Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology最新文献

{"title":"Impact of Epididymal Sperm Aspiration on Microsurgical Vasoepididymostomy Outcomes in Patients with Obstructive Azoospermia-Report of 21 Cases Attached","authors":"Qunsheng Li, Lei Zhou, Dongrun Li, Wentao Yang, Yingmei Zhou, Zhennan Shen","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00010","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: To explore the impact of epididymal sperm aspiration on microsurgical vasoepididymostomy (MVE) outcomes in patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 21 patients with OA who underwent epididymal sperm aspiration and received treatment at the department of andrology, Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine from September 2016 to March 2023. Under microscopic scrutiny, the structure of the epididymis and any injuries to its ducts were observed and compared during MVE. Results: Microscopic analysis of 21 patients revealed notable changes in the appearance of the epididymis, showcasing substantial scar contracture and evident adhesion between the epididymal fascia and tunica vaginalis within the sheath, posing challenges in their separation. Among them, 12 patients exhibited fractured, shrunk, fibrotic, and semen-devoid epididymal ducts. Consequently, MVE could not be completed in 15 patients because of these factors, and only six patients underwent MVE. Among the patients who successfully underwent MVE, three patients had sperm in the follow-up examination 3 months after surgery, accounting for 50%. Conclusion: Epididymal sperm aspiration can damage the normal structure of the epididymis and epididymal duct, often leading to surgical termination during operation and a decrease in the long-term patency rate following surgery. Therefore, patients with OA are recommended to undergo MVE as the initial procedure. In case the surgery prove unsuccessful, epididymal or testicular sperm aspiration can be performed for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) assisted reproduction. Additionally, patients with OA are advised to avoid diagnostic epididymal sperm aspiration.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"231 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139019929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rosa26 Locus Is Inactive in Spermatogenesis of C57BL/6 Mice","authors":"Honglian Wang, Ze Peng, Yuqing Li, Junyu Lai, Li Wang","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00015","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: The mouse Rosa26 locus demonstrates ubiquitous transcriptional activity, encoding long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) with no functional significance in various types of tissues and cells. It is widely employed in targeting transgene knock-in studies. However, the expression pattern of Rosa26 in the testes remains elusive. In this study, we conducted a detailed transcriptional analysis of the Rosa26 locus during mouse spermatogenesis. Methods: The transcriptional activity of the Rosa26 locus in the testes was assessed through immunohistochemistry or direct fluorescence observation in two Rosa26 locus-targeting knock-in mouse lines, Rosa26-Flag-Cas9 and Rosa26-mT/mG, both with a C57BL/6 background. The two mouse lines feature constitutively expressed Flag-tagged Cas9 and red fluorescent membrane-tethered tdTomato (mTomato) proteins. Results: In Rosa26-Flag-Cas9 mice, immunostaining of testis sections revealed robust expression of the Flag-Cas9 transgene in spermatogonia adjacent to the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules. However, its expression was absent in germ cells undergoing spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules and in maturing spermatids in the epididymis. The transgene was also observed in intertubular Leydig cells and epididymal epithelia but was absent in Sertoli cells. Similarly, in Rosa26-mT/mG mice, fluorescence microscopy showed a complete absence of mTomato expression in the spermatogonial lineage and Sertoli cells. However, robust mTomato expression was observed in intertubular Leydig cells out of the seminiferous tubules and epididymal epithelia. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the Rosa26 locus is inactive during spermatogenesis, indicating that functional gene studies by targeting knock-in transgenes at the Rosa26 locus in the spermatogonial lineage may not be applicable in C57BL/6 mice.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"23 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139018698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Megalin Facilitates the Regulation of Mitochondrial Function by Extracellular Cues","authors":"Qingtian Li, D. Sheikh-Hamad","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00015","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Megalin (also known as low density lipoprotein-receptor related protein 2 [LRP2]) is a multi-ligand cell-surface endocytic receptor expressed widely; it is important for the uptake of vitamins, nutrients and hormones. We recently reported the discovery of LRP2/megalin in the mitochondria of many cells and organs. Importantly, megalin traffics the mitochondrial intracrines stanniocalcin-1, TGF-β and angiotensin II from the extracellular milieu to the mitochondria. This transport parallels the retrograde early endosome to Golgi pathway and requires the Rab GTPase Rab32 in the mitochondria, megalin associates with sirtuin family of class III histone deacetylases (Sirt3) and stanniocalcin-1 (Stc1), which are important for anti-oxidant defenses. Deletion of megalin impairs mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis. The interaction between stanniocalcin-1 and megalin is mediated by leucines within the signal peptides of the proteins; and this interaction is essential to the stimulation of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis by stanniocalcin-1. Our findings suggest that megalin facilitates the regulation of mitochondrial function by extracellular cues.