Morales Febles, Domingo Marrero Miranda, Coriolano de la Concepción Cruz Perera, Laura Díaz Martín, Ana Elena Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Amelia Remedios González Martín, Daniel Javier Sánchez Báez, Esteban Porrini","doi":"10.1159/000531921","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000531921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 11-13% of the world population. The main risk factors for CKD include diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with the onset of CKD in the nondiabetic population. Obesity and MS are also risk factors for a worse progression of established CKD. Therapeutic exercise is an effective option to treat and manage obesity, MS, and diabetes in the general population. However, the evidence on the effect of exercise on patients with CKD, obesity, and MS is scarce.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>We evaluated available evidence on the effect of therapeutic exercise in patients with CKD, excluding dialysis, particularly in improving the metabolic risk factors and main renal outcomes: renal function loss and albuminuria/proteinuria. This review includes prospective studies and clinical trials. A total of 44 studies were analysed in 1,700 subjects with renal disease (2-5), including patients with renal transplantation. Most studies did not prove a major effect of exercise on albuminuria/proteinuria, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), obesity, or MS. These results are intriguing and deserve attention. The exploratory nature of most studies, including a low number of cases and short follow-up, might explain the lack of efficacy of exercise in our analysis. Specific aspects like the type of exercise, frequency, intensity, duration, accommodation during follow-up, individualization, safety, and adherence are crucial to the success of therapeutic exercise. The beneficial role of exercise in patients with CKD remains to be determined.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Key messages of this review are as follows. (1) The effect of therapeutic exercise on renal and metabolic outcomes in patients with CKD remains to be determined. (2) According to the evidence selected, therapeutic exercise seems to be safe to treat patients with CKD. (3) Most studies are exploratory by nature, with results that need further investigation. (4) Therapeutic exercise is a complex procedure that must be specifically designed to treat patients with CKD.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"85-94"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10058550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-01-24DOI: 10.1159/000534969
Rui Barata, Liliana Rocha, Isabel Tavares, Odete Pereira, Filipa Carvalho, João Paulo Oliveira
{"title":"The Complexity of Decisions in Genetics: Annotation of Three Novel Variants in the PKD1 and PKD2 Genes.","authors":"Rui Barata, Liliana Rocha, Isabel Tavares, Odete Pereira, Filipa Carvalho, João Paulo Oliveira","doi":"10.1159/000534969","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534969","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As nephrology practice is evolving toward precision medicine, and genetic tests are becoming widely available, basic genetic literacy is increasingly required for clinical nephrologists. Yet, decisions based on results of genetic tests are seldom straightforward. We report a 37-year-old woman with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) who was referred for medically assisted reproduction with monogenic preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-M). The PKD1 and PKD2 genes were screened for pathogenic variants. Sequencing analysis revealed the presence of three novel missense single nucleotide variants, two in the PKD1 gene - c.349T>G, p.(Leu117Val) and c.1736C>T, p.(Pro579Leu); and the third in the PKD2 gene - c.1124A>G, p.(Asn375Ser). Bioinformatic predictions of the functional effects of those three missense variants were inconsistent across different software tools. The family segregation analysis, which was mandatory to identify the relevant variant(s) for PGT-M, strongly supported that the disease-causing variant was PKD1 c.349T>G p.(Leu117Val), while the other two were nonpathogenic or, at most, phenotypic modulators. Proving the pathogenicity of novel variants is often complex but is critical to guide genetic counseling and screening, particularly when discussing reproductive alternatives for primary prevention in the progeny of at-risk couples. The family reported herein illustrates those challenges in the setting of ADPKD, and the invaluable importance of a detailed family history and segregation analysis for proper clinical annotation of novel variants. Basic genetic knowledge and proper clinical annotation of novel allelic variants in genes associated with hereditary kidney disorders are increasingly necessary for the contemporary practice of clinical nephrology.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"503-507"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139546718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-03-08DOI: 10.1159/000538281
George A Tanner