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"369 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139022306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Safety and Efficacy of Using Uremic Clearance Granules for Treating Stages 3 to 5 of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Meta-analysis","authors":"Jiazhen Yin, Hongyu Chen, Bin Zhu","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00013","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of uremic clearance granules for treating stages 3 to 5 of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and to provide evidence-based support for the clinical application of uremic clearance. Methods: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the use of uremic clearance granules for the treatment of CKD were collected from China Biology Medicine (CBM) database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Data, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. After two researchers had independently screened and extracted data, the quality of the included literature was evaluated according to the modified Jadad rating scale. Finally, Stata11 was used for the meta analysis. Results: A total of 36 RCTs were obtained that included 3058 patients, comprising 1538 experimental group and 1520 control group participants. Meta analysis indicated that uremic clearance granules treatment yielded promising results in lowering the levels of serum creatinine (Scr, weekly hemodialysis [WHD] = −52.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −62.64 to −42.21), triglyceride (TG, WHD = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.85 to −0.04), total cholesterol (TC, WHD = −1.41, 95% CI: −1.78 to −1.04) and increasing the glomerular filtration rate (GFR, WHD = 3.26, 95% CI: 3.70 to 6.99) and hemoglobin (HB, WHD = 5.79, 95% CI: 2.66 to 8.92) levels. In addition, this treatment can improve the overall signs and symptoms of patients with CKD [relative risk (RR) = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.24 to 1.51]. However, there was no statistically significant reduction in the 24 hours total urine protein (24hUpro) Hb levels (WHD = −194.95, 95% Cl: −425.92 to 36.01) compared with control therapy alone. Conclusion: Uremic clearance granules treatment significantly reduced Scr, TG, TC levels and increased GFR and HB levels while improving the signs and symptoms of patients with CKD. Due to the low quality of the methodological approaches used in the included studies, further high quality research initiatives are needed to further explore the merits of this therapy.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139199021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights Into the Functional Mechanism of Diabetic Kidney Disease Treatment with Sinensetin Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking","authors":"Yao Zhou, Qi Wu, Xufang Wang, Wei Li, Qiong Liu, Kun Gao","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00033","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Objective: Sinensetin is an antioxidant widely used for treating various diseases; however, its function and targets in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the functional mechanism of sinensetin in DKD using network pharmacological and molecular docking methods. Methods: Potential targets of sinensetin for DKD treatment were identified using the Swiss Target Prediction (http://www.swisstargetprediction.ch/), STITCH (http://stitch.embl.de/), Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM, https://omim.org/), and GeneCards (https://www.genecards.org/) databases. These potential targets were introduced into the STRING database to analyze protein–protein interactions (PPI) and identify key targets. These key targets were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. The binding activities of these key targets were confirmed using molecular docking analysis. Results: A total of 53 key targets of sinensetin treatment in DKD were identified. Ten core targets, including protein kinase SRC (SRC), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) were identified using PPI network interactions. GO functional analysis revealed that reactive oxygen species metabolic processes, membrane rafts, and protein tyrosine kinase activity were involved in sinensetin treatment of DKD. The KEGG enrichment analysis exhibited that signaling pathways such as pathways in cancer, tryptophan metabolism, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway play important roles. Molecular docking analysis suggested favorable docking between the ten core targets and sinensetin. Conclusion: Sinensetin plays a role in the treatment of DKD through various biological processes and signaling pathways. These data provide theoretical evidence for experimental studies on DKD treatment using sinensetin.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139226666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of Chinese Herbal Medicine to Inhibit Podocyte Damage as Therapeutic Strategy for Membranous Nephropathy","authors":"Wei Zhang, Anlan Hu, Juan Wang, Yudian Wang, Xiaoyong Yu","doi":"10.1097/imna-d-23-00004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/imna-d-23-00004","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Membranous nephropathy (MN), one of the most common glomerular diseases, is a noninflammatory autoimmune podocyte disease. In the body, podocytes play an important role in maintaining the stability of the glomerular filtration barrier, and the degree of podocyte damage is a major determinant of MN prognosis because of the limited ability of podocytes to repair and regenerate. Although several therapeutic modalities for inhibiting podocyte damage are currently available, most lead to adverse, nonspecific systemic effects; therefore, newer drugs are necessary to target podocyte damage in MN. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the treatment of primary MN in China. This study reviews the role of podocytes and the mechanisms of podocyte injury in MN glomeruli and summarizes the current status of complement-mediated therapy, the clinical efficacy of TCM in the treatment of primary MN, and the potential mechanisms regulating podocyte injury to support the development of new therapeutic strategies.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122116787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunodynamics of Macrophages in Renal Fibrosis","authors":"J. Chung, Ying-Ying Zhang, Zoey Zeyuan Ji, Tian Tang, Jiao-Yi Chen, Sydney Chi-Wai Tang, Patrick L. Y. Tang","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-23-00001","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Macrophages are crucial mediators in the development of inflammatory diseases, including kidney diseases. Unresolved renal inflammation can progressively develop into chronic kidney disease (CKD), resulting in structural and functional impairment of the injured kidney due to renal fibrosis and leading to irreversible end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increasing evidence suggests that phenotypic changes in macrophages are essential for CKD development and progression. Interestingly, advanced bioinformatics and single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses have revealed the crucial mechanism of macrophage-myofibroblast transition, which may be a novel therapeutic target for renal fibrosis. Therefore, a better understanding of the immunodynamics of macrophages in diseased kidneys may help identify effective therapeutic strategies for unmet clinical needs. This review summarizes the regulatory roles and underlying mechanisms of macrophages in renal fibrosis and their therapeutic implications in kidney diseases, including ESRD.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":" 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113948337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Systematic Inflammatory Response and Multiple Organ Failure Using Xuebijing","authors":"Yao Chen, Jianbo Guo, Wei Peng, Xiangyin Xiang, Y. Wang, Yi Luo, Yibin Feng, V. Wong, Haiyong Chen","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00018","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT According to clinical studies, patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have a high incidence of cytokine storm and thrombosis. The National Health Commission of China approved Xuebijing (XBJ) as a first-line Chinese medicinal injection for COVID-19 patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and/or multiple organ failure (MOF). We hypothesized that the therapeutic effect of XBJ on SIRS and MOF in COVID-19 occurs via immunothrombosis and employed network pharmacology to evaluate this potential mechanism. The chemical compounds in XBJ were retrieved, and proteins related to thrombotic diseases were screened. Further, Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the antithrombotic targets of XBJ was conducted. The results highlight the key inter-players (neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and platelets) of immunothrombosis in COVID-19 and the potential therapeutic mechanism of XBJ in suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and platelet aggregation. Severe COVID-19 patients with SIRS and MOF may benefit from XBJ as it exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, inhibits platelet activation, and induces lymphocyte apoptosis.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127487813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Efficacy of an Astragalus and Atractylodes Recipe for Treating Early Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Meta-analysis of Evidence-Based Studies","authors":"P. Sun, Yiru Zhao, Yong-Li Huang, L. Chen, Lai Wei, Yarong Wang","doi":"10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IMNA-D-22-00019","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: In the clinical practice of different medical practitioners, the therapeutic effect of astragalus and atractylodes recipe (AAR) on early diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is obvious, but there is a lack of large sample data to support it. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of AAR for treating early DKD. Methods: Reports published in the following databases from inception to January 26, 2022 were retrieved: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Sinomed, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the use of AAR for treating early DKD were considered, with relevant data extracted and quality evaluated according to the Cochrane Collaboration System Evaluation Method. Data were analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software. Results: Thirteen articles that included a total of 928 patients were considered. Based on the meta-analysis, the total efficacy of the treatment group was better than that of the control group (odds ratio [OR]: 4.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.78, 6.70; P < 0.0001). The treatment group outperformed the control group in terms of blood-fat total cholesterol (TC, SMD: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.26; P < 0.00001), triglyceride (TG, SMD: 0.83, 95% CI: 1.47, 0.19; P = 0.01), serum creatinine (Scr, SMD: 1.55; 95% CI: 2.28, 0.82; P = 0.02), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, SMD: 0.77; 95% CI: 1.47, 0.07; P = 0.03), and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER, SMD: 1.55; 95% CI: 2.28, −0.82; P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Use of an AAR for treating diabetic kidney disease improved clinical outcomes versus conventional treatment alone, without compromising patient safety.","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122242721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Use in Context, Creatively","authors":"Qihe Xu","doi":"10.1097/imna-d-22-00029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/imna-d-22-00029","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":349243,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology","volume":"69 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115709902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}