{"title":"The Glomerular Sieving Coefficient of Albumin Is Really Very Low.","authors":"George A Tanner","doi":"10.1159/000538281","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000538281","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":"148 8","pages":"584-586"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142073307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-08-05DOI: 10.1159/000540300
Clara Daschner, Anna-Sophie Schübler, Matthias Jung, Niklas Ayasse, Gökhan Yücel, Faeq Husain-Syed, Jan Leipe, Bernhard K Krämer, Babak Yazdani
{"title":"Severe Leptospirosis with Acute Kidney Injury: A Case Description and Literature Review.","authors":"Clara Daschner, Anna-Sophie Schübler, Matthias Jung, Niklas Ayasse, Gökhan Yücel, Faeq Husain-Syed, Jan Leipe, Bernhard K Krämer, Babak Yazdani","doi":"10.1159/000540300","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540300","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Leptospirosis is a globally transmitted zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira spp., a highly mobile, obligate aerobic, spiral-shaped bacteria. Described first by Adolf Weil in 1886, leptospirosis in Germany is rare, leading to a delayed diagnosis due to diverse symptoms. Most cases are mild, but severe forms, like Weil's disease, cause life-threatening complications such as fever, jaundice, hemoptysis, and acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of this work was to provide a literature review of leptospirosis with renal manifestation based on a case report.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>We report the case of an 81-year-old male patient with initially unclear oliguric AKI, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, and jaundice. After excluding common AKI causes, the expanded patient history suggested possible rat contact in his chicken coop. Finally, we serologically identified an infection with Leptospira spp. by positive IgM, proving that the illness was compatible with classical Weil's disease. The patient underwent temporary hemodialysis and antibiotic treatment with intravenous penicillin G for 2 weeks. Under therapy, the AKI, hyperbilirubinemia, and clinical condition of the patient improved. The patient was discharged after 2 weeks. In the following controls, slightly impaired kidney function was observed, indicating a progress of his chronic kidney disease (CKD).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although leptospirosis is rare, there are some cases with a fulminant course. Impairment of renal function often correlates with severity of the disease requiring antibiotic treatment. In some cases, AKI progresses to CKD demonstrating the need to raise awareness for leptospirosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"832-839"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141893865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-10-05DOI: 10.1159/000541866
Giuseppe Remuzzi, David Warnock
{"title":"Brenner's Unforgettable Legacy: Transforming Medicine and Renal Science for Generations.","authors":"Giuseppe Remuzzi, David Warnock","doi":"10.1159/000541866","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000541866","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"731-733"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142381308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NephronPub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-08-05DOI: 10.1159/000540741
Marc Henein, Felicia Russo, Zachary T Sentell, Rémi Goupil, Thomas M Kitzler
{"title":"Phenotypic Discordance among Siblings with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature.","authors":"Marc Henein, Felicia Russo, Zachary T Sentell, Rémi Goupil, Thomas M Kitzler","doi":"10.1159/000540741","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540741","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Missense variants in the PKHD1 gene are associated with the full spectrum of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease severity and exhibit variable expressivity. The study of clinical expressivity is limited by the extensive allelic heterogeneity within the PKHD1 gene, which encodes a 4074-amino-acid protein. We report the case of adult siblings with biallelic missense PKHD1 variants, c.4870C>T (p.Arg1624Trp) and c.8206T>G (p.Trp2736Gly), who presented with discordant phenotypes. Patient A developed progressive chronic kidney disease and Caroli syndrome in childhood requiring combined liver and kidney transplantation, while patient B remains minimally affected in the fourth decade of life with normal kidney function and signs of medullary sponge kidney on imaging. We review previously reported cases of phenotypic discordance among siblings and suggest that genotypes composed of at least one hypomorphic missense variant are more likely to lead to phenotypic discordance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18998,"journal":{"name":"Nephron","volume":" ","pages":"823-831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11651334/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142522493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